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The character 镵 is a phono-semantic compound denoting a plowshare, spade, or sharp agricultural tool for digging and tilling. Its semantic radical 钅 (jīn, "metal") indicates the tool is forged from metal to withstand soil abrasion. The right component 毚 (chán, "cunning rabbit") serves as the phonetic element, providing the character's sound. The traditional form 鑱 combines the unsimplified radical 金 (jīn) with the same phonetic component. Etymologically, it reflects agricultural technology and the act of piercing earth, frequently appearing in historical texts about farming implements, medical lancets, or sharp excavation tools.