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The character 阙, whose traditional form is 闕, structurally integrates the gate radical 門 with the phonetic component 欮, pointing to an original semantic association with gateways and architectural features like watchtowers or flanking towers at palace entrances. Its early meanings were confined to such physical structures, but over centuries the character developed abstract connotations of a gap or deficiency, possibly deriving from the notion of an opening or void within a gate complex, which extended its use to terms denoting shortcomings. The simplified form 阙 maintains the gate radical as 门 while altering the phonetic to 欠, yet the character's dual reference to architectural elements and figurative lacks remains consistent in its semantic range.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这座宫殿的城阙非常壮观。
历史记载中这一段暂时阙如。
文件的阙漏需要尽快补上。
面对知识上的阙疑，他决定深入研究。
古代帝王居住在巍峨的宫阙之中。
碑文上的字迹因年代久远而有些阙残。
这份报告的内容详实，几无阙失。
他对古典文献的校勘力求弥补前人的阙误。