About
The character 脬 is a phono-semantic compound consisting of the semantic component 肉, which appears in its modern form as 月 on the left side to denote flesh or bodily organs, combined with the phonetic component 孚 on the right, which historically guided its pronunciation. Its etymology points to an initial meaning centered on the urinary bladder, a fluid-containing sac within the body, as documented in early medical literature. Over time, the term's application expanded to include other analogous sacs, such as the swim bladder in fish, while in some vernacular contexts it also developed a role as a measure word for urine. The character's structure, with the components 月 and 孚, has remained consistent in its traditional form.
Etymology Hide
