About
A phono-semantic compound, 帙 originally denoted a cloth wrapper or protective slipcase used to enclose and organize thread-bound books or scrolls. The left-side radical 巾 (cloth) points to the textile material historically used for such covers to protect fragile paper or bamboo slips. The right-side component 失 is a phonetic marker giving the pronunciation zhì. Through its association with book packaging, the character later came to serve as a measure word for volumes, fascicles, or collections of texts in classical Chinese bibliography.
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