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篆 is a phonosemantic compound, pairing the semantic radical ⺮ (竹, 'bamboo') with the phonetic component 彖 (tuàn). It refers to seal script, a historical calligraphy style distinguished by curved, elongated strokes, and also to the process of engraving characters into seals or stamps. The bamboo radical reflects the pre-paper practices of writing on bamboo slips and using bamboo carving tools, thus directly connecting these early writing materials with the carving of official seals on stone, wood, or jade for stamping documents.
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