洋

Phono-semantic compound:

水 (water radical) – semantic, representing water or the sea.

羊 (sheep, phonetic) – phonetic element, lending its sound.

Together, the character depicts the vast, expansive waters beyond familiar rivers and lakes, hence “great sea” or “ocean.”

In classical texts, primarily meant the great sea.

해양 (海洋) – the ocean, maritime

대양 (大洋) – the great ocean

From late imperial times, extended metaphorically to mean “Western” or “foreign,” e.g., 서양 (西洋) = “the West.”

양식 (洋食) – Western food

양화 (洋畫) – Western-style painting

양복 (洋服) – Western clothing, suit