About
The character 郤 is a phono-semantic compound. Its left component 谷 provides the phonetic hint, while the right radical 阝, derived from 邑, indicates a city or region. Originally a place name, it later became a notable surname during the Zhou dynasty. It also served as a phonetic loan for 隙, conveying meanings such as physical gaps, cracks, or interpersonal grudges. In modern usage, it primarily survives as a surname, with the senses of "gap" or "resentment" now predominantly expressed by 隙.
Etymology Hide
