浪

浪 is a phono-semantic compound composed of:

水 (물 수) — semantic element indicating water or fluid motion.

良 (어질 량) — phonetic element providing the sound làng / rang and suggesting smoothness or gentleness.

Thus the original idea is “the flowing movement of good / smooth water”, which by extension came to mean “waves” and metaphorically, “wild or free-flowing behavior.”

波浪 (파랑) — waves, surf

浪花 (낭화) — foam, spray, literally “wave-flowers”

浪費 (낭비) — waste, extravagance

流浪 (유랑) — to wander, to drift

放浪 (방랑) — to live freely or aimlessly

浪漫 (낭만) — romantic, emotionally expressive or idealistic

In literature, 浪 has long symbolized freedom, vitality, and emotional intensity — akin to the ceaseless motion of water.

In classical Chinese poetry, waves often express uncontrolled feeling or longing.

In Japanese and Korean culture, derivatives like 浪漫 (romance) capture idealistic or emotional beauty.

「大海之浪，不息而有常。」

“The waves of the great sea never cease, yet they follow their rhythm.”

Because waves can also imply lack of restraint, 浪 developed moral undertones — to waste, be reckless, or live indulgently.

Hence compounds like:

浪費 (낭비) — wastefulness, misuse of resources.

放浪 (방랑) — wandering without purpose.

The duality of 浪 — natural freedom vs. reckless excess — mirrors Confucian and Daoist contrasts between discipline and spontaneity.

In modern East Asian languages, 浪 evokes beauty and passion:

浪漫 (romantic) emphasizes free-spirited creativity.

波浪號 (wave mark) refers to the tilde (~) symbol, metaphorically “wave.”