浮

A phono-semantic compound:

水 — water (semantic)

孚 — trust; sincerity (phonetic)

The earliest meaning of 浮 is strictly physical "to float on water without sinking."

From this concrete image, metaphorical meanings developed naturally:

- drifting without roots

- being shallow or insincere

- appearing briefly and disappearing

부유 (浮遊) — floating; drifting

부력 (浮力) — buoyant force

부동 (浮動) — fluctuation; instability

부상 (浮上) — surfacing; emerging

Technical distinction:

부력 (浮力) — force that keeps something afloat in water

양력 (揚力) — lift force in air

浮 often carries a negative moral nuance when applied to people or behavior: floating without roots → lacking seriousness or depth.

In poetry and Buddhism, however, it can express beauty, transience, and detachment rather than criticism.

Related characters:

沈 / 沉 — to sink

游 / 泳 — to swim

泛 / 汎 — widespread; floating broadly

漂 — to drift (without direction)

揚 — to raise; lift

Classical usage:

In early philosophical writing, 浮 often contrasts with depth, seriousness, or moral grounding.

「浮於利者，必失其本」

“One who floats after profit will surely lose the foundation.”

This reflects the metaphor of floating vs. being rooted.

Historical prose

「浮名不可以久居」

“Empty fame cannot be held for long.”

Here 浮 means empty, superficial, lacking substance.

In Buddhist texts, 浮 frequently expresses impermanence and worldly illusion.

「浮生若夢」

“A floating life is like a dream.”

This phrase became a standard literary expression for the transient nature of existence.

Classical poetry uses 浮 to describe:

- drifting clouds

- floating boats

- wandering emotions

「浮雲蔽日」

“Floating clouds obscure the sun.”

This can be literal or symbolic (misleading thoughts obscuring clarity).