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宸 is composed of the roof radical 宀 placed over the phonetic 辰 (chén), which provides the pronunciation and independently denotes celestial bodies or the fifth earthly branch. Its original architectural meaning was the deep, sheltered eaves of a house or grand mansion that provide significant cover. Because such imposing structures were characteristic of imperial palaces, the term shifted metonymically to the emperor's palatial residence, and eventually became a direct literary substitute for the emperor himself or his sovereign authority.
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