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課

공부

과

부수: 言
획수: 15획

課 has the meanings academic subject, subject of an examination, subject area and task.

課 = 言 + 果

X = semantic + phonetic

• 言 depicts speech organs and represents the meanings ‘speech’, ‘sounds’ and ‘words’. This lead to the meaning ‘examine’.
• 果 gives the character its sound.

Evolution:
課 = to examine ➔ subject of an examination ➔ academic subject
課 = to examine ➔ subject of an examination ➔ task

言 = + 口

• is a distortion of the original form (see below).
• 口 depicts a mouth.

言 was originally 舌 which depicts a tongue. From this comes the meaning ‘speech’.

果 = 田 + 木

• 田 is a distorted depiction of a fruit and only by coincidence resembles ‘field’.
• 木 is a depiction of a tree.

From the original meaning of ‘fruit’ came ‘result’ and thus ‘consequence’. Some scholars suggest 果 conveys meanings of ‘consider’ (as in ‘consider one’s words’) though this is questionable.

Mnemonic

Think of how 言 is used to mean ‘words’ and 果 possibly means ‘consider’. A student listens carefully and considers 果 what their teacher has to say 言.

Alternatively, think of how 果 can be used to mean ‘result’, ‘outcome’ or ‘fruition’. A lesson 課 and the teacher’s words 言 produce 果 understanding.

Vocab

academic subject
課程	과정	scholastic course
課外	과외	private lesson
放課	방과	class dismissal
subject of an examination
賦課	부과	imposition of levy/penalty
考課	고과	evaluation of merits
課稅	과세	taxation
subject area
課長	과장	section chief
task
課하다	과하다	to assign a task; impose a levy
課題	과제	a task; assignment; problem
課業	과업	a task; duty
日課表	일과표	a daily schedule

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