鹿

• Literal: Deer (broadly referring to cervids such as sika or roe).
• Metaphorical: A prize, a position of power, or the throne (e.g., 爭鹿 "contesting for the deer").
• Proper Noun: Used as a surname.

Translators should distinguish between the animal appearing as literal prey or sacrifice and its use as a political metaphor for sovereignty.

Tang-period reading: *luk (Fanqie: 盧谷).

As a semantic component (鹿部), this glyph identifies characters related to hoofed animals or mythical beasts (e.g., 麒, 麟). In obscure characters, it generally indicates an ungulate or a creature with antlers.

• Symbolic Weight: In descriptive passages, mentions of antlers often carry specific symbolic weight regarding rank or vitality.
• Spatial Transitions: The glyph frequently appears in accounts of royal hunts; these scenes may signal a narrative transition from courtly (civilized) space to mountain (wild) space.