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The character 龁 (hé) is a phono-semantic compound combining the semantic tooth radical 齿 (chǐ) with the phonetic component 乞 (qǐ). Its traditional form 齕 uses the more complex radical 齒. This structure directly relates to the action of biting, chewing, or gnawing, often describing animal feeding habits or the grinding of teeth. In classical texts, 龁 frequently describes the continuous nibbling of rodents or livestock, and is sometimes used metaphorically for the slow, steady consumption or erosion of resources. The simplified form retains the core semantic link to teeth while greatly reducing the strokes of the traditional radical.
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