About
The character 楫 (jí) is a phono-semantic compound. Its left side, the wood radical 木, indicates that it belongs to the category of wooden objects, while the right component 咠 (qì) provides the pronunciation. Its primary meaning is a wooden oar or paddle used to propel and steer a boat. In classical literature, this meaning sometimes broadened through metonymy, allowing the word for oar to represent the entire boat or the act of rowing itself, making it a common poetic term for watercraft or maritime travel.
Etymology Hide
