帥

Commander-in-chief; supreme military leader.

Can function as a verb meaning "to lead," "to command," or "to direct" (e.g., heading up an operation or force).

Contrast with 將 (//jiāng//): while both refer to military leadership, 帥 typically denotes the supreme authority over other generals (將). In texts where both appear, look for a signaled hierarchy.

Tang-period reading //shruì//; Fanqie readings 所類 (//suǒ lèi//) and 所律 (//suǒ lǜ//). Simplified variant: U+5E05.

The 巾 (cloth/turban) component refers to the insignia of rank, denoting authority as a visible status.

Ignore modern associations with physical attractiveness or "handsomeness" (//shuàiqi//), which is a late development not applicable to ancient texts. If context suggests appearance, it likely refers to the commanding presence of the rank rather than aesthetic beauty. If neither the noun nor verb sense fits the syntax, consider whether the glyph is serving as a phonetic loan.