幅

A phono-semantic compound:

巾 (건) — semantic component, indicating cloth, fabric, textile

畐 (복) — phonetic component, supplying the sound (폭 / fú)

The original sense refers to the width of a piece of cloth, which naturally developed into the abstract notion of breadth or span.

The alternate reading “두건 복” reflects the character’s early association with cloth worn on the head, further reinforcing the textile origin.

Semantic development:

- textile width — breadth of cloth

- physical span — measurable width

- visual field — painting, image, map

- abstract range — scope or extent (metaphorical)

幅 is common in measurement, description, and classification, both concrete and abstract.

폭 (幅) — width

폭이 넓다 (幅이 넓다) — wide in scope or size

전폭 (全幅) — full width

화폭 (畫幅) — painting; pictorial field

광폭 (廣幅) — wide width

In Korean, 幅 often appears in technical, academic, or descriptive compounds, while native words like 폭 and 너비 are more common in everyday speech.

Unlike 廣 (wide, expansive), 幅 emphasizes measurable breadth rather than openness.

Related characters (width & surfaces):

寬 — wide; broad

廣 — vast; expansive

巾 — cloth; fabric

畫 — painting

圖 — map; diagram

Among these, 幅 uniquely bridges textile measurement and visual representation.

In Modern Mandarin, 幅 (fú) functions prominently as a classifier for flat visual items:

- paintings

- photographs

- maps

- calligraphic works

This usage preserves the idea of a bounded surface with width.

The character is classified as HSK Level 5, reflecting its frequent use in descriptive and cultural contexts.