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The modern character 胄 merges two historically distinct characters. One origin meant "descendant" or "lineage", phono-semantic with the flesh radical 月 (representing 肉) below for biological relation and the phonetic component 由 (yóu) above. The other, traditionally written as 冑, meant "helmet" or headgear, with the hat radical 冃 over the eye component 目, depicting protective wear. These separate forms converged into the single structure 胄 used today.
Etymology Hide
