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The character "褛" derives from its traditional form "褸", which is structured with the "衣" radical indicating its association with clothing and the phonetic component "婁" providing its pronunciation. This character has historically functioned almost exclusively within the compound "褴褛" to denote torn or ragged garments, and its semantic focus on describing the disrepair of clothing has not shifted. The simplified form "褛" replaced the phonetic element with "娄" while maintaining the "衣" radical, thus preserving the character's core etymological link to apparel.
Etymology Hide
