About
甓 is a classical noun for fired clay bricks used in ancient construction and paving. As a phono-semantic compound, its structure reveals its meaning: the semantic radical 瓦 (tile/pottery) at the bottom classifies it as a ceramic product, while the upper component 辟 (pì) provides the phonetic element. Historically, the character appears in classical texts like the Book of Odes to describe built environments, reflecting early masonry practices. It is now archaic, having been replaced in modern standard Chinese by the more common character 砖 (zhuān). Pì survives primarily in classical literature or specialized historical and architectural contexts, with no simplified form.
Etymology Hide
