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钺 is the simplified form of 鉞, an ancient term for a large, heavy battle-axe used both as a weapon and a ceremonial emblem of power. The character combines the metal radical 钅 (simplified from 金), indicating the material, with the phonetic component 戉, originally the character itself, written as 戉. In ancient China, this axe represented military authority and royal prerogative, often granted to commanders as a token of the right to punish or execute. The character remains closely tied to this historical weapon and its ritual symbolism, appearing almost exclusively in historical and archaeological contexts.
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