About
The character 揿 is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic component is the hand radical 扌 on the left, placing it in the category of manual actions. The right component, 钦, provides the phonetic value. It denotes the physical action of pressing down with a finger or hand, as in pushing a button or holding an object firmly. The traditional form, 撳, uses the full phonetic component 欽, which includes the metal radical 金, though the metal element is not semantically relevant to pressing. This character is especially prevalent in Wu Chinese dialects, where it commonly serves as the verb for pressing or pushing small items.