Origin

This character combines a component meaning "pinched" or "sandwiched" on the left with the classifier for "head" on the right. The cheek is the part of the face that sits between the ear and mouth, essentially sandwiched in the middle of the head. By putting together the idea of something caught between two sides with the head classifier, the character visually suggests the location and squeezed-in nature of the cheeks on either side of the face. This compound method of stacking meaning allows the character to capture both what a cheek is and where it belongs on the body.