About
瀹 is a phono-semantic compound that pairs the water radical 氵 with the phonetic element 龠, a character that historically signifies an ancient flute. The water radical firmly connects it to liquids and aquatic activities. The character's original sense was the boiling or cooking of items in water, a meaning that later widened to include thorough washing, cleansing, or soaking in liquid. In classical literature, it further developed the metaphorical sense of dredging or clearing a waterway to ensure proper flow. The radical serves to unify these diverse meanings, culinary boiling and hydrological clearing, through the common element of water.
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