婚

Formed from:

女 (woman) as the semantic element;

昏 (dusk, dusk-time, ‘혼’) as the phonetic element.

Marriage ceremonies in antiquity were often performed at dusk, hence the association with 昏.

Semantic range:

- marriage, wedding (결혼, 혼인);

- by extension, formal union or joining of families;

- figurative: entering into a binding relationship.

혼인 (婚姻) — marriage, matrimony

결혼 (結婚) — to marry, marriage

초혼 (初婚) — first marriage

재혼 (再婚) — remarriage

약혼 (約婚) — engagement

혼례 (婚禮) — wedding ceremony

In Confucian tradition, marriage (婚姻) was not merely a personal union but a ritual duty that ensured the continuation of the family line and the honoring of ancestors. It symbolized the merging of two family lineages, reinforcing social order and kinship networks.