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The character "鸩", whose traditional form is "鴆" incorporating the phonetic component "冘" and the semantic radical "鳥" denoting bird, initially referred to a mythical bird reputed for its toxic feathers. Over centuries, its meaning extended from the bird itself to the poison crafted from its feathers, and subsequently to any lethal poison, particularly one used for administering in beverages. The simplified form "鸩" retains the identical phonetic element while adopting the simplified radical "鸟" for bird.
Etymology Hide
