武

Ideogrammatic compound:

止 (그칠 지) — originally depicting a foot or movement.

戈 (창 과) — a halberd or weapon.

The original pictograph shows a foot advancing with a weapon, meaning to march into battle or to wield arms.

In early script forms, 止 retained its meaning “to step” rather than “to stop.”

Thus, 武 meant “to advance with a weapon,” later extended to the concepts of warfare, valor, and military authority.

In later interpretation, 止 was misread as “to stop,” leading to the common but incorrect idea that 武 means to stop violence.

However, the original semantic core is to act or advance with a weapon.

It appears in words such as 武術 (무술, martial arts), 武士 (warrior), and 武力 (military force).

The traditional gloss 호반(虎班) refers to 무반(武班), the “military class” or “martial officials” of premodern Korea, also known as 서반(西班) — the western court rank group, in contrast to the 문반(文班) or “civil officials” (eastern court).

Thus, 武 encapsulates both the spirit of warfare and the institution of the warrior class in East Asian society.

In East Asian tradition, 武 stands in symbolic duality with 文 (civil culture) — forming the ideal balance of 문무겸전 (文武兼全), “mastery of both pen and sword.”

During the Goryeo period, the character 武 was tabooed because King Hyejong’s personal name included it, and 虎 (tiger) was used as a substitute character.

In Chinese philosophy, especially in Confucian thought, 武 came to signify courage governed by righteousness, not mere aggression.

In Daoist and Buddhist symbolism, the “martial” aspect also signifies inner discipline and control — “to conquer oneself” as the truest form of valor.