Definitions

cóng tribute paid by Han dynasty tribes

Etymology

About

The character "賨" originated in ancient Chinese administrative contexts, where it specifically denoted a tribute or tax paid in goods, particularly by the Ba people in southwestern regions. Its structure is composed of the semantic component "貝", which relates to wealth or currency, placed beneath the component "宗", which primarily serves a phonetic role in this formation. Over time, the meaning of "賨" became narrowly associated with this historical fiscal practice, and as such systems became obsolete, the character's usage declined, leaving it largely confined to classical or historical texts.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern