憤

A phono-semantic compound:

心 (“heart, mind”) — semantic element, indicating emotion.

賁 (bun / bēn, bì, “great, vigorous”) — phonetic element.

The character depicts a heart filled with strong force, hence “powerful emotional agitation,” leading to the sense of anger, indignation.

憤怒 (분노) — rage, fury

忿憤 (분분) — indignant, resentful

憤慨 (분개) — righteous indignation

憤發 (분발) — to rouse oneself, stir up zeal

憤世嫉俗 (분세질속) — “indignant at the world and disgusted with vulgar customs”

In Confucian thought, 憤 is not merely blind rage but often tied to moral indignation — anger at injustice or disorder.

In the Analects, Confucius said: “發憤忘食，樂以忘憂” — “In arousing determination (憤), one forgets to eat; in joy, one forgets worries.” Here 憤 refers to passionate striving, not just anger.

Thus 憤 embodies both the negative sense of resentful anger and the positive sense of zealous determination.