About
The character "谰", whose traditional form is "讕", combines the semantic component "言" for speech with the phonetic component "闌", indicating its association with verbal expression and specifically the act of making false statements. Over time, the character's structure was altered to the simplified form "谰", where "言" is represented by "讠" while the phonetic element is modified to "阑". Etymologically, the character has always been linked to dishonest speech, initially covering a range of meanings including false accusation and denial, but its usage has narrowed to primarily denote slander or calumny in modern contexts.
Etymology Hide
