Where does “組文字” come from?

組文字 (Japanese) comes from Japanese 組, from Japanese 組む — intertwine (strings and similar); cross (one's arms or legs); braid (hair).

組文字 (Japanese): a block of multiple characters arranged in a space equivalent to that of a single character (an imaginary square), usually containing katakana, used to save space

Definitions

a block of multiple characters arranged in a space equivalent to that of a single character (an imaginary square), usually containing katakana, used to save space

Ancestry of “組文字”, step by step

組文字 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Japanese 組

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Japanese	組	class, group, team, set
2	Japanese	組む	intertwine (strings and similar); cross (one's arms or legs); braid (hair)

via Japanese 文字

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Japanese	文字	a letter, a character; script, writing system; a...
2	Middle Chinese	文字	—

Every word from Japanese 組む →Every word from Japanese 組 →