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The character 糗 (qiǔ) is a phono-semantic compound that combines 米 (mǐ, rice) and 臭 (chòu, stink), evoking "rice that stinks", a reference to the pungent odour of roasted grain, with 臭 also supplying the pronunciation. In early texts, it designated parched wheat or roasted rice used as durable travel provisions by soldiers and travellers. This culinary sense persisted in classical literature, but modern Chinese has transformed 糗 into a colloquial term for an awkward or embarrassing situation, completely detached from its food-related origins.
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