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诤 is the simplified version of the traditional character 諍. Both forms are phono-semantic compounds: the left radical 讠 (from 言, "speech") marks the semantic domain, and the right component 争 (from 爭, "struggle") supplies the pronunciation while evoking conflict. The character denotes admonishing, remonstrating, or arguing honestly with a superior or friend to correct a fault, the "struggle" element reflecting the friction of offering unwelcome criticism. The simplification streamlined the radicals without altering the character's underlying logic, preserving its sense of principled argumentation.
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