雅

Phono-semantic compound:

隹 (새 추, bird) – semantic component

牙 (어금니 아, tusk/tooth) – phonetic component

Originally referred to a type of bird (possibly crow-like), later borrowed to mean “elegant,” “refined,” and “standard.”

雅言 (아언) — refined/standard speech, classical Chinese pronunciation

爾雅 (이아) — "Erya", the oldest surviving Chinese dictionary, meaning “Approaching Elegance”

優雅 (우아) — elegant, graceful

典雅 (전아) — classical, dignified

高雅 (고아) — refined, noble

Widely used in names (esp. Japanese female names, read as みやび Miyabi, あ A, or が Ga).

In Confucian classics, 雅 often indicated “proper, correct” as opposed to vulgar or incorrect usage.

Contrasted with 俗 (속, vulgar).

Related words: 雅樂 (아악, “elegant music”), the refined ritual music of the Zhou dynasty.