等

It is a compound character composed of:

竹 (bamboo) – semantic element, indicating bamboo slips used for writing and classification;

寺 (sa, temple) – phonetic and semantic element, associated with arrangement, order, and groups.

Semantic range:

- group, category, kind – originally referring to sets or groups arranged on bamboo slips.

- equal, same – by extension, meaning “to be equal, on the same level.”

- rank, grade, class – used in social, administrative, or educational ranking.

- etc., and so on – in modern usage, as in 등 (等) placed after a list.

等 originated with the image of grouping bamboo slips for classification, leading to the meanings of group, rank, equality, and category. In modern usage, it is also the standard marker for “etc.” across East Asian languages.

등급 (等級) – rank, grade, level

등수 (等數) – ranking, order of merit

평등 (平等) – equality

차등 (差等) – differential, disparity

등 (等) – “etc.” at the end of a list