譜

Phono-semantic compound:

言 (speech, words) - semantic, indicates “to record, to write.”

普 (universal, widespread) - phonetic, giving the sound 보.

Original meaning: “to write down systematically,” hence genealogies and records.

From this sense extended to music scores (systematic notation of sounds).

系譜 (계보) — genealogy, lineage

族譜 (족보) — family genealogy book

樂譜 (악보) — sheet music

年譜 (연보) — chronological record

圖譜 (도보) — illustrated manual, chart

Classical sources: 《說文解字》: 「譜，籍錄也。」 — “譜 means a recorded register.”

In Modern Chinese, 譜 is common in the sense of “music score” and “genealogy,” but also metaphorically as “show, posture, pretense” (擺譜 = to put on airs).

Related characters:

普 (broad, universal) — phonetic component.

謄 (to transcribe) — also linked to writing and recording.