輯

Phono-semantic compound:

車 (거 / 차, “vehicle, wheel”) — semantic, indicating motion, organization, or bringing together.

咠 (집, “to whisper, to consult”) — phonetic, giving the sound jí and hinting at communication and cooperation.

The imagery suggests wheels of a carriage being brought together and adjusted for smooth movement, symbolizing unity and coordination — hence “to gather harmoniously.”

편집 (編輯) — to edit, to compile

총집 (總輯) — collected or complete works

재집 (再輯) — to recompile, revise, or republish

화집 (和輯) — reconciliation, harmony

While 集 (모을 집) is more common in everyday Korean and Japanese usage, 輯 appears in literary or formal contexts, particularly in editing, publishing, or official compilations.

In historical East Asian contexts, 輯 often referred to collecting classical texts or curating official compilations.

For instance, dynastic archives, law codes, and encyclopedic works were frequently titled with 輯 (e.g., 성종실록 편집, “Compilation of the Annals of King Seongjong”).

In Confucian scholarship, 輯 carried the connotation of moral and intellectual order — gathering knowledge to create harmony (和) among teachings.

Modern Chinese retains this nuance in compounds like:

编辑 (biānjí) — to edit, compile

辑录 (jílù) — to record, collect excerpts

Publishing and scholarship:

Throughout East Asian literary history, 輯 often appears in the titles of compiled works, marking scholarly effort and completeness.

Examples include:

《詩文輯成》 (Si mun jipseong, “Collected Poems and Essays”) — a comprehensive anthology of literary works.

《樂書輯略》 (Akseo jipryak, “Abridged Compilation of Musical Writings”).

《古今圖書集成》 (Gujin Tushu Jicheng, “Complete Collection of Ancient and Modern Books and Illustrations”) — the monumental Qing-dynasty encyclopedia.

In these contexts, 輯 signifies editorial precision, preservation of learning, and the unity of diverse materials.