city under the Chou Dyn., surname
郗 is a rare kanji with two distinct uses: it names an ancient city from the Chou dynasty period, and it also functions as a surname. The meanings do not share a clear conceptual center beyond being a proper noun.
郗 combines 希 (rare, hope) with the city enclosure ⻏, suggesting a place name. The exact historical development is uncertain.
The left side 希 suggests something rare, and the right side ⻏ marks a city. Picture a rare, ancient city whose name is now only a surname.
For チ, imagine a rare ancient city named Chi, like the first part of Chicago, but older: Chi -> チ.
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