期

期 is a phonosemantic compound character, made from:

月 (달 월) – indicating time (through the phases of the moon),

其 (그 기) – providing the sound.

In bronze inscriptions (金文 jinwen), the combination 其 + 日 (sun) was common.

After the seal script (篆書 zhuànshū) period, 日 was replaced with 月 (moon).

Because the sun and the moon are the brightest celestial bodies in the sky and their positions and appearances change cyclically with time and seasons, ancient people used them to track time.

Today, 期 remains central in words about timeframes, promises, and expectations, all rooted in the ancient practice of watching the sun and moon to measure time.

Words with meaning related to time and scheduling:

기간 (期間) – a period or span of time

주기 (週期) – a cycle or recurring period

And because setting a time allows for making appointments and promises, it also gained meanings like:

기약하다 (期約) – to make a promise

기대하다 (期待) – to expect, to look forward to

만나다 – to meet (at an appointed time)