列

Ideogrammatic compound:

歹 (해골 알, “bone, remains”) — representing dismemberment or separation.

刀 (칼 도, “knife”) — representing cutting or dividing.

Together, these elements depict cutting apart or dividing bones — symbolizing separation, division, or arrangement.

Over time, the meaning shifted from “to cut or split apart” to “to arrange or set in order”, extending naturally to rows, sequences, and lists.

To distinguish the older sense “to tear, to split apart”, the derived character 裂 (찢을 렬) was later created by adding 衣 (옷 의) below 列, reinforcing the image of torn fabric.

The semantic evolution of 列 from cutting apart to lining up reflects an important cognitive metaphor in early Chinese writing —

“order arises from separation.”

That is, by distinguishing and dividing elements, one achieves structured arrangement — a principle mirrored in both writing and governance.

행렬 (行列) — procession, formation, matrix

열거 (列擧) — enumeration, listing items

대렬 (隊列) — military rank or file, a formation

방열 (方列) — rectangular arrangement or array

전열 (戰列) — battle line, order of battle

열차 (列車) — train, literally “linked vehicles”

연열 (連列) — continuous alignment, rows connected together

In ancient Chinese texts, 列 was often used with a dual nuance:

- to divide or separate (its early sense), and

- to arrange or align (its later, modern sense).

For example:

《左傳》(Zuo Zhuan): “列士而陳之” — “Arrange the soldiers in formation.”

《史記》(Shiji): “列侯” — “hereditary marquesses”, literally “ranked nobles.”

In military and bureaucratic contexts, 列 came to signify rank or hierarchical position, as in:

列侯 (열후) — noble rank (marquis).

列國 (열국) — “the feudal states,” i.e., the array of states during the Warring States period.