腹

• Anatomical: The abdominal region or belly.
• Spatial/Physical: A hollow, concave, or sheltered interior (e.g., the depths of a valley or the hull of a ship), implying a protected volume.
• Psychological/Metaphorical: The locus of internalized knowledge, hidden intentions, plotting, or deep-seated convictions.

• vs. 胃 (wèi): 腹 refers to the abdominal region or cavity; 胃 refers specifically to the stomach organ.
• vs. 内 (nèi): While both can mean "inside," 内 is general and directional, whereas 腹 implies an enclosure characterized by depth, curvature, or capacity.

Tang-period reading //biuk//; Fanqie 方六.

• Phrases such as 藏於腹 ("hidden in the belly") generally denote strategic concealment or private resolution rather than physical digestion.
• The compound 腹心 (fùxīn, "belly and heart") denotes an intimate confidant privy to one's most private plans.
• In texts concerning greed or satisfaction, the glyph often bridges a physical urge (hunger) with a moral state (avarice).