廉

1. Physical/Geometric: The edge, rim, or corner of an object, specifically the clean line where two planes meet (e.g., a vessel's rim, the bezel of jade, or the cutting edge of a blade).

2. Moral/Administrative: Uprightness and honesty; in administrative or legal contexts, this refers specifically to fiscal incorruptibility—an official who does not embezzle public funds.

Functions as a noun (edge/rim) or an adjective (upright, sharp, honest). It typically modifies the quality of a tool or the character of an official; it rarely functions as a verb in early texts.

While overlapping with 正 (rectitude/alignment) and 誠 (sincerity), 廉 specifically denotes a lack of contamination or greed. In political contexts, "incorruptible" is often more precise than "honorable."

In pre-Tang texts, the glyph primarily oscillates between its physical and moral meanings. The sense of being "inexpensive" or "cheap" (as in 廉價) is a later derivative meaning relating to the stripping away of excess.

Unless a passage is explicitly commercial, avoid reading 廉 as "inexpensive" or "cheap" in early strata.