About
The character 韫 (traditional 韞) is a phono-semantic compound, joining the leather radical 韦 (wéi, traditional 韋) on the left, suggesting a connection to leather wrappings or containers, and the phonetic component 昷 (wēn) on the right. Its original concrete meaning was wrapping or storing an object in a leather case. Over time, this developed into an abstract literary usage: to harbor hidden talents, inner virtues, or profound wisdom, often used in classical literature to describe a modest person who refrains from flaunting their intellectual abilities.
Etymology Hide
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.