About
The character "矍" is constructed from the traditional component "瞿" placed above the hand radical "又". "瞿" itself depicts two eyes ("目目") over a bird ("隹"), conveying a sense of looking around in alarm, and this semantic core informs the meaning of "矍". Historically, the character described the startled, vigilant appearance of a bird or, by extension, an elderly person whose eyes remain bright and alert. Its meaning condensed over time to specifically denote a look of surprise or fright in a person's eyes, as seen in the term "矍铄", which characterizes an old person as vigorous and bright-eyed.
Etymology Hide
