farming population
甿 centers on the farming population: the common people who work the land. It refers to the agricultural class as a collective group.
甿 combines 田 (field) with 亡, which likely contributes a phonetic element. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the character is associated with the farming population.
The left side is a rice field 田, and the right side 亡 looks like a person bent over working. Picture the farming population toiling in the fields.
For モウ, imagine a farmer mowing a field: mow -> モウ, and the farming population works the land.
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