感

A phono-semantic compound consisting of:

心 (심, “heart, mind”) - indicates emotion, sensation, or inner response

咸 (함, “all, together”) - provides the sound (감 / gǎn)

Originally, 感 meant:

- “to be moved in the heart”

- “to respond emotionally or physically to something”

It implies that something external acts upon the heart, producing a feeling or reaction.

It is widely used in words related to emotion, sensation, and gratitude.

감정 (感情) - emotion

감각 (感覺) - sense; perception

감사 (感謝) - gratitude

감동 (感動) — deep emotion; to be moved

감염 (感染) — infection (lit. “being affected and 染”)

感 does not simply mean passive feeling. It often implies:

- being affected by something

- a response caused by contact, influence, or stimulus

This is why 感 is central to words related to emotion, perception, gratitude.