Definitions

zhì to engrave; to record

Etymology

About

The character primarily means 'to engrave' or 'a recorded inscription on metal.' It is a phono-semantic compound: the left-side metal radical indicates an association with metals, bronze casting, or carving hard surfaces, while the right-side component (will, record) supplies the pronunciation and suggests the recording of information. Historically, served as a variant of , which refers to records or inscriptions, and the metal radical emphasizes bronze vessels and other metal objects as the medium for ancient documentation.