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痼 is a phono-semantic compound structured with the radical 疒 enclosing the component 固. The radical 疒, commonly found in characters for ailments, places the meaning in the domain of illness or medical pathology. The inner component 固 (gù) supplies the pronunciation and simultaneously contributes the semantic ideas of solidity, stubbornness, and entrenched firmness. The combined sense is a chronic, obstinate illness that resists treatment and persists over a long period. Beyond its literal medical use, the character appears figuratively, as in 痼疾, to describe stubborn bad habits, ingrained negative behaviors, or societal flaws that are hard to eradicate.
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