About
The character 嵘 (traditional: 嶸) is a phono-semantic compound. The mountain radical 山 on the left indicates its semantic connection to terrain and elevation. The phonetic component 荣 (from traditional 榮) on the right provides the pronunciation without contributing to the meaning. It primarily describes mountains that are lofty, steep, and towering. This character is almost exclusively used in the compound word 峥嵘, which depicts dramatic peaks and is often used metaphorically in literature to denote an extraordinary or distinguished life and career.
Etymology Hide