About
The character 觳 originally functioned as a noun designating an ancient measuring vessel or a drinking cup crafted from an animal's horn, and as an adjective describing trembling, fear, or physical exhaustion. It combines the phonetic element 𣪊 on the left with the semantic radical 角 on the right; 角 means 'animal horn' and indicates the material from which the vessel was traditionally carved. The character's meaning later split into two paths: one preserved the reference to physical measuring tools and historical volumetric units, while the other appeared in classical literature to describe the involuntary shivering or shaking of a person or animal experiencing intense cold, terror, or physical weakness.
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