抛

Phono-semantic compound:

手 (수, 손) — semantic element indicating action with the hand.

𠠵 (포) — phonetic component, providing the sound 포.

The phonetic 𠠵 is rare and survives mainly in this character and related variants.

Thus 抛 originally depicted a hand sending something away - “to throw, cast off.”

In Korean, 抛 (포) is not common in native vocabulary but appears in Sino-Korean compounds involving throwing, casting away, or abandonment.

Throwing / hurling:

抛擲 (포척) — 던지고 내던지다; to throw; to fling

抛球 (포구) — 공을 던지다; to throw a ball

抛物 (포물) — 던져진 물체; a thrown object

Abandonment / discarding:

抛棄 (포기) — 버리다, 단념하다; to abandon; to give up

抛卻 (포각) — 내던지고 버리다; to cast aside; to throw away

抛離 (포리) — 버리고 떠남; to desert; to depart from

Figurative / literary:

抛身 (포신) — 몸을 던지다; to risk one’s body; to sacrifice

抛愁 (포수) — 근심을 던져 버리다; to throw away sorrow

拋諸腦後 (포저뇌후) — 뇌 뒤에 던져둠; to forget completely; to cast from one’s mind

These forms appear in Korean classical literature, historical documents, and modern academic writing (especially 抛棄 → 포기).

In East Asian literature, “throwing away” (抛, 棄) often symbolizes:

- renunciation of worldly concerns

- decisive action

- abandonment of duty (negative)

- liberation from burdens (positive)

Although 抛 is more common in later Chinese, authentic citations include:

《明史·方孝孺傳》 (History of Ming)

「視死如歸，拋卻性命。」

“He regarded death as a return home and cast aside his very life” — 拋 = “to throw away; to discard.”

《紅樓夢》 (Dream of the Red Chamber)

「把手巾抛在一旁。」

“She threw the handkerchief to one side.”

《水滸傳》 (Water Margin)

「拋槍便走。」

“He threw down his spear and ran.”

These confirm the widespread Ming–Qing usage of 拋/抛.