Definitions

niè bones of the temple (on the human head); see 顳顬|颞颥, temple

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 颞, the simplified form of 顳, is a phono-semantic compound used in anatomy. Its traditional structure combines the semantic radical 頁, relating to the head or face, with the phonetic component 聶. The simplified version mirrors this logic with 页 and 聂. Etymologically, it was coined to denote the temples or temporal bones on the sides of the skull. This precise anatomical meaning has remained stable in medical literature, without developing metaphorical uses, consistently functioning as a specialized medical term.