About
The character 盥 is an ideogrammatic compound that visually depicts a specific action through the arrangement of its components: 臼 (representing two hands reaching down), 水 (shuǐ, water) flowing between them, and 皿 (mǐn, a shallow basin) at the bottom. This structure illustrates the act of pouring water over hands into a vessel, reflecting its original meaning of washing one's hands. The character retains this specific meaning and is commonly found in formal contexts today, particularly in the compound word for a public washroom, where its visual representation underscores the function of hand-washing.
Etymology Hide
