About
The character "挹" is structured with the hand radical (扌) combined with the phonetic component "邑", indicating an action performed by the hand related to transferring liquids. Its etymology points to an early meaning of dipping or ladling out, as evidenced in classical texts, where it described the physical act of scooping. Over time, the character's usage expanded to encompass abstract applications, such as drawing from or deriving something in a figurative sense, while its form and compositional elements have stayed unchanged.
Etymology Hide