渾

A phono-semantic compound:

水 (water) — semantic component

軍 (군) — phonetic component

Originally, the character described water that is stirred up and unclear, such as muddy river water. From this physical sense developed abstract meanings like confusion, mixture, and indistinctness, and later the idea of something being taken as a whole without separation.

혼탁 (渾濁) — turbidity; muddiness

혼란 (渾亂) — confusion; disorder

혼신 (渾身) — the whole body; one’s entire being

혼돈 (渾沌) — chaos; primal undifferentiated state

혼연일체 (渾然一體) — complete unity; seamless whole

Related characters:

濁 — muddy; impure

混 — mix; confuse

沌 — chaos; dull

清 — clear; pure (semantic opposite)

渾 often carries two opposite-looking meanings:

negative: muddy, confused

positive: whole, undivided

This duality reflects classical Chinese thought, where undifferentiated unity precedes clarity.

Especially important in philosophical, literary, and idiomatic expressions.