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The character 魇, traditional form 魘, is a phono-semantic compound denoting nightmares or sleep paralysis. Its semantic component is the ghost radical 鬼, placed at the bottom, linking the character to nocturnal fears or the sensation of supernatural oppression during sleep. The upper part is the phonetic component 厌 (traditional 厭), providing the sound yǎn and subtly suggesting pressure. This structure, a suppressing phonetic element over a ghost radical, aptly conveys the experience of night terrors, a meaning consistent from ancient texts to modern psychological terms.
Etymology Hide
