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The character 縻 (mí) originally referred to a halter or rope for tying animals, and by extension, the act of binding. It is a compound structure with 麻 (má, hemp) positioned above the radical 糸 (mì, silk or thread), both elements pointing to materials like woven plant fibers or silk used to make cords and ropes. In classical texts, its meaning expanded from the literal restraint of livestock or prisoners to metaphorical uses involving binding through obligations, emotions, or administrative control, all grounded in its etymology of intertwined fibrous restraints.
Etymology Hide
