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鼐 is a phono-semantic compound with the semantic radical 鼎 (dǐng) 'tripod cauldron' at the bottom and phonetic 乃 (nǎi) 'then' at the top. It originally referred to an exceptionally large bronze cauldron, typically with two loop handles and three or four legs, used for cooking meat, presenting sacrificial offerings to ancestors, or symbolizing state power. The character later came to denote heavy, substantial incense burners placed in temples or palaces, reflecting the shift of these vessels from practical cooking tools to revered ceremonial objects.
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