海

Phono-semantic compound:

水 (water radical) – semantic, indicating water, bodies of water.

每 (phonetic element “mae”) – provides the sound.

The character originally designated large bodies of water and naturally became the standard word for “sea” or “ocean.”

Semantic range:

- sea, ocean – the great body of salt water;

- metaphorical – faraway, distant places (e.g., 北海 “far north,” 南海 “far south” in classical texts);

- appears widely in names of regions, people, and places.

해외 (海外) – overseas, abroad

해양 (海洋) – the sea, maritime

해안 (海岸) – seashore, coast

해수 (海水) – seawater

해군 (海軍) – navy

In classical literature, 海 did not always mean “sea” but sometimes “distant land.”

Example: in the Zuo Zhuan (춘추좌씨전), 北海 and 南海 should be understood as “far north” and “far south,” not literally “North Sea” or “South Sea.”

In Japanese names, 海 may be read flexibly (かい, うみ, or even み). Older readings include うな and わた, usually bound within compounds.

First attested not in the Shang dynasty oracle bones, but in Western Zhou inscriptions.

嗨, 𢲨, 𤍃, 𫗀, 𥉪, 𤀇, 𦷫, 𬕧, 𩘫, 塰