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The character 衒 is composed of 玄 inserted between the left step 彳 and right step 亍, which together form the movement/intersection radical 行; 玄 primarily indicates the pronunciation. Originally, 衒 denoted the literal action of selling goods on the street or traveling to a market to peddle wares. Over time, the meaning shifted from this concrete commercial activity to the figurative sense of boasting, showing off, or flaunting one's talents and possessions in order to gain attention, the dominant usage in later literature.
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