About
The Chinese character 翳 is a phono-semantic compound, with the semantic feather radical 羽 at the bottom and the phonetic component 殹 above. The feather radical links it to objects like large fans or parasols used to block sun or wind. This function of covering gave rise to its core meaning: to screen, obscure, or conceal. In traditional medicine, this concept was extended to describe a cataract, an opaque film over the eye that obstructs vision.
Etymology Hide
