This logogram is of ideographic origin and it was designed to evoke:

Words 言 that must not be broken 折; 折 also provides the pronunciation

  • to swear, to pledge; oath shì
    • to break, to snap; to fold, to bend; to bow; humble zhé
      • hand shǒu
      • a catty (about 500 grams); an axe; keen, shrewd jīn
    • words, speech; to speak, to say yán

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