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衽 is formed by the clothing radical 衣 (衤) on the left, indicating its association with textiles and garments, and the phonetic 壬 on the right. Its primary sense is the lapel or overlapping front panels of traditional robes, a technical term in ancient tailoring and dress etiquette. Over time, it also took on the meaning of sleeping mats or bedding, and it frequently appears in historical texts on both the making of formal clothing and the arrangement of sleeping quarters.
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