About
The character 觯 denotes an ancient ceremonial drinking vessel, specifically a goblet used for wine in formal rituals and banquets. Its traditional form, 觶, is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 角 (horn) indicates the vessels were originally carved from animal horns, later cast in bronze, while 單 provides the phonetic element. The simplified form 角 replaces 單 with the simpler component 单. In historical and archaeological contexts, the term serves as a precise classification for such ritual artifacts, distinguishing them from other ancient containers by their distinct shape, capacity, and ceremonial function.
Etymology Hide
