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The character 酩 is structured with the alcohol-associated radical 酉 combined with the phonetic component 名, indicating its sound and linking it semantically to spirits. Its etymology is tied to describing drunkenness, evident in early usage within the compound 酩酊 to denote a state of severe intoxication. Over centuries, the character’s meaning has not shifted significantly, though it became almost exclusively employed in such bimodal expressions rather than as an independent term.
Etymology Hide
