勿

Most scholars classify 勿 as a pictograph:

The ancient forms depict a hand grasping a bundle of hair or tassel, symbolizing “to pull away / restrain.”

By extension, it developed the abstract meaning “to restrain → to forbid → do not.”

In early bronze inscriptions, the form resembles a hooked object being stopped or blocked.

Most Sino-Korean vocabulary with 勿 is literary or archaic, preserved mostly in Buddhist texts, classical writings, or set expressions such as 毋勿 (~하지 말라) (don't do ~).

무물 (毋勿) — absolutely not; do not

물금 (勿禁) — prohibition, ban (literary)

물망 (勿忘) — “do not forget” (rare/archaism)

Although 毋 and 勿 similar and sometimes interchangeable in manuscripts:

毋 originally means “do not” (prohibitive)

勿 originally means “without” → later adopted for prohibition

In later Classical Chinese, both can serve as negative prohibitive markers, but 毋 is slightly older and more common in pre-Qin texts.

In classical grammar, 勿 is used before verbs:

勿言 — “Do not speak.”

勿忘 — “Do not forget.”

勿聽 — “Do not listen.”

勿為 — “Do not act (thus).”

It behaves similarly to imperative negation in other ancient languages.

Classical citations:

《論語·顏淵》 (Analects)

「 子曰：‘非其鬼而祭之，勿與。’」

Confucius said: “If it is not your ancestral spirit to whom you sacrifice, do not take part.”

Here 勿 expresses a strict ethical prohibition.

《孟子·梁惠王下》 (Mencius)

「 …勿以惡小而為之。」

“…Do not commit something just because its evil seems small.”

A moral admonition using 勿 in a general prohibitive rule.

《詩經·大雅·卷阿》 (Book of Odes)

「 君子如祉，福履綏之。勿越於儀。」

“The noble man receives blessings, prosperity accompanies him.

He must not transgress ritual propriety.”

Shows 勿 as a poetic negation in ritual context.