About
The character 衲 functions as both a noun and a verb, traditionally denoting a patched garment or the act of sewing patches, and is strongly associated with Buddhist monastic attire. Structurally, it is a phono-semantic compound: the left radical 衤 (clothing) establishes its semantic category, while the right component 内 provides the phonetic value "nà". This connection deepened as Buddhist monks, observing vows of poverty, wore robes made from discarded cloth. Thus, 衲 became a metonym for monastic life. A monk might refer to himself as "老衲" (lǎonà, "old patched robe"), a humble self-appellation. Over time, its meaning evolved from the literal practice of mending to symbolizing the ascetic clergy.
Etymology Hide
