About
The character 帙 is a phono-semantic compound originally meaning a cloth wrapper or protective slipcase for thread-bound books or scrolls. Its left component, the cloth radical 巾, indicates the textile material historically used for such covers to protect fragile paper or bamboo slips. The right component 失 serves as the phonetic element, providing the pronunciation "zhì". From its association with book packaging, the character evolved into a measure word for volumes or text collections, becoming a key term in classical Chinese bibliography.
Etymology Hide
