艦

Phono-semantic compound composed of:

舟 (배 주) — semantic component, meaning “boat” or “ship,” signifying that the character relates to maritime or nautical matters.

監 (볼 감) — phonetic component, providing the sound ham (함) and carrying the sense of “to observe” or “to oversee.”

Together, they form the image of a ship that surveys or oversees, fitting the idea of a large vessel commanding the sea.

軍艦 (군함) — warship; naval vessel

艦隊 (함대) — fleet; group of warships

艦長 (함장) — captain (of a ship)

艦砲 (함포) — naval gun; ship cannon

艦橋 (함교) — bridge (of a ship)

艦艇 (함정) — warship and patrol craft; general term for naval vessels

航空母艦 (항공모함) — aircraft carrier

潛水艦 (잠수함) — submarine

旗艦 (기함) — flagship; leading ship of a fleet

戰艦 (전함) — battleship

驅逐艦 (구축함) — destroyer

In classical Chinese, 艦 originally referred to any large vessel, but later came to mean military ships used in battle or defense.

During the Han dynasty, the term appears in maritime and military texts describing fleets guarding river or coastal routes.

「大艦滿江，旗幟蔽天。」

“Great ships filled the river, their banners covering the sky” — Book of Han (漢書).

The phonetic element 監 (감) not only provides the sound but also implies observation and control, hinting that the 艦 is a ship of command and oversight — the vessel from which the sea and enemy are surveyed.

艦 symbolizes command, strength, and movement across vastness —

the vessel that bears the will of a nation upon the sea.

It represents not merely transport but sovereignty and vigilance, as ships were both shields and eyes of the state.

「艦者，國之翼也。」

“The warship is the wing of the nation.”

In this sense, 艦 stands for organized power upon the waters — disciplined, far-reaching, and ready to act.

艦 embodies the human mastery of the sea — the merging of craft, courage, and command.

Born from 舟, the humble boat, and 監, the act of watching and leading, it becomes a symbol of strength guided by awareness.

「艦行於海，不忘風浪。」

“The warship sails the sea, yet never forgets the wind and waves.” Thus, 艦 is not only a vessel of war but also a metaphor for leadership — to steer vast forces with vigilance, and to navigate the uncertain depths of both ocean and fate.

Korean usage and cultural context:

Historically, in Korea, the character 艦 was not widely used in premodern times.

Instead, the more general character 船 (선) — meaning “ship” — was used for both civilian and military vessels.

For instance, the famous 거북선 (龜船, Turtle Ship) of Admiral Yi Sun-sin (이순신) used 船 rather than 艦.

This linguistic preference reflects the earlier Korean-Chinese lexical tradition, which emphasized 船 for ships of all kinds.

Interestingly, this fact played a role in modern historical investigation:

in the Byeolhwangja Chongtong forgery case (별황자총통 발굴조작 사건), the appearance of the character 艦 on supposed Joseon-era artifacts helped confirm the items were modern forgeries, since 艦 was not in authentic use in Korean naval terminology of that era.