咸

Traditionally classified as a compound ideograph, though its original sense remains uncertain.

The character consists of:

戌 (axe / weapon form) — pictorial element, sometimes interpreted as a weapon or tool

口 (mouth) — mouth; speech; people

One hypothesis suggests that 咸 originally conveyed the idea of subduing or affecting all, possibly through force or command.

Because 殲 (to annihilate) shares a similar sound, some scholars have proposed that 咸 once meant to kill or to destroy completely.

However, this view is widely challenged: such meanings are now considered phonetic borrowing (假借) from 殲, and not the true original meaning of 咸 itself.

As a result, the safest reconstruction treats 咸 as an early abstract marker of totality, whose precise pictorial motivation has been lost.

咸 is widely used in classical, literary, and formal contexts to denote universality or completeness.

함께 (咸共) — all together (classical / literary)

함유 (咸有) — to possess entirely

함복 (咸服) — universal submission

만민함열 (萬民咸悅) — “all the people rejoiced”

Classical-style constructions:

咸曰 — “all said”

咸知 — “all know”

Related characters (universality & totality):

皆 — all; everyone

全 — complete; entire

盡 — to exhaust; completely

悉 — entirely; thoroughly

普 — universal; widespread

Among these, 咸 is the most classical and declarative, frequently appearing in proclamations, historiography, and moral discourse.

Unlike 全 (complete) or 皆 (everyone), 咸 emphasizes comprehensive participation or effect, often in formal proclamations or moral judgments.

In Modern Chinese, 咸 also functions as the simplified form of 鹹 (“salty”).

鹹 → 咸

This usage is phonetic simplification only and unrelated to the semantic development of 咸 meaning “all.”

Classical citations:

《書經》 (The Book of Documents)

「萬邦咸寧」

“All the states were at peace.”

《史記》 (Records of the Grand Historian)

「天下咸服」

“All under Heaven submitted.”