On the Character Wo(握)in the Phrase Yimusanwofa(一沐三握发)
The character wo(握)in the phrase yimusanwofa(一沐三握发)has historically not been clearly defined but is generally accepted to mean"holding or grasping".Recently,scholars Liu Zhao and Zhang Chuanguan have argued that zhuo(捉)in yimusanzhuofa(一沐三捉发)means"to grip tightly",with zhuofa(捉发)referring to"grasping or twisting the hair to squeeze out water".Based on this,this paper conducts a comparative analysis of the phonetic components of"屋"and"足"characters respectively and argues for the meaning of wo(握)in yimusanwofa(一沐三握发)from the perspectives of usage in literature and dialects.It suggests that wo(握)shares the same meaning as the zhuo(捉)discussed by Liu Zhao and Zhang Chuanguan,which can be interpreted as"to grip tightly",meaning"to tightly grasp(an object containing moisture)and exert continuous force(to squeeze out water)".This interpretation,absent in major historical dictionaries,should be added for completeness.
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