藻

Phono-semantic compound:

藻 = 艸 (“grass; plant,” semantic) + 澡 (“wash; cleanse,” phonetic)

The 艸 radical indicates plants, particularly water vegetation.

澡 provides the sound (tsawX / 조).

Early forms show clusters of aquatic plants floating on water surface.

Meanings:

- algae; aquatic plants

- “seaweed” (in compounds)

- pattern like algae (decorative motif)

- elegant language (literary)

Korean focuses mainly on aquatic plant meaning. Literary meaning “ornate diction” is rare in modern Korean but appears in classical texts.

藻類 (조류) — algae, aquatic plants

해조 (海藻) — seaweed

문조 (文藻) — ornate literary style

청조 (青藻) — green algae

백조 (白藻) — white aquatic plants

The “ornate language” sense came from the imagery of floating, interweaving forms, symbolizing complexity and beauty.

Phonetic connection with 澡:

澡 (to wash, cleanse) is the phonetic base; over time 澡's “washing” meaning influenced some metaphorical uses (purification, cleansing).

Classical citations:

《詩經·大雅·文王》 (Classic of Poetry – “Wen Wang”)

「維予小子，藻之匪苟。」

“As for me, a mere youth—my expressions are not carelessly adorned.”

藻 = refined, ornamented language.

《楚辭·九歌·河伯》 (Songs of Chu – “Hebo”)

「搴長洲之宿莽兮，采三秀之芳藻。」

“I gather the long-grown marsh plants, picking the fragrant water weeds of triple beauty.”

藻 = water plants; aquatic vegetation.

《漢書·藝文志》 (Book of Han)

「觀其藻思，可以知作者之意焉。」

“By observing the elegance of their diction, one may perceive the writer’s intention.”

藻 = elegant literary style.