About
The character 罙 is an archaic variant that serves as the structural root for the modern character 深 (shēn, deep). It is composed of 冖 (mì, cover), 八 (bā, divide), and 木 (mù, wood) at its base. This combination originally evoked the idea of probing into a covered or wooded area, conceptualizing depth through the environment of a dense forest or hidden shelter. It later became a key phonetic and semantic component for other characters denoting physical depth, vastness, or profoundness.
Etymology Hide
