嗇

The glyph denotes restriction or the withholding of flow. This manifests in three primary ranges:

• Economic/Moral: Thrift and prudence vs. stinginess and miserliness.
• Physical/Physiological: Blockage, constipation, or spasms.
• Quantitative: Scantiness or sparsity.

• Predicate Adjective: "to be miserly/thrifty."
• Verb: "to stint," "to economize," or "to restrict."
• Adverbial Modifier: Suggests performing an action sparingly.

• 省 (shěng): Focuses on reduction for the sake of efficiency or "cutting back."
• 吝 (lìn): Almost exclusively negative; a reluctance to give.
• 节 (jié): Denotes systemic regulation, moderation, and disciplined economy. 嗇 is more visceral and restrictive.

Simplified variant: U+556C.

The glyph is often morally neutral; the translator must determine based on tone and context whether the "tightness" described is a virtue (discipline) or a vice (greed).