approvedby Prismcool · Mar 23, 2026, 03:29 PM· Reviewed by Prismcool on Mar 23, 2026, 03:29 PM
Because, this was the result of the component 𦰩 fusing together with 土, which in turn 堇 looks identical to 𦰩. Both graphs contain a depiction of a criminal (or person with their arms crossed, depending on the interpretation) with their mouth open, so that's why the two look identical to each other.
Original meaning: burn a person alive as a sacrifice
Pictograph of burning a tortured person (𦰩) over fire (火) as sacrifice, now written as 熯. The meaning later shifted to "bake", "dry out", and "clay".
Due to historical stylistic changes, this component is less similar to 火 than it was in ancient scripts.
Character Evolution
BronzeMid Western Zhou~900 BCBronzeLate Western Zhou~800 BCBronzeLate Spring and Autumn~500 BCBronzeEarly Warring States~400 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealShuowen~100 ADSealShuowen~100 ADSealShuowen~100 ADClericalQin221-206 BCClericalWestern Han202 BC-9 ADRegularModern
