About
The character 髌 serves as an anatomical term for the kneecap, or patella. Its structure combines the semantic radical 骨 (bone) on the left, linking it to the skeletal system, with a phonetic component on the right. The traditional form 髕 used 賓 for its sound, while the simplified version 髌 uses the element 宾. Historically, the character also referred to a harsh corporal punishment known as bin, which involved mutilating the kneecaps. In modern usage, its meaning is confined strictly to the anatomical bone.
Etymology Hide
