逍

A phono-semantic compound:

辵 / 辶 (착) — semantic component, indicating movement, walking, or travel

肖 (초) — phonetic component, supplying the sound (소 / xiāo)

The structure expresses movement without urgency, suggesting walking that follows one’s inclination rather than a destination—hence wandering or strolling at ease.

Semantic development:

- physical movement — strolling without haste

- emotional state — ease; relaxation

- philosophical ideal — spiritual freedom and detachment

Compared with similar verbs, 逍 emphasizes inner freedom rather than outward travel.

逍 appears mainly in literary, poetic, and philosophical contexts, often describing a free and unburdened state of mind.

소요 (逍遙) — free wandering; spiritual freedom; carefree ease

소산 (逍散) — to roam freely; to drift apart

소적 (逍適) — leisurely and content

Fixed expressions:

소요자재 (逍遙自在) — freely and without constraint

소요유 (逍遙遊) — “free wandering” (Daoist ideal)

In Korean, the everyday sense “to stroll” is usually expressed with native verbs, while 逍 appears chiefly in Sino-Korean compounds.

逍 is closely associated with Daoist thought, especially the idea of freedom from social and mental constraints.

In Daoism, 逍遙 does not merely mean physical wandering, but a state in which the mind moves in harmony with the Dao, unbound by ambition, fear, or rigid distinctions.

This elevated sense distinguishes 逍 from simple motion verbs.

Related characters (movement & ease):

遊 — to roam; to travel

散 — to disperse; to relax

步 — to walk

行 — to go; to move

遙 — distant; far-reaching

Among these, 逍 is the most contemplative and refined, often carrying philosophical or poetic nuance rather than everyday motion.

Classical citations:

《莊子·逍遙遊》 (Zhuangzi)

「乘天地之正，而御六氣之辯，以遊無窮者，彼且惡乎待哉？」

“Riding upon the natural order of Heaven and Earth, and mastering the transformations of the six energies, one wanders without limit—what could such a person depend upon?”