About
The character 泅 is a phono-semantic compound meaning to swim or float. Its semantic water radical 氵 on the left indicates a liquid-related action. The right side is the phonetic component 囚 (qiú), which gives the pronunciation but whose internal structure of a person in an enclosure doesn't contribute to the meaning. 泅 specifically refers to the skill of moving through water, often used in compounds about water survival, treading water, or crossing a body of water, distinguishing it from more general swimming terms.
Etymology Hide
