About
The character 眚 combines the semantic radical 目 (eye) with the component 生, which primarily provides the phonetic element and may also hint at the concept of growth. Its original meaning referred to a cataract, a film growing over the eye that impairs vision. From this concrete medical condition, the meaning broadened metaphorically to encompass disaster, calamity, or error, reflecting a shift from a physical defect to a general notion of fault or misfortune.
Etymology Hide
