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螓 is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 虫 on the left signals that the character belongs to the category of insects and similar small creatures, while the component 秦 on the right gives the pronunciation qín. Its core meaning is a small cicada, specifically one distinguished by a broad, square-shaped head. This physical trait caught the attention of classical Chinese poets, who repeatedly used the insect as a simile for a beautiful woman's wide, smooth forehead. Through that usage, a straightforward zoological term evolved into a fixed literary device.
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