農

Its structure combines 曲 (gok, “bent, curved”) and 辰 (jin, originally a pictograph of a tool). In oracle bone script (甲骨文 jiǎgǔwén), however, the upper part was written as 林 (rim, “forest”).

Other early forms show the upper part as grass or trees growing on the ground, while the lower part sometimes used 辱 (yok, “humiliation”), a variant showing 辰 being held by a hand. Traditionally, 辰 was interpreted as a shell, giving rise to the explanation “using a large shell as a farming tool to till the fields.”

However, more recent research into oracle bone inscriptions suggests that 辰 is closer in origin to the shape of a hoe or mattock, so the meaning of “farming” likely arose from “working the fields with tools” rather than any connection with shells.

In bronze inscriptions (金文 jinwen), a 田 (field) component was sometimes added above to reinforce the meaning, and trees or plants at the sides were stylized into hands (similar to the top of 學). Later, 田 was further altered and fossilized into the 囟 form.

By the time of seal script (篆書 zhuànshū), forms like 䢉 (a structure with 臼 over 囟 over 辰) and more distorted versions of 農 alternated, until in clerical script (隸書 lìshū) and standard script (隸書 lìshū) the character settled into its modern form.

Still very common in everyday words and government/industry vocabulary (농업, 농민).

Often contrasted with 공업 (工業, industry).

Common compounds:

농사 (農事) – farming, agricultural work;

농민 (農民) – farmer, peasant;

농업 (農業) – agriculture;

농촌 (農村) – farm village, rural area;

농장 (農場) – farm;