About
As a phono-semantic compound, 黥 uses the left radical 黑 (hēi, black/dark) to indicate the ink used, while the right component 京 (jīng) provides the pronunciation "qíng". The character refers to the ancient Chinese punishment of tattooing a criminal's face or body with dark ink as a permanent mark of disgrace. Since this specific penal practice was abolished long ago, the character's use is now largely confined to historical, legal, or literary contexts discussing ancient systems of punishment and the physical branding of offenders.
Etymology Hide
