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The character "栉", whose traditional form is "櫛", is composed of the semantic component "木" (wood) and the phonetic component "節" (joint, node), indicating its original reference to a comb, a toothed tool typically made from wood or bone. Its core meaning as a noun for a comb or hairpin is found in early texts, and from this concrete object, it developed a verbal sense meaning to comb hair. This action later extended metaphorically to signify arranging, putting in order, or giving meticulous attention to something, as in the idiom "栉风沐雨" which describes being combed by the wind and washed by rain. The modern simplified form "栉" retains the "木" component while simplifying the phonetic element.
Etymology Hide
