• complete, whole, perfect;
  • to finish, to bring to an end;

Etymology

Phono-semantic compound:

宀 (roof, house) — semantic, indicating protection, shelter, or something enclosed.

元 (origin, primary, head) — phonetic element.

Together they express the idea of a house or structure being intact and preserved, hence “complete, whole.”

Semantic range:

- complete, perfect, intact;

- to finish, to bring something to its conclusion;

- figurative: faultless, flawless.

Usage in Korean

완전 (完全) — complete, perfect

완성 (完成) — completion, accomplishment

불완전 (不完全) — incomplete, imperfect

결완 (缺完) — lacking but completed in form

드라마 완결 표시 (完) — used at the end of serialized works to mark completion (e.g., “10화 完”).

Additional notes

In East Asian literature and popular culture (especially Korean manhwa, Japanese manga, dramas, and serialized novels), 完 is often placed at the final chapter or episode to indicate “The End / Completed”.

완전할
wanjeonhal
wan
Kangxi radical:40, + 4
Strokes:7
Unicode:U+5B8C
Cangjie input:
  • 十一一山 (JMMU)
Composition:
  • ⿱ 宀 元

Characters next to each other in the list

References