肱

gōng

厷 + 月

Definitions

gōng upper arm; arm

Etymology

Originally written as 厷, which depicts a hand with a circular mark on the arm to indicate the forearm. The ⺼ (meat) component was added later to clarify the meaning.

Semantic: ⺼ Phonetic: 厷

About

肱 combines the semantic radical 月 (ròu, "flesh") with the phonetic 厷 (gōng). Originally, 厷 depicted a hand with a circular mark on the arm to indicate the forearm; the flesh component was added later to clarify the body-part meaning. The character denotes the upper arm, from shoulder to elbow. From its role in strength and support, it developed the figurative sense of a trusted right-hand man, a common usage in classical and political texts for indispensable officials.