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湎 is a phono-semantic compound that describes deep intoxication with alcohol, and by metaphorical extension, heavy indulgence in any habit or vice. It combines the water radical 氵, which indicates liquids and by association alcoholic drink, with 面 (face), a component that evokes a flushed face after drinking while also supplying the character's pronunciation. Etymologically, the character captures the image of a man's face after consuming alcohol. It appears most often in formal admonitions and historical texts criticizing rulers or individuals who have surrendered to physical pleasures and excessive drinking.
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