About
牍 (dú) is the simplified form of the traditional character 牘, denoting wooden tablets or slips used for writing before paper became widespread. This phono-semantic compound consists of the semantic radical 片 (piàn), meaning a slice or flat piece, which indicates the physical form of the prepared wooden writing surface. The phonetic component 卖, simplified from 賣 (mài), provides its pronunciation. While the material use of such tablets faded with paper's adoption, the character's meaning extended to encompass written records and official documents, surviving in modern terms like 文牍 (wéndú), meaning bureaucratic paperwork or official correspondence.
Etymology Hide
