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膑 (traditional form 臏) is a phono-semantic compound, with the flesh radical 月 on the left indicating a connection to the body or body parts, and the phonetic 宾 on the right. In its original anatomical sense, it refers to the kneecap (patella). The character then came to designate a severe ancient punishment: the surgical excision or mutilation of the kneecaps, which left the victim permanently unable to walk. This historical usage shifted the character's primary meaning from a neutral anatomical term to a legal and punitive one, and it is extensively recorded in texts describing the harsh penal codes of early Chinese dynasties.
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