浴

A phono-semantic compound:

水 (water) — semantic component, indicating washing or cleansing

谷 (곡, gǔ) — phonetic component, supplying the sound (욕 / yù)

From a deeper historical perspective, the character is thought to be connected to a Sino-Tibetan lexical root meaning “to pour down” or “to flush”.

Early bathing was conceived not as soaking, but as water flowing from above, using its force and movement to wash away impurities.

This explains why 浴 originally emphasized running water and downward flow, rather than immersion.

浴 is used in both literal and extended senses, mostly in formal or compound forms.

목욕 (沐浴) — bathing

입욕 (入浴) — entering a bath

해수욕 (海水浴) — sea bathing

일광욕 (日光浴) — sunbathing

삼림욕 (森林浴) — forest bathing (therapeutic exposure)

Classical / literary usage:

욕신 (浴身) — to cleanse the body

욕덕 (浴德) — to “bathe in virtue” (figurative purification)

In Korean, the verb 목욕하다 is common, while 浴 appears mainly in Sino-Korean compounds.

Historically in East Asia, bathing did not necessarily involve hot water or full immersion.

The traditional concept of 浴 focused on availability of water and cleansing efficiency.

Even today, in many parts of the Chinese-speaking world, heated-water bathing is less universal and more common among urban middle-class households due to water supply and infrastructure constraints.

This contrasts with Korean and Japanese bathing cultures, where hot-water immersion became central.

Related characters (washing & water):

沐 — to wash (especially hair)

洗 — to wash; rinse

澡 — to bathe; wash thoroughly

潤 — to moisten

浸 — to soak; immerse

Among these, 浴 uniquely preserves the idea of flowing water cleansing rather than simple contact with water.