衛

Phono-semantic compound:

行 (“to go, crossroads”) provides the meaning of guarding paths and perimeters, while 韋 (wi, “leather, tanned hide”) supplies the sound.

Oracle bone forms (甲骨文): Show crossroads (行 or multiple 止 “foot” symbols) surrounding a central 人 (person) or 囗 (enclosure), representing soldiers guarding a settlement or an individual.

Bronze inscriptions (金文 jinwen): Often depict 止 repeated at angles, encircling 人 or 囗 — vividly picturing the act of patrol and defense.

Clerical script (隷書): Standardized into the form with 行 + 韋.

保衛 (보위) — to safeguard, protect

防衛 (방위) — defense

衛生 (위생) — hygiene, health protection

衛兵 (위병) — guard, sentinel

護衛 (호위) — escort, bodyguard

衞 (U+885E) arose by misanalysis of rotated 止 elements and was mistakenly treated as the “main” form in Shuowen Jiezi; 衛 later reasserted as the correct base form. In modern script traditions:

Mainland China - simplified as 卫

Japan - 衛 = shinjitai (new form), 衞 = kyūjitai (old form)

Hong Kong - 衞 designated standard form.