Definitions
lowland swamp
Etymology
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窊 is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic radical 穴 'cave, hole, cavity' sits above phonetic 瓜 'melon, gourd', which hints at the historical pronunciation that shifted to modern wā. The radical gives the character its core meaning: a depression, low-lying area, or hollow that often collects water to form a puddle. Primarily an adjective or noun describing sunken or uneven terrain, the character also appears in classical literature for hollows or dipped, scooped-out surfaces on objects, anything lower than its surroundings.
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