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The character 鳊, written as 鯿 in traditional form, is a phono-semantic compound. Its left radical, 鱼 or 魚, indicates the semantic category of fish. The right component, 扁, serves both a phonetic function, providing the sound "biān", and a secondary semantic role, suggesting flatness. Together, they form a character for the bream, a freshwater fish with a deep, compressed, and flat body. This structure combines the general class with a specific physical trait, creating a stable noun that precisely refers to this flat-bodied species.
Etymology Hide
