About
The character 椟, whose traditional form is 櫝, is a phono-semantic compound: the semantic radical 木 (wood) signals a connection to wood, while the phonetic 卖 indicates its pronunciation. It denotes a wooden box or casket, often elaborately decorated, used to safeguard valuables like gems or documents. The character's most celebrated appearance is in the idiom 买椟还珠 (mǎi dú huán zhū), "buying the casket and returning the pearls", which serves as a metaphor for those who are dazzled by surface appeal and overlook true worth.
Etymology Hide
Example Words
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.