Morphic character. From tile, zeng. From tile, indicating a ceramic product. Original meaning: ancient cooking utensil with many steam-permeable holes in the bottom, placed on the li to steam (food)

1. an ancient tiled vessel for steaming rice. The bottom has many holes through the steam, placed on the li steaming, as the modern steamer: ~ dust kettle fish.

2. [～子] A wooden barrel for steaming rice nowadays, with a drawer but no bottom.

3. A vessel for distilling or breaking down objects: curved-necked ~.