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嬖 is a phono-semantic compound: the 'female' radical 女 at the bottom points to its early connection with concubines or female attendants, while 辟 above indicates the pronunciation. In usage, it served as both a noun and a verb for someone granted special favor by a ruler or master, carrying the implication that this status came through personal charm or intimacy rather than merit or birth. Although the radical suggests a female context, the character was commonly applied to male favorites and sycophants in ancient courts, who gained disproportionate political influence from their close personal ties to a monarch or person in power.
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