島

島 is a phono-semantic compound composed of:

山 (산 산) — semantic component meaning “mountain” or “elevated land,” representing the land rising above the sea.

鳥 (새 조) — phonetic component, also symbolically linked to remote or coastal life (as seabirds gather near islands).

In early forms, the upper part of 鳥 indicated the sound, while the lower 山 provided the meaning “landform.”

The image evokes a mountain surrounded by waves and birds, suggesting a distant, self-contained place.

群島 (군도) — archipelago

半島 (반도) — peninsula (“half-island”)

島國 (도국) — island nation

孤島 (고도) — lonely island; metaphor for isolation

火山島 (화산도) — volcanic island

In East Asian history, 島 often appears in geographical and political names symbolizing territorial identity or maritime independence, such as:

日本列島 (Nihon Rettō) — the Japanese archipelago.

濟州島 (Jeju-do) — Jeju Island in Korea.

臺灣島 (Taiwan Island) — Taiwan.

The suffix –島 (도) is commonly used in place names to indicate islands, functioning like the English –isle or –island.

In poetry, 島 often symbolizes isolation, tranquil retreat, or personal independence — the idea of being surrounded yet self-sufficient:

孤島之人，不與世爭 — “The man on a lonely island contends not with the world.”

In Zen and Daoist traditions, the island represents detachment and inner peace, a space of contemplation away from worldly tumult.

Korean and Japanese poets likewise employ 島 to evoke solitude and purity — e.g., 청산도 (靑山島) or Matsushima (松島).