毀

Traditionally analyzed as a compound ideograph combining:

殳 (weapon; striking tool) — semantic element, indicates hitting or destructive force;

毋 — phonetic component, contributes the sound "hwe / huǐ."

The character conveys striking something so that it breaks apart, leading to meanings of destruction and ruin.

毀 originally meant to damage or demolish physically. Later meanings broadened into moral and social domains:

- physical destruction — ruin structures or objects;

- damage — cause harm or impairment;

- defamation — destroy someone’s reputation;

- self-harm (classical nuance) — self-destruction or moral decline.

Thus, 毀 bridges material ruin and reputational harm.

In Korean, 毀 appears mainly in legal and formal vocabulary.

Physical:

훼손 (毀損) — damage; defacement

파괴 (破毀) — destruction

Reputation / speech:

훼방 (毀謗) — slander

훼예 (毀譽) — blame and praise

毀 emphasizes active destruction, not passive decay. In moral contexts, it implies intentional harm, especially through speech.

Often contrasted with:

破 — break; smash

壞 — spoil; deteriorate

Related characters:

滅 — extinguish; annihilate

謗 — slander

損 — damage; loss

Among these, 毀 uniquely combines material destruction and reputational harm.

Classical / literary usage:

毀家紓難 — “To sacrifice one’s house to relieve hardship”

毀譽參半 — “Half praise, half blame”

毀人名節 — “To ruin a person’s reputation”