About
The character 羝, meaning a ram or male sheep, is structured as a phono-semantic compound with the semantic component 羊 representing sheep and the phonetic component 氐 indicating pronunciation. Etymologically, it originated to specify male sheep within the ovine category, and its usage in classical literature consistently reflects this zoological designation. While the character's form has experienced minor graphical adjustments over time, its constituent elements have remained unchanged, and its meaning has continued to refer specifically to male sheep without broadening or shifting to other senses.
Etymology Hide
