系

• Physical binding: The act of tying, fastening, or tethering; also refers to the cord, string, or leash used for this purpose.
• Linear sequence: A series of linked items or events, including the use of knotted strings as mnemonic devices for counting or record-keeping.
• Relational connection: Lineage and kinship; specifically a line of descent.

• Transitive verb: To tie, bind, or fasten.
• Noun: A cord, string, link, connection, or sequence.
• Attribute: Describing things as related or interconnected.

• Variants include U+4FC2, U+7CFB, and U+7E6B.
• In classical texts, 系 is frequently interchangeable with 繫. While 繫 more strongly suggests the physical material (silk) of binding, the two often overlap entirely in meaning.

// Avoid importing the modern sense of "system" (as in //xìtǒng*—bureaucratic, biological, or technical systems). In ancient contexts, this glyph typically implies a sequential or interconnected nature; "chain," "sequence," or "line" is generally more accurate.