Chinese character 頡

It means “straight or stiff neck.”

A bronze inscription from the late Spring and Autumn period is an early attestation. Later manuscripts show the character in seal, clerical, and regular writing styles.

In 頡頏, birds’ rising and falling extends figuratively to matched or competing sides. 蒼頡 is the legendary historian of the Yellow Emperor, a legendary ruler; the Qin–Han character-learning text 蒼頡篇 belongs to that writing-origin tradition, not proof that one person invented writing.