胎

Phono-semantic compound:

肉 (고기 육, written as 月 on the left) — semantic, representing the body or flesh.

台 (별 태, “platform, base”) — phonetic, providing the sound 태 (tāi) and hinting at foundation or support.

The character thus literally depicts “a form or life developing within flesh”, i.e., a being forming inside the body — the embryo.

In early seal script (篆書) forms, the left radical clearly resembled flesh or body parts, while the right resembled a raised stand or support, visually evoking nurture and containment.

태아 (胎兒) — fetus, unborn child

태반 (胎盤) — placenta

태내 (胎內) — inside the womb

태생 (胎生) — live birth; born from the womb

태동 (胎動) — fetal movement; the first stirring of life

태초 (胎初) — figuratively, the beginning or first formation of something

These compounds extend from biological meanings to philosophical and metaphorical contexts, such as 사상의 태동 (the birth of an idea).

In Chinese cosmology and medical thought, 胎 embodies the concept of potential life and primordial formation — the stage where yin and yang energies first unite within the mother’s body.

In Daoist texts, the “聖胎 (성태, sacred embryo)” symbolizes the spiritual body cultivated through meditation — a metaphor for inner rebirth and immortality.

Confucianism treats 胎 as the root of human life, emphasizing the moral duty to protect life even before birth.

In Buddhist writings, 胎 appears in expressions like 胎藏界 (태장계) — the “Womb Realm,” representing the source of compassion and the material aspect of cosmic manifestation.

Thus, across traditions, 胎 carries both biological and metaphysical weight — symbolizing nurture, creation, and the hidden source of being.

Symbolism & literature:

In classical poetry, 胎 often signifies latent potential — the forming of life, art, or destiny.

Poets used it to describe:

- the embryo of an idea (詩胎, “the seed of a poem”);

- the womb of Heaven and Earth (天地之胎) — origin of all existence;

- 胎光 (태광) — the faint radiance of life before manifestation.

In East Asian art and medicine, 胎 represents continuity and transformation — linking the physical and spiritual processes of birth, growth, and renewal.