About
The character "曛" is structurally formed by the sun radical "日" combined with "熏", which serves as both a phonetic element and a semantic contributor denoting smoke or haze. Etymologically, this construction reflects the observed natural effect where sunlight appears dimmed or colored by atmospheric particles, especially near sunset. Over its historical usage, the meaning shifted from primarily describing the obscured or reddish glow of the late sun to specifically indicating the time of dusk or twilight, thereby narrowing its reference to that period of day. The components have remained consistent, with "熏" reinforcing the association between smoky obscuration and the declining light of the sun.