About
The character 仄 is structured with the cliff radical 厂 positioned above the component 人 representing a person, etymologically implying a person beneath a cliff to convey a sense of slanting or constriction. Its original meaning of inclined or uneven extended to denote narrowness and psychological discomfort over time. In classical Chinese phonology, 仄 further specialized to refer specifically to oblique tones, which are non-level tones in poetic meter.
Etymology Hide
