末
- end, tip, last, final;
Etymology
Ideogram:
木 (tree radical) – the base structure.
一 (stroke at the top) – marks the very end or tip of the tree.
Together, the form depicts the topmost end of a tree, symbolizing “end” or “extremity.”
Semantic associations:
- end of time (final stage, last days);
- tip of an object (peak, top);
- conclusion or termination of a sequence.
Usage in Korean
주말 (週末) – weekend
연말 (年末) – year-end
말기 (末期) – final stage
종말 (終末) – the end, apocalypse
미말 (未末) – not yet ended
Additional notes
Paired with 終 (to finish) and opposed to 初 (beginning).
Common in names (말자, 말숙, 말영, 말화), reflecting past cultural hopes for sons after daughters.
In Middle Korean, the native reading was 귿, preserved in Hunmongjahoe.