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筅 is a phono-semantic compound: the top radical 竹 (zhú) indicates bamboo material, while the bottom component 先 (xiān, 'first') provides the pronunciation. Historically, the character was created to refer to a small, finely split bamboo brush or whisk, most notably the implement essential for frothing powdered tea in traditional tea ceremonies, and also for general pot-cleaning. Because of its close association with these specific functions, the character's meaning has never strayed into abstract or metaphorical usage throughout its history.
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