About
The character 桎 is a phono-semantic compound composed of the wood radical 木 and the phonetic 至. The wood radical indicates the material, originally naming wooden fetters, shackles, or stocks that were placed on prisoners' ankles or feet to restrict movement. From this concrete object, the meaning extended to any severe restriction or oppressive bondage that limits freedom or progress. The phonetic 至 gives the pronunciation, while the character as a whole encompasses both the literal wooden restraints and their abstract connotations.
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