About
The character 沏 is structurally composed of the water radical 氵 paired with the component 切, which carries the meaning of cutting or severing. Etymologically, this combination initially conveyed concepts related to water, such as its clarity or a swift, cutting flow. Over subsequent periods, the semantic focus of the character shifted away from describing water itself toward a specific action involving it, namely the pouring of hot water over tea leaves to extract their essence, which solidified as its core meaning of steeping or infusing.