損

A phono-semantic compound consisting of:

手 (hand) — semantic component, indicating action by hand, causes reduction or removal;

員 — phonetic component, supplying the sound (손 / sǔn).

Originally, it implied removing or diminishing something by hand.

Semantic development:

- to remove or reduce;

- to lose property;

- to suffer damage;

- abstract harm or disadvantage.

The core concept is diminution or decrease.

손해 (損害) — loss; damage

손실 (損失) — loss (financial/material)

훼손 (毀損) — damage; defacement

분실물 (紛失物) — lost item (note: uses 失, but conceptually related to loss)

Also appears in the expression:

손 없는 날 — traditionally “a day without misfortune,” where 손 derives from 損 (harm).

損 emphasizes reduction through damage or loss.

In Korean tradition, 손 없는 날 refers to an auspicious day without harmful spirits (損), believed to avoid misfortune.

Related characters:

減 — to decrease

失 — to lose

害 — harm

毀 — destroy