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A straightforward phono-semantic compound, 赭 (zhě) combines the radical 赤 (red), which indicates its color meaning, with the phonetic component 者 (zhě). It denotes a dark reddish-brown pigment, or ochre, from natural iron oxide clays. Historically, the character also carries connotations of criminality, as it referred to the reddish-brown garments legally required for prisoners in ancient penal systems.
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