量

Earliest attested in bronze inscriptions (金文 jinwen), not oracle bone script.

Composed of:

日 (해, sun) – originally indicating light or observation

重 (무거울 중, heavy) – a person beneath a burden, indicating “weight, load”

Interpreted as “measuring under the sun” or “measuring goods/harvests.”

Some scholars consider 量 the original form of 糧 (provisions, grain), suggesting an early link to measuring harvests.

In Shuowen Jiezi (説文解字 shuōwén jiězì), 曏 (sound) + 重 (meaning) → phonosemantic compound.

Later evolved into the form combining 旦 (dawn) and 里 (village).

量 (량/양) — quantity, amount

測量 (측량) — surveying, measurement

分量 (분량) — portion, weight, amount

能量 (능량) — energy, capacity

商量 (상량) — to discuss, deliberate

Polyphonic character

In Chinese:

liáng - “to measure, to estimate” (verb)

liàng - “amount, quantity” (noun)

In Korean: 량/양, depending on position.

Related characters: 糧 (grain, provisions), 重 (heavy, weight).