遊

Core meaning: free, leisurely movement, originally associated with wandering or flowing like a flag drifting in the wind.

Phono-semantic compound:

遊 = 辵 (walking, movement) + 斿 (phonetic “yu”)

辵 (쉬엄쉬엄 갈 착) — semantic, movement, walking, wandering

斿 (깃발이 바람에 나부끼는 모양) — phonetic, gives sound yu, but also contributes a nuance of “drifting, fluttering, wandering”

遊 originally described a flag drifting in the wind, then extended to:

- drifting

- wandering

- leisurely walking

- playful roaming

- sightseeing and recreation

This evolution is consistent across Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

Note on Simplified Form:

游 replaces 辵 with 氵 (water radical) — reflects the extended meaning “to drift / float,” but still carries the original senses “play / wander.”

Leisure / play:

遊戲 (유희) — play; amusement

遊樂 (유락) — pleasure; recreation

遊園地 (유원지) — amusement park

Wandering / roaming:

遊行 (유행) — roaming; parading (modern meaning “trend” differs)

遊方 (유방) — wandering monks / traveling for study

遊民 (유민) — drifters; vagrants

遊學 (유학) — study abroad; roaming to learn

Travel / sightseeing:

遊覽 (유람) — sightseeing

遊山玩水 (유산완수) — “travel mountains and enjoy waters,” leisure travel

遊客 (유객) — tourist

Figurative:

遊心 (유심) — a mind wandering; idle thoughts

神遊 (신유) — spirit wandering, deep meditation

《論語·先進》 (Analects 11:26)

「子曰：‘志於道，據於德，依於仁，遊於藝。’」

“The Master said: ‘Set your heart on the Way, rely on virtue, dwell in benevolence, and wander freely among the arts’” — 遊 ＝ to engage freely, roam intellectually.

《孟子·滕文公上》 (Mencius)

「遊於是乎始。」

“From this, their roaming begins” — 遊 ＝ to begin one’s free exploration.

《莊子·逍遙遊》 (Zhuangzi)

「北冥有魚，其名為鯤……逍遙遊。」

“In the Northern Sea there is a fish called Kun… it wanders in carefree freedom” — 遊 ＝ philosophical wandering / transcendental roaming

《史記·刺客列傳》 (Records of the Grand Historian)

「荊軻遊於燕。」

“Jing Ke traveled among the people of Yan” — 遊 ＝ to travel, visit