敍

A phono-semantic compound composed of:

攴 / 攵 (to tap; to strike; action) — semantic component, indicates doing, setting in motion, or arranging by action;

余 (surplus; remaining) — phonetic component, supplies the sound "seo / xù" and suggests distribution or unfolding.

Together, the structure conveys actively laying things out one by one, hence arranging, sequencing, or narrating.

敍 originally meant to set things in order, especially:

- arranging events;

- laying out matters sequentially.

From this concrete sense of ordering, the idea of telling something in proper sequence naturally arose.

Meanings expanded along an intellectual–administrative path:

- order / sequence — arranging items step by step;

- narration — recounting events in order;

- explanation / exposition — structured telling or description;

- promotion (derived) — advancement according to rank or order (modern Chinese usage).

The core notion remains sequence made explicit.

In Korean, 敍 appears mainly in Sino-Korean compounds related to writing and narration.

The promotion sense reflects ordering people within a hierarchy.

Narration & writing:

서술 (敍述 / 敘述) — narration; description

서사 (敍事 / 敘事) — narrative; storytelling

서문 (敍文 / 敘文) — narrative prose

Order & procedure:

차서 (次敍) — order; sequence

서열 (敍列) — arrangement; ranking

Orthographic notes:

敍 uses 攴;

敘 uses 攵 (more common in modern print, standard in Taiwan).

Both are historically and semantically equivalent.

The simplified form 叙 further reduces the action component.