[UKH-氏] | ultimateKOREAN

氏

성

씨

부수: 氏
획수: 4획

氏 has the meanings ‘clan name’, ‘surname’ and ‘Mr./Ms./Mrs.’.

氏 = 氏

X = phonetic borrowing

Caution: The interpretation of 氏 is unclear.

• 氏 is suggested to originally depict a mallet, with the meaning ‘clan name’ coming from a sound loan.

Other scholars suggest 氏 originally depicted a ladle 匕 and a cooking pot. The meaning of ‘clan’ is suggested to arrive from 𠂤 which possibly had a similar pronunciation to 氏. 𠂤 is believed to have originally meant ‘buttocks’. From the shape of buttocks comes ‘hills’ — which is where noble families lived on top of. These families would be referred to as ‘such-and-such 𠂤‘.

Another interpretation suggests 氏 depicts a person bent over; either working in the fields or bowing.

Evolution:
氏 = ’mallet’ ➔ borrowed use ➔ ’clan name’ ➔ ’surname’

Mnemonic

Since the interpretation of 氏 is largely unclear, brute force memorisation is recommended. Alternatively, take 𠂤 as depicting buttocks and imagine a rich family 氏 living on top of a hill. Their children are born with silver spoons 匕 in their arses.

Vocab

金氏	김 씨	Mr. Kim
氏族	씨족	clan, family
宗氏	종씨	being from the same clan
氏名	씨명	one’s full name
季氏	계씨	someone’s younger brother (dated language)
某氏	모씨	‘a certain person’ (dated language)
攝氏	섭씨	Celsius

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