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A phono-semantic compound, 枥 combines the wood radical 木 (mù) on the left, indicating its material composition, with the phonetic component 历 (lì) on the right. The traditional form 櫪 pairs the wood radical with the unsimplified phonetic 歷, a highly complex character. It denotes a wooden manger, feeding trough, or stable for horses and other livestock. The character gained lasting cultural prominence through a verse by the Han dynasty warlord Cao Cao, where an old warhorse resting by the manger serves as a powerful metaphor for an aging hero who refuses to abandon his grand aspirations.
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