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The character 埘 (traditional form: 塒) is a phono-semantic compound meaning a roost or coop for poultry. Its semantic radical 土 ("earth") on the left indicates such enclosures were historically built from packed clay or mud. The phonetic component 时 (trad. 時) on the right provides the pronunciation "shí" without affecting the meaning. This term appears mainly in classical poetry and rural writing to evoke pastoral scenes, referring specifically to this type of earthen agricultural structure.
Etymology Hide
