Definitions

ǎn to cover, to conceal; to apply medicine or make-up

Etymology phono-semantic

hand

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 揞 is structured with the hand radical 扌 and the component 奄, which serves as a phonetic element and carries semantic associations with covering. Etymologically, it originated to denote actions of covering or concealing performed with the hand. Over time, its meaning shifted from general concealment to more specific manual applications, such as applying substances like ointments or pressing down, reflecting a narrowing into defined hand-mediated functions while retaining its core compositional logic.