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Originally a phono-semantic compound, 莅 combines 艹 (grass) on top with 位 (place) below, a component that also gives the pronunciation (with 立 inside 位 reinforcing the sound). The traditional variant 蒞 uses 氵 (water) and a different phonetic, hinting at the sound of flowing water or a specific body of water. Through phonetic loan, the character came to mean "to arrive" or "to attend" in formal, respectful contexts, typically the arrival of a dignitary or official. The simplified form 莅 replaced the lower part with 位, making the character easier to write while keeping the formal connotation.
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