Origin

This character combines the radical for insects or creatures with a component meaning work or construction. The character likely arose because a rainbow was traditionally viewed as a creature or phenomenon in the sky—the "insect" component classifies it as something living or moving in nature. The right component may contribute a sound hint to aid pronunciation. Together, the two parts create a character that captures both the idea of a visible, living phenomenon and its phonetic value, resulting in the character for rainbow.