許
- to permit;
- to approve;
- to allow;
Etymology
Phono-semantic compound:
言 (말씀 언) — semantic component, indicating speech, approval, verbal acts.
午 (낮 오) — phonetic element, supplying the sound.
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):
「許，聽也。从言，午聲。」
“許 means ‘to listen / grant permission.’ Formed from 言 with 午 as the phonetic.”
Semantic development:
Permission / approval — to allow, to permit, to authorize.
Verbal consent — to say “yes” to a request.
Promise / assurance — often solemn or formal.
Degree adverb (Classical) — very; greatly; extremely.
Demonstrative usage — “this,” especially in poetry or archaic prose.
Approximation after numerals — meaning “some; more than; approximately.”
Usage in Korean
In Korean, 許(허) appears widely in Sino-Korean compounds relating to permission, agreement, and formal consent, as well as some literary usages. Often used in classical Korean translations of Confucian texts, historical documents, and formal administrative language.
Permission / approval:
許可 (허가) — 허락하여 가능하게 함; permission; authorization
許諾 (허낙/허락) — 허락하여 약속함; consent; to promise
准許 (준허) — 승인함; official approval
不許 (불허) — 허락하지 않음; disallow; forbid
Agreement / acceptance:
應許 (응허) — 요구에 응하여 허락함; to consent in response
承許 (승허) — 받아들여 허락함; to accept and approve
許容 (허용) — 상황을 받아들임; to allow; to tolerate
Classical / literary:
百許 (백허) — 백여 명; about a hundred (approx.)
許大 (허대) — 매우 크다; very large
許久 (허구) — 오랫동안; for a long while
Words that derived from 許
Additional notes
In Confucian texts, 許 is often contrasted with:
諾 — assent/acceptance
可 — approval
應 — compliance
許 indicates legitimate permission, often with moral or administrative weight.
Classical citations:
《孟子·梁惠王下》 (Mencius)
「王許之。」
“The king consented to it” — 許 = to permit.
《左傳·襄公二十五年》 (Zuo Zhuan, Duke Xiang, 25th year)
「子產許之。」
“Zi Chan approved it.”
《史記·廉頗藺相如列傳》 (Records of the Grand Historian)
「臣請許諾之。」
“I, your servant, request to grant consent to it” — 許諾 = to approve and promise.
《詩經·召南·甘棠》 (The Book of Songs)
「勿翦勿伐，召伯所許。」
“Cut it not, fell it not — this is what the Duke of Shao allowed.”
Approximation usage (Classical):
《孟子·離婁上》 (Mencius)
「百許人聚。」
“A little over a hundred people gathered.”
Adverbial “very” usage:
《楚辭·招魂》 (Chu Ci)
「容與乎許之。」
“So graceful and exceedingly beautiful.”
These citations demonstrate the full semantic range: permission, promise, degree adverb, demonstrative, approximation.
- 卜口人十 (YROJ)
- ⿰ 訁 午
