亞

Used in names (e.g. Asia 亞細亞).

Ideogram derived from a pictograph of a large, symmetrical building with two levels, possibly a grand residence or hall, smaller than a palace.

The structure symbolizes something beneath the highest, giving rise to the meaning “second,” “next to the top.”

This pictographic sense evolved into an abstract ranking concept: what comes after the best or first.

Thus, 亞 carries the semantic sense of “sub-, secondary, next, nearly equal.”

亞軍 (아군) — second place, runner-up

亞種 (아종) — subspecies

亞硝酸 (아질산) — nitrous acid (HNO₂)

亞太地區 (아태지구) — Asia-Pacific region

東亞 (동아) — East Asia

南亞 (남아) — South Asia

西亞 (서아) — West Asia (Middle East)

東南亞 (동남아) — Southeast Asia

亞文化 (아문화) — subculture

亞音速 (아음속) — subsonic speed

亞聖 (아성), “Sub-Sage,” was a title given to Mencius (孟子) — second only to Confucius (孔子).

乾坤 (Heaven and Earth) may symbolize the cosmic duality of yang and yin; 亞 sometimes metaphorically represents the supporting counterpart or second principle in similar binary relations.

In modern East Asian contexts, 亞 appears widely in institutional names such as 東亞銀行 (Bank of East Asia), 亞太經濟合作 (APEC), and 亞運會 (Asian Games).

Semantic notes:

In classical usage, 亞 often appears in titles meaning “assistant” or “vice-.”

e.g. 亞相 “vice-chancellor,” 亞父 “second father (mentor),” 亞聖 “sub-sage” — a title for Mencius (孟子).

As a prefix in science, 亞- parallels the English sub-:

亞原子 “subatomic,” 亞음속 “subsonic.”

In modern geography, 亞 denotes Asia, from the transliteration 亞細亞 (A-si-a).

This usage arose in 19th-century East Asia under Western influence.