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The character "锲", with its traditional form "鍥", is structurally composed of the metal radical and the phonetic component "契", which carries connotations of cutting or incising, thereby originally denoting the act of carving or engraving with a metal tool. This literal meaning gradually extended into a metaphorical sense of persistent and unremitting effort, most notably captured in the idiom "锲而不舍", where it exemplifies steadfast dedication, marking a shift from a physical action to an abstract quality within the language.
Etymology Hide
