家

Traditional interpretation:

Says 宀 (house roof) gives the meaning and 豭 (수퇘지 가) — the “boar” character (later simplified as 豕) — gives the sound.

But no early inscriptions with 宀 + 豭 have been found.

Linguistic reconstruction:

Scholars believe 家 combines 宀 (roof) and 豕 (pig).

Some even suggest the earlier form 하 (⿳彑儿乂), a variant of pig with explicit genital marking, was used under 宀.

Oracle bone evidence:

Already shows 宀 + 豕 rather than 宀 + 하. Over time, 豕 became the fixed lower component.

Popular folk etymology:

Ancient Chinese supposedly kept pigs under their houses to ward off snakes, therefore “house with pigs” = home.

가구(家口) - household;

가장(家長) - head of household;

가정(家庭) - family;

가족(家族) - family;

작가(作家) - writer.