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The character 鞫 is a phono-semantic compound with the leather radical 革 on the left, historically associated with animal hide or bindings. The right component, 訇, primarily indicates the pronunciation, while the hidden 言 (speech) element within it also suggests a link to verbal communication. Originally, 鞫 meant to interrogate or cross-examine, especially in judicial or penal contexts involving thorough investigation. Its meaning later broadened to denote pursuing something to its ultimate limits, though it remains most common in formal or historical texts related to legal trials and strict interrogations.
Etymology Hide
