Definitions
to snore; thirsty from excessively salty or sweet food; (dialect) very; extremely
Etymology
About
齁 is a phono-semantic compound originally describing a physiological breathing sound. The semantic component 鼻 ('nose'), which envelops the upper and left sides, links the character to respiration, while the inner lower-right component 句 serves as the phonetic. Its original meaning was heavy snoring or noisy breathing through the nose. Over time, in certain regional dialects, it developed an adverbial use meaning 'very' or 'extremely,' especially when describing overpowering tastes or smells. This semantic expansion from a concrete nasal action to an abstract intensifier reflects how colloquial usage can broaden a character's function beyond its original domain.
Example Words
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