錯 (cuò)

error, mistake; incorrect, wrong

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 金 represents the meaning and 昔 represents the sound. The character is based on the original meaning "grind stone", which later shifted to "mix", "be in disorder", and "wrong".

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“錯,金涂也。从金,昔聲。”

Original meaning

grind stone

Components