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骛 is a phono-semantic compound that blends the horse radical 马 (simplified from 馬) with the component 敄, which means "to exert effort" and gives the pronunciation wù. Together they evoke a horse working hard, galloping swiftly or running wildly. The traditional form 騖 keeps the same structure with 馬 beneath 敄. From its literal equine sense, the meaning extended to the eager, hurried pursuit of something, often appearing in literary compounds for chasing ambitions or distant goals.
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