委

Traditionally interpreted as a compound ideograph:

女 (“woman”)

禾 (“grain; plant stalk”)

Together they depict a figure bending under the weight of grain, leading to senses such as “bent, drooping, declining”, extended meaning: to become weak / to wither

From “to yield / to give way” to abstract meaning "to hand over, entrust, delegate."

In classical texts, 委 has both physical and abstract meanings. The modern East Asian usage focuses strongly on delegating / entrusting authority.

委 remain extremely common in modern Korean, especially in government, administration, corporations, and legal contexts.

Government / committee terms:

공위 (共委) — joint committee

공정위 (公正委) — Fair Trade Commission

대책위 (對策委) — countermeasures committee

반민특위 (反民特委) — Special Committee for Anti-national Activities

방송위 (放送委) — Broadcasting Committee

부방위 (腐防委) — Anti-Corruption Committee

상위 (常委) — standing committee member

선관위 (選管委) — National Election Commission

신위 (信委) — trust committee

전위 (全委) — full committee

특위 (特委) — special committee

Administrative / appointment terms:

위임 (委任) — delegation, entrustment

위임인 (委任人) — person who delegates

위임자 (委任者) — delegatee, proxy

위임장 (委任狀) — power of attorney

위임통치 (委任統治) — mandate rule, trustee governance

위정 (委政) — delegated administration

위관 (委官) — an official assigned by delegation

Legal & social terms:

위탁 (委託) — entrust, consign

위촉 (委囑) — appointment / commissioning

위신 (委身) — to devote oneself; surrender oneself

위양 (委讓) — transfer of rights; cession

위위 (委委) — delicate; minute; detailed

Committee structures:

위원 (委員) — committee member

위원장 (委員長) — committee chairperson

위원회 (委員會) — committee, commission

When used alone in journalism or official documents, 委 is often shorthand for 위원회 / 委員會 (“Committee”).

The earlier meanings of drooping / bending / withering still appear in classical literature but are rare in modern usage.

委 plays an essential role in administrative vocabulary across East Asia.

Classical citations:

《論語·子路》 (The Analects of Confucius)

「君子不以言舉人，不以人廢言。子曰：‘予之不仁也，委之若何？’」

“The gentleman does not promote a person for his words alone… Confucius said: ‘If he is not benevolent, how can I entrust (委) matters to him?’”

《孟子·梁惠王上》 (Mencius)

「天將降大任於是人也，必先苦其心志，勞其筋骨，委其體膚。」

“When heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a man, it first afflicts his heart with sorrow, exhausts his body with labor, and subjects his flesh to hardship (委).”