About
The character 奘 is structurally composed of 大 (big) as a semantic element and 壯 (strong) as a phonetic element, reflecting its original meaning of largeness or robustness. Etymologically, this combination emphasizes physical strength and size. Over time, the character's usage became more specialized, most notably in the name of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang (玄奘), while in certain dialects it still denotes something sturdy or large. The traditional form of the character uses 壯, and the simplified form substitutes 壮 for this component.
Etymology Hide
