憩

A compound ideograph:

息 (숨쉴 식) — breath; to breathe; rest

舌 — a reduced form derived from 活 (살 활), associated with vitality and life

Together, these elements convey the idea of life being sustained through breathing and rest.

憩 thus represents a state in which activity is temporarily suspended so that vitality may be restored.

Unlike characters that focus on stopping movement, 憩 emphasizes rest as renewal, not mere cessation.

憩 is used mainly in formal, literary, or compound expressions, rather than everyday speech.

휴게 (休憩) — rest; break

일시휴게 (一時休憩) — temporary rest

소게 (小憩) — a short rest

정자에 앉아 휴게하다 (亭子坐而休憩) — to rest in a pavilion

Literary usage:

수목 아래에서 잠시 게하다 — to pause and rest beneath trees

마음이 게하다 — the mind finds rest

憩 conveys a more reflective, restorative nuance, often implying intentional rest.

It frequently appears in classical prose, poetry, and descriptive passages, especially in natural settings:

- resting by roadsides

- pausing during travel

- sitting in shade or pavilions

This gives the character a gentle, contemplative tone, closely tied to traditional images of travel and landscape.

Related characters (rest & pause):

休 — to rest; stop work

息 — breath; rest

止 — to stop

安 — peace; calm

舒 — to relax; stretch

Among these, 憩 uniquely centers on rest as recovery, rather than simple stopping or inactivity.