About
The character 擘 is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic component is the bottom radical 手 (shǒu), which ties its meaning to manual actions or parts of the hand. The top part 辟 (pì) provides the pronunciation. Historically, 擘 has two main meanings: as a noun, it refers to the thumb, often symbolizing the most prominent element; as a verb, it means to break, split, or tear something open with one’s hands, implying a forceful action that parts an object.
Etymology Hide
