局
キョク, つぼね
bureau, board, office, affair, conclusion, court lady, lady-in-waiting, her apartment
JLPT3 G3 S7 F286
The relevant oracle bone form of this character shows a pair of bending lines demarcating a narrow frame → bracket; compartment → *office*; *bureau*; *department* → *situation* (← circumstances dealt with by a specific authority). The present shape is via a seal inscription form of the character. Compare 句.
[Full Kanji Etymology List]