About
埏 pairs the earth radical 土 on the left with 延 on the right. The 土 radical ties the character to soil, land, and earthen materials, while 延 provides the phonetic cue and originally depicted an earthen roadblock. Depending on context and pronunciation, the character has two distinct meanings: it can refer to kneading clay with water, a key step in pottery-making, or it can denote a boundary, limit, or the farthest extent of a territory, like the edge of the earth, reflecting the image of an earthen barrier.
Etymology Hide
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.