About
歃 is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 欠 (qiàn) on the right depicts an open mouth and signals actions like drinking or exhaling, while the component 臿 (chā) on the left provides the sound. The character was coined to name the visceral ceremony of smearing sacrificial blood on one's lips during oath-taking or alliance-making, a distinctive ritual in ancient feudal diplomacy. Consequently, its meaning is tightly bound to historical pacts and classical covenants.
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