恰

Phono-semantic compound:

心 (마음 심) — semantic component, represents emotion, intention, or the inner sense of appropriateness.

合 (합할 합) — phonetic component, provides the sound qià / heup and also contributes the idea of “to fit, to join, to agree.”

Thus 心 + 合 → 恰 — “the heart that fits or agrees,” meaning emotional or situational harmony; to be just right or fitting.

In Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):

「恰，稱心也。从心，合聲。」

“恰 means what suits the heart; composed of 心 and phonetic 合.”

The character thus embodies the sense of “fitting in harmony with one’s heart” — emotional precision and aptness.

恰似 (흡사) — to resemble; to be just like

恰當 (합당) — proper; appropriate; fitting

恰好 (합호) — just right; precisely

恰然 (합연) — calmly; fittingly; in a composed manner (literary)

Kangxi Dictionary (康熙字典, vol. 458):

「恰，稱心也，當也。」

“恰 means what satisfies the heart; it also means appropriate or fitting.”

Book of Jin (晉書 · 王羲之傳):

「恰得其宜。」

“Exactly fitting to what is proper” — showing the sense of suitability or apt measure.

Dream of the Red Chamber (紅樓夢 · 第五十八回):

「恰似一江春水向東流。」

“Just like a river of spring water flowing eastward” — the phrase 恰似 here means “exactly like,” describing poetic resemblance.

Zhuangzi (莊子 · 齊物論) also employs the related sense of emotional or cosmic alignment:

「恰然無為。」

“Calmly and fittingly without action” — denoting internal harmony and natural appropriateness.

From classical literature to modern idioms like 恰似 (“just like”) and 恰當 (“appropriate”), the character expresses emotional precision and balanced propriety, the art of being exactly right in heart and measure.

Linguistic note:

In Mandarin, 恰 (qià) retains its dual nuance of exactness (“just right”) and resemblance (“as if”).

In Korean Sino-usage, it appears chiefly in compounds such as 恰似 (흡사) and 恰當 (합당), preserving the moral or aesthetic sense of rightness and balance.