About
The character 榱 is structurally composed of the wood radical 木 and the component 衰, which primarily serves as a phonetic indicator. Etymologically, this construction aligns with its original meaning of a square rafter or beam in wooden architecture. The character's semantic scope has remained specific to this architectural element throughout its history, with no broad shifts in definition, though its contemporary usage is largely confined to classical or technical references rather than everyday language.
Etymology Hide
