Origin

This character combines a net or enclosure (the box shape at the top) with a horse (馬) below. The idea appears to be something trapped or confined, and a horse in a net or cage evokes the sense of being caught, constrained, or forcibly held. From this image of confinement and loss of freedom, the meaning extended to verbal abuse and insult — the idea of trapping someone with harsh words, or of someone being cornered and attacked with insults. The combination of these two elements created a character whose shape captures the feeling of being ensnared by harsh speech.