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The phono-semantic compound 眇 (miǎo) combines the semantic radical 目 (mù, eye/vision) with the component 少 (shǎo, few/little), which also provides the phonetic element. Its original meaning described the condition of being blind in one eye or having severely impaired vision, directly linking the eye with a state of insufficiency. Over time, the meaning extended metaphorically to encompass abstract ideas of minuteness, tininess, distance, or insignificance, reflecting something so small or far away that it is difficult for the eye to clearly perceive.
Etymology Hide
