About
The character 痈 (traditional: 癰) is a phono-semantic compound in the medical lexicon. Its semantic radical 疒 ("disease") indicates a pathology or physical ailment. In the traditional form, the phonetic component is 雝; the simplified version replaces it with 用 for the same phonetic function. The character specifically means a carbuncle or severe abscess, a painful, pus-filled skin infection. It is used in medical terminology for this inflammatory condition and occasionally in historical metaphors for deeply rooted corruption requiring drastic removal.
Etymology Hide
