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A phono-semantic compound, 蹶 pairs the foot radical 足, indicating actions or conditions involving the foot or leg, with the phonetic 厥. Its original meaning is stumbling, tripping, or falling due to a misstep, a direct foot-related mishap. This concrete image gradually took on a metaphorical life: it now describes experiencing a setback, suffering a defeat, or the abrupt failure of plans in any endeavor, thus broadening from a literal fall to a sudden, often unexpected, collapse in life's pursuits.
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