About
The character 埂, which maintains the same form in both traditional and simplified systems, is composed of the semantic component 土 (earth) and the phonetic component 更. Its etymology directly relates to its structure, as it originally referred to a long, low bank or dike of earth, such as a boundary ridge between fields or an embankment for water control. From this concrete sense of an earthen mound or barrier, its meaning extended to denote any similar raised strip or long, narrow elevation, such as a ridge of land. In later usage, the term also acquired a metaphorical application to describe a sticking point or obstacle in a situation, conceptually analogous to a physical barrier.
Etymology Hide
