嚴 (yán)

strict, rigorous, rigid; stern

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 喦 represents the meaning and 敢 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "exaggerate". The meaning later shifted to "extreme", "severe", and "strict".

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“嚴,教命急也。从吅,聲。,古文。”

Components