凵 部首 17 — a pit dug in the ground; anything open at the top, a receptacle

Where the shape comes from

A hollow with walls on three sides and nothing across the top: a pit, or a vessel one drops things into. It is the ground a foot climbs out of in 出, and the open box of 击 and 凶. Do not confuse it with the enclosure 囗, which is closed on all four sides.

汉字 filed under 凵

• 出chū (first tone, high and level)to go out, to come out; to produce, to issue, to put forth; to happen (of a problem); a measure word for plays and operas5