About
The character 掊 is a phono-semantic compound, with the left-side semantic radical 扌 (hand) indicating a physical action, and the right-side phonetic component 咅 (pǒu) providing the pronunciation. Etymologically, it originally meant to strike or break apart something with one's hands, conveying a forceful, destructive action. Over time, it also developed an abstract meaning, coming to denote the heavy exacting or collection of taxes and levies, thus shifting into an economic and administrative context.
Etymology Hide
