Definitions
name of an ancient tribe
foundation; on the whole
Etymology
Depicts a hammer hitting an object.
Semantic:
氏
About
The character 氐, in its earliest forms, represented a hammer hitting an object. This concrete image later gave rise to an abstract verb meaning to lower or hang down, most often seen in the context of bowing one's head as a gesture of deference or attentiveness. In a separate and unrelated development, the same character functions as the name of the Di people, an ancient ethnic group that inhabited western China and played a significant political role during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, leaving a mark on Chinese history.
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