About
The character 楹 is a phono-semantic compound with the radical 木 (mù, wood) on the left, indicating a wooden object or architectural element, and the component 盈 (yíng, full) on the right, providing the phonetic element. Its primary meaning is a principal column or pillar supporting a hall or large traditional building. As these prominent wooden pillars were often used for hanging vertical couplets with poetry or auspicious sayings, the character also came to refer to the couplets themselves, known as "yinglian", linking architectural support with literary decoration.
Etymology Hide
