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贳 (traditional form 貰) is a phono-semantic compound: the upper element 世 provides the sound, while the lower element 贝, the cowrie shell radical, marks it as pertaining to wealth, currency, or commerce. Its primary lexical meaning is borrowing, renting, or purchasing goods on credit, reflecting historical commercial practices. A secondary judicial meaning emerged in classical literature, where it denotes pardoning, showing leniency, or remitting a punishment. At the core of both senses lies the idea of a deferred obligation, delaying a payment in trade or postponing retribution in law. Thus, whether financial or punitive, 贳 always involves a suspension of what is due.
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