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蛎 is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic component 虫 groups it with insects, worms, and other invertebrates, while the phonetic component 厉 indicates the pronunciation. Its traditional form is 蠣, which uses the more complex phonetic 厲 instead of the simplified 厉. The character designates the oyster, a type of marine bivalve mollusk, and is used exclusively in biological and culinary contexts; it has no extended metaphorical or abstract meanings.
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