盟

The structure combines 明 (bright, clear) and 皿 (dish, vessel).

In Oracle bone script (甲骨文 jiǎgǔwén), the earliest form appears as 𥁰 = 囧 (bright, shining) + 皿 (dish).

In Bronze inscriptions (金文 jinwen), variants appear as 朙 + 皿, or with 日 (sun) replacing 囧, and even with 血 (blood) replacing 皿.

Shuowen Jiezi (説文解字 shuōwén jiězì) analyzed it as a compound ideograph: combining 囧 (bright) and 血 (blood) to signify “offering blood in a vessel under bright light as part of swearing an oath.”

However, later scholars such as Duan Yucai (단옥재) corrected this, interpreting it as a phono-semantic compound: semantic 囧 (“bright, evident”) + phonetic 皿.

Semantic range:

- to swear an oath, vow – 맹세하다.

- alliance, covenant – 동맹, 연맹.

- ceremonial pledge made with ritual drinking of blood from a sacrificial vessel in ancient China.

맹세(盟誓) – an oath, vow.

동맹(同盟) – alliance.

연맹(聯盟) – federation, league.