Ritual ladle

It names a ritual ladle or, in Korean compounds, yut sticks. In classical Chinese ritual writing, 柶 was a spoon-shaped implement, traditionally described as horn-made and used to scoop food during ceremonies. The Yili, an ancient Chinese book of ritual rules, places it in a ceremonial setting. An older dictionary distinguishes it from 匕, a more ordinary spoon-like tool, and 匙, the ordinary spoon character.

In Korean compounds, 擲柶 and 柶戲 refer to the game of yut, played by throwing four marked sticks. A nineteenth-century Korean customs account, Dongsa ilji by Yi Hak-gyu, records New Year yut play used to divine the next harvest.

What does 柶 mean when someone sends it?

A lone 柶 is ambiguous; surrounding words decide. If the message contains only 柶, ask what word or passage the sender has in mind before choosing a reading.