𠘨

ancient variant of 冰 (빙, ice)

Pictophonetic / derivative:

冫 (빙, “ice radical”) – semantic component, indicating cold or frozen state

水 (수, water) as origin element — the earliest forms depict water solidifying.

In oracle bone inscriptions (甲骨文) and bronze inscriptions (金文 jinwen), 𠘨 shows two short strokes representing ice crystals, a reduced form of 水. It later standardized into 冰 during the Qin unification (小篆 → 隸書).

𠘨 is not used in modern Chinese, Japanese, or Korean texts. Rare, primarily of paleographic interest in studying pre-Qin scripts.

It survives as a variant form of 冰 found in ancient manuscripts and dictionaries such as 《說文解字》.

In Daoist texts, 冰 (𠘨) sometimes symbolizes the extreme yin (陰) principle, embodying stillness, clarity, and quietude.

In Buddhist metaphors, 冰/𠘨 can signify frozen ignorance or attachment that must be “melted” by wisdom (般若).

In Confucian moral writings, 冰 often represents purity and integrity, “as clear as ice.”

This radical is the abbreviated form of 水, used for “ice” and “cold” characters.