Variant of 冬

It names the winter season.

Mandarin Chinese reads 冬 as dōng in Pinyin. In Japanese, the standalone word is 冬（ふゆ, fuyu）; compounds may use トウ (tō). These are readings of 冬, not separate readings established for 𣆼.

Where does this form come from?

Early forms of 冬 appear in Shang divination inscriptions carved on bone, bronze inscriptions, and manuscripts from Chu (a state in the Warring States period) written on bamboo and silk, as well as Qin writing slips. Chinese dictionaries preserve 𣆼 as 古文冬 (“old form of 冬”), with 日 (“sun/day”).

Shuowen Jiezi, a Chinese character dictionary, explains 冬 as “the end of the four seasons,” linking winter with the year’s close.