坪

also means "pyeong" — a unit of area (East Asian traditional usage)

A phono-semantic compound composed of:

土 (earth; soil) — semantic component, indicates land or ground;

平 (flat; level) — phonetic component, supplies the sound "pyeong" and reinforces the idea of flatness.

The character literally denotes level ground, especially land that is open, broad, and suitable for use.

The meanings of 坪 developed along two closely related lines:

- geographical sense — flat, open land such as a field or plain;

- quantified spatial sense — standardized measurement of flat ground.

Because area measurement historically relied on usable, level land, the transition from terrain to unit of measure was natural.

Widely used in Korea and Japan for real estate and housing descriptions, even in modern times.

Land & geography:

들판 / 평지 (坪地) — open plain; flatland

광활한 평야 — broad, level land

Unit of area:

평 (坪) — traditional unit of area

1 평 ≈ 3.3058 m²

坪 is a good example of a character where physical geography directly shaped measurement systems.

坪 emphasizes usability of land, not just size.

Unlike abstract area units, it implies:

- flatness

- suitability for building or cultivation

Often contrasted with:

山 — mountain

丘 — hill

畝 — field ridge / agricultural measure

Related characters:

土 — earth; soil

平 — flat; level

田 — field

畝 — field unit; ridge

地 — land; ground

mong these, 坪 uniquely bridges natural terrain and human measurement.

Classical / practical usage:

平坦之坪 — “a level open ground”

三十坪住宅 — “a 30-pyeong residence”