按

A phono-semantic compound consisting of:

手 (손 수) — semantic component, indicating action by the hand.

安 (편안 안) — phonetic component, providing the sound àn / an and the associated sense of peace, calmness.

Originally meaning “to press gently with the hand to make calm,” the character carried both tactile and emotional nuances — to soothe, to settle.

From this arose secondary meanings such as to restrain and to act according to established principles (按法, 按照).

안마 (按摩) — massage (literally “press and rub”)

안정 (安定) — stability; calmness

안하 (按下) — to press down (button or key)

안수 (按手) — laying on of hands (religious blessing)

안찰 (按察) — inspection; judicial investigation

In modern Korean contexts, 按摩(안마) is the most common compound, linking 按 to the tactile healing sense it originally carried.

The gesture implied by 按 — a hand applying gentle pressure — is symbolically associated with soothing, blessing, and control.

In medical and spiritual traditions, 按 represents the transfer of calm energy through touch, as seen in:

按摩 (ànmó / 안마) — “press and rub,” the classic term for massage therapy.

按手禮 (안수례) — the laying on of hands in blessings or ordination.

In a bureaucratic sense, 按 also came to mean to investigate or to judge according to law (按察, 按律) — “to press down and inspect,” symbolizing authority and careful review.