Origin

This character combines the component for "words" or "speech" on the left with a sound hint on the right. The left part, "words," makes sense because an imperial edict is an official command issued by the emperor in the form of a formal proclamation. The right component provides a rough guide to how the character should be pronounced, similar to how many kanji are built by pairing a meaningful part with a phonetic clue. Together, the combination expresses the idea of important words or commands from above.