粥

粥 is historically derived from 鬻 (팔 육), and the two characters were once graphically and semantically identical.

The original character: 鬻 (육)

Components: 米 (쌀 미) + 鬲 (솥 력) + 弓 (활 궁) × 2.

It is a compound ideogram representing rice being boiled in a pot (鬲), with rising steam (弓弓).

The image evokes cooking rice into porridge.

Over time, 鬻 was borrowed phonetically for the meaning “to sell, to trade” — as selling cooked food was a common livelihood.

To retain the original culinary meaning, a simplified variant emerged by omitting the middle 鬲, forming the present 粥 to denote porridge specifically.

Thus, the two forms diverged:

鬻 — to sell; to trade. Also used metaphorically for to offer or traffic in (words, influence).

粥 — porridge; gruel. Later specialized to food meaning.

米粥 (미죽) — rice porridge

稀粥 (희죽) — thin gruel

白粥 (백죽) — plain porridge (without side dishes)

肉粥 (육죽) — meat porridge

施粥 (시죽) — to give porridge (charity food)

In literary and historical texts, 粥 often signifies plain nourishment or charitable food.

「施粥於民」 — to distribute porridge among the people (a traditional act of compassion).

In Confucian and Buddhist literature, 粥 represents modesty, frugality, and mercy — simple sustenance given freely.

Buddhist temples’ “free porridge kitchens” (施粥場) were widespread charitable institutions across East Asia.

In Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cultures, 粥 refers not only to food for the ill or elderly but also to a symbol of warmth and comfort, as in “a bowl of morning porridge” (早粥).

Metaphorically, 粥 may appear in idioms referring to something fluid or indistinct, e.g.,

「言語成粥」 — speech turned to mush (disordered expression).

Linguistic and comparative notes:

Some scholars note a distant link between Middle Chinese ʈ͡ɕiᴇwk (鬻 / 粥) and Tibetan ཐུག་པ (thukpa), both denoting boiled grain dishes.

This may reflect early contact between Sino-Tibetan dialect zones along the western frontier.