慕

Expresses emotional longing — especially affectionate admiration or yearning for someone admired, loved, or respected.

It often conveys respectful admiration rather than mere romantic longing.

A phono-semantic compound consisting of:

心 (heart, mind) — semantic component, indicating emotion or mental state;

莫 — phonetic component, providing the sound (모 / mù).

The combination conveys “a heart that longs.”

In Korean, 慕 often appears in literary, poetic, or classical expressions.

사모 (思慕) — longing; adoration

흠모 (欽慕) — deep admiration

모친 (慕親) — filial longing for parents (classical usage)

모정 (慕情) — yearning affection

慕 combines emotional warmth with respectful admiration.

It often implies admiration directed upward (toward someone esteemed).

Related characters:

愛 — love (broad and emotional)

思 — to think of; to miss

戀 — romantic love; attachment

欽 — reverent admiration

The character frequently appears in names, especially where the syllable “모” is used.

It conveys dignified admiration rather than possessive desire.

In Confucian context, 慕 often implies longing for virtue or moral excellence.

Classical citations:

《詩經》 (The Book of Songs)

「豈不爾思，遠莫致之。」

"How can I not think of you, Yet you are far beyond my reach."

Expressing longing that cannot be fulfilled — conceptually related to 慕.

《史記》 (Records of the Grand Historian)

「天下莫不慕之」

“All under Heaven admired him.”

These examples show its function in expressing admiration and yearning.