イ, コク, くにがまえ

box or enclosure radical (no. 31), box

JLPT0 G13 S0 F5000

A depiction of a circular *enclosure* such as a city wall → *specific/particular place*. Although the present style of the character squares the edges, ancient forms are rounded, and the association with circularity is evidenced by cognate characters with the element such as 韋, and .

[Full Kanji Etymology List]