哀

Formed as a phono-semantic compound:

衣 (clothing) provides the semantic element, suggesting mourning garments.

口 (mouth) provides the phonetic element and also evokes wailing or lament.

Early forms show the image of one wrapped in clothes, mouth open in lament — symbolizing grief expressed through both posture and sound.

Semantic range:

- sorrow, grief, sadness (슬픔, 비애);

- pitiable, pathetic (가엾음, 민망함);

- compassion, sympathy (불쌍히 여김).

애도 (哀悼) — mourning, condolence

비애 (悲哀) — deep sorrow, grief

애절 (哀切) — poignant, heartrending

애곡 (哀哭) — wailing in grief

애민 (哀憫) — pity, compassion

哀 carries important weight in Confucian ethics, where the capacity to feel sorrow at others’ misfortune (哀憐) is regarded as a core sign of 仁 (benevolence, humanity). In ritual contexts, 哀 also denotes the appropriate expression of grief during mourning ceremonies, balancing deep emotion with social propriety. Thus 哀 embodies not just private sadness but also a morally significant, socially regulated response to loss.