Definitions

sōu to engrave (metal of wood)

Etymology phono-semantic

metal

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is a phono-semantic compound: the metal radical (simplified from ) on the left signals that the character relates to metallic tools, while the component on the right supplies its pronunciation. The traditional form retains the full radical . Its meaning is the act of engraving or cutting with a metal saw or similar tool, a semantic pattern typical of verbs for physical tool use.