About
The character 餮 is a phono-semantic compound meaning extreme gluttony or insatiable greed. Its lower part is the food radical 食 (shí), linking it to eating and consumption. The upper portion is a complex phonetic element that includes 歹 (dǎi), which indicates the pronunciation. This character is almost exclusively used in the compound 饕餮 (tāotiè), referring to a ravenous mythological beast often depicted on ancient bronze vessels as a warning against greed. The placement of the food radical firmly connects its meaning to consumption, elevating a physical act into a symbol of legendary excess.