About
The character 酹 is a phono-semantic compound, combining the wine radical 酉 with the component 寽. The left-side radical 酉 depicts a wine vessel, marking the character's connection to alcohol and fermentation. 寽 means "a pinch" and also provides the pronunciation lèi. Together, they suggest pinching out wine, and the character refers specifically to the ritual act of pouring a libation of alcohol onto the ground as an offering to ancestors, spirits, or deities. Because this practice is tied to traditional sacrificial and commemorative rites, 酹 appears primarily in classical poetry and historical texts, where it conveys acts of reverence or memorialization.
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