春

Compound of imagery and phonetic elements:

日 (sun) – representing sunlight and warmth.

屯 (to station, sprout) – phonetic element, also linked to “sprouting” or beginning.

林 / 艸 (trees or grass) – representing vegetation, growth, renewal.

Together, the character depicts “the sun shining on sprouting plants,” symbolizing springtime and renewal of life.

Semantic range:

- the spring season, one of the four seasons;

- youth, vitality, prime of life;

- sexual desire, erotic overtones (especially in compounds);

- figurative: beginnings, renewal, flourishing.

春天 (춘천) – spring season

靑春 (청춘) – youth, the prime of life

思春期 (사춘기) – adolescence, puberty

買春 (매춘) – prostitution (lit. “buying spring”)

春色 (춘색) – spring scenery; also euphemism for sensuality

In classical literature, 屯 was sometimes used interchangeably with 春 as a phonetic loan.

萅

This character is not to be confused with 舂 (U+8202) (to pound on grains in a mortar in order to husk them) which is visually similar but unrelated.