Definitions
flint; (metonym) arrowhead
Etymology
About
The character 砮 is a phono-semantic compound revealing aspects of historical material culture and early weaponry. It combines the semantic radical 石 (shí, stone), indicating the material, with the phonetic component 奴 (nú), which provides the pronunciation. Its primary meaning is a stone arrowhead or flint projectile used in bows or catapults. The character’s structure reflects the pre-metallurgical technological period when weapons were stone-crafted. It appears mainly in military texts, historical chronicles, and archaeological descriptions of ancient armaments.
Etymology Hide
