缶

fǒu

Definitions

fǒu (noun) pottery

fǒu (noun) clay drum

Etymology

Pictograph of earthenware with a lid.

About

The character 缶 is a pictograph of an ancient earthenware vessel with a lid, narrow neck, and bulging belly, originally used for holding liquids such as water or wine. Over time, its form became stylized, its strokes abstractly representing the lid, body, and base of the container. As a standalone word, it denotes unglazed pottery or a specific type of clay jar, and it historically functioned as a makeshift percussion instrument when struck during communal gatherings. When it serves as a semantic radical in other characters, it imparts meanings related to pottery, ceramics, and other objects made from fired earth.