inherit, posterity

嗣 is composed of 口 (mouth), a variant of 冊 (booklet, bamboo slips), and 司 (manage, command). 冊 is a pictograph of bamboo slips, while 司 depicts a hand shaped like a megaphone placed beside the mouth, indicating issuing instructions to others. Thus, 嗣 refers to imparting knowledge to descendants through speech and writing, with its original meaning being inheritance or transmission. Later, 嗣 extended to mean descendants or heirs.