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潸 is a phono-semantic compound: the water radical 氵 signals a liquid, and the right side, 林 over 月, an abbreviated form of 散, provides the sound. Visually, 林 suggests closed eyes, so the structure of water falling from eyes perfectly captures the act of shedding tears. The character appears almost exclusively in the literary compound 潸然, which describes tears streaming down the face to convey a formal, sorrowful mood.
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