疱

Phono-semantic compound consisting of:

疒 (병들어기댈 녁) — semantic component, indicating illness, disease, or a medical condition.

包 (쌀 포) — phonetic component, giving the sound pào / po and suggesting the idea of enclosure or something encased.

In Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字), the character is described as:

「疱，瘍腫也。从疒包聲。」

“疱 means a swelling or sore. Formed from 疒 (‘disease’) and the phonetic 包 (‘to wrap’).”

The phonetic element 包 contributes both pronunciation and imagery: the notion of something enclosed or filled within, aptly describing a blister — a small sack-like swelling of the skin containing fluid.

In bronze and seal script forms (金文, 篆書), the radical 疒 clearly indicates bodily illness, while the 包 part resembles a rounded or enclosed shape, reinforcing the visual sense of a raised skin lesion.

水疱 (수포) — blister; vesicle (esp. fluid-filled)

天疱瘡 (천포창) — pemphigus (blistering skin disease)

疱疹 (포진) — herpes; shingles

疱病 (포병) — blister disease

汗疱 (한포) — dyshidrosis; sweat blisters

疱疥 (포개) — scabies-like rash

In traditional Chinese medical terminology, 疱 denotes localized eruptions or swellings filled with fluid or pus — often considered signs of internal heat (內熱) or dampness (濕) rising to the skin.

From Huangdi Neijing (黃帝內經·素問):

「熱盛於內，則發疱於外。」

“When heat is excessive within, blisters appear outwardly.”

This associates 疱 with the body’s attempt to expel pathogenic heat or toxins to the surface.

In compound diseases like 疱疹 (herpes) or 天疱瘡 (pemphigus), the term describes both the visible symptom and the underlying imbalance of yin and yang energies in traditional diagnostic frameworks.

Metaphorically, 疱 can also represent fragility — something that appears strong but easily ruptures, reflecting the transient nature of external conditions.

The semantic imagery of 包 (to wrap) within 疱 reinforces this sense of contained tension — a delicate envelope that bursts under pressure, symbolically linked to the limits of endurance or containment.