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The character 斛 is a phono-semantic compound, with the semantic radical 斗 (dǒu), meaning "dipper" or a unit of dry measure, on the right, and the phonetic component 角 (jiǎo, "horn") on the left, which provides the pronunciation "hú". Historically, it referred to a specific measuring vessel for grain and functioned as an official unit of volume in imperial systems. Its capacity was originally set at ten dou, later adjusted to five dou in subsequent periods. The 斗 radical firmly places it within the category of measurement, particularly for agricultural produce.
Etymology Hide
