肛

Phono-semantic compound, consists of:

肉 (⺼) — semantic, flesh, body part; common in anatomical terms

工 — phonetic, gives sound (hang / gāng)

Thus 肛 means “the body part (肉) whose name sounds like 工 (gāng).”

In early medical texts 肛 originally referred to the anal region, sometimes including the perineal area. Later standardized to “anus” in anatomical terminology.

肛門 (항문) — anus; anal opening

肛門炎 (항문염) — proctitis; anal inflammation

肛門外科 (항문외과) — proctology; colorectal surgery

肛門括約筋 (항문괄약근) — anal sphincter

肛瘻 (항루) — anal fistula

Medical terminology:

肛診 (항진) — rectal/anal examination

肛裂 (항열) — anal fissure

肛周膿腫 (항주농종) — perianal abscess

Difference from 穀道, 尻, 屁股:

肛 — strictly anatomical, medical

穀道 — classical euphemism

尻 / 臀 — buttocks, not the anus

屁股 (중국어) — buttocks (colloquial)

肛 is rarely used outside:

- medicine

- anatomy

- physiology

- clinical descriptions