diàn
hall
Original meaning:
to smack the buttocks
Depicts a weapon (殳) smacking a person's buttocks (𡱒). In ancient China, having one's buttocks smacked with a huge stick was one of the punishments criminals could have. Based on the original meaning, "to smack the buttocks". The meaning later shifted to "palace" and "hall", because buildings have an elevated appearance that stick out like buttocks.
Bronze script
Seal script
Clerical script
Regular script
季旭昇《說文新說》p.227-228