荷
- to carry;
- to bear;
- to shoulder;
- to undertake responsibility;
- lotus;
Holland / the Netherlands (modern Chinese abbreviation);
Phonetic use in Korean (as part of the 海南–荷蛙伊 abbreviation for “Hawaii”)
Etymology
Phono-semantic compound:
艸 (풀 초) — semantic element, indicating plant life, vegetation.
何 (어찌 하) — phonetic element, giving both sound and sometimes abstract semantic hints (“to raise; to carry” by extended meaning in ancient literature).
The original plant sense “lotus” expanded metaphorically and phonetically to include the verb “to carry.”
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):
「荷，芙蕖也。从艸，何聲。」
“荷 means lotus (芙蕖). Formed from 艸 (grass/plant) with 何 as the phonetic.”
This confirms the primary, oldest meaning is ‘lotus.’
The “to carry / to shoulder” meaning developed later through phonetic borrowing.
Semantic development:
Original botanical meaning:
- lotus plant; lotus leaf; lotus blossom
- appears frequently in poetry and seasonal writings.
Extended physical meaning:
- to carry or bear a load
- especially to carry on the shoulders with a pole (traditional method).
Responsibility metaphor:
- to assume or undertake a duty or burden.
Modern extended meaning:
“荷兰” = the Netherlands
Appears in proper nouns and transliterations.
Usage in Korean
Carrying meaning (메다 / 짊어지다):
荷負 (하부) — 짐을 메다; 짊어지다; to carry a load on one’s back; to shoulder
荷擔 (하담) — 짐을 짊어지다; to bear or carry burdens
負荷 (부하) — 부담, 짐, 짐을 지다; load; burden; carrying load; burden capacity
부하량 (負荷量) — load capacity; burden amount
Lotus meaning (연꽃):
荷花(하화) — 연꽃; lotus flower
荷葉(하엽) — 연잎; lotus leaf
Figurative responsibility:
荷責(하책) — 책임을 맡다; to take on responsibility
荷任(하임) — 임무를 떠맡다; to undertake a task
Often appears in classical Korean commentaries on Chinese texts.
Modern Korean special usage:
In Korea, 荷 is sometimes used as part of the abbreviation:
荷蛙伊 → 하와이 (Hawaii)
荷(하) + 蛙(와) + 伊(이)
Used mainly in historical / Sino-Korean transliteration contexts (e.g., 인하대학교 = 仁荷大學校).
Words that derived from 荷
Additional notes
Classical citations:
1. Lotus meaning (plant)
《詩經·鄘風·載馳》(Book of Songs)
「彼黍離離，彼稷之苗，荏菽斐斐，或荷或芰。」
“There the millet grows thick, the grain sprouts tall; beans flourish richly — there are lotuses and water chestnuts” — 荷 = lotus.
《楚辭·招隱士》(Songs of Chu)
「荷葉羅裙一色裁。」
“Her skirt is cut the same green as the lotus leaf” — 荷葉 = lotus leaves.
2. Carry / shoulder meaning
《論語·先進》(Analects 11:26)
「荷負而趨。」
“He carried a load on his back and hurried along” — 荷負 = to carry a burden.
荷負 appears repeatedly in Confucian texts as a set phrase meaning “to shoulder a load.”
《後漢書·循吏列傳》 (The Book of the Later Han Dynasty)
「荷擔負薪，以給親養。」
“He carried loads of firewood on his back to provide for his parents” — 荷擔 (“to lift/carry the load”) follows the filial duty context.
《文選·古詩十九首》 (Anthology of Literature: Nineteen Ancient Poems)
「荷戈戍邊。」
“Bearing weapons to guard the frontier” — 荷戈 = “to bear arms.”
3. Responsibility metaphor
《宋史·文苑傳》 (History of Song Dynasty)
「荷天下之任。」
“To shoulder the responsibilities of the world.”
