prepare a dead body for coffin

殮 is composed of 歹 (cracked skull) and 僉 (all, everyone). 歹 depicts a cracked skull, implying death, while 僉 portrays multiple people agreeing and responding to commands, extending to mean ensuring accuracy or completeness. In ancient times, upon a person’s death, relatives would clean the body and dress it in burial clothes, ensuring it was properly prepared and clean before being placed in the coffin for burial. This ritual is called 殮.