敷

A phono-semantic compound composed of:

攴 — “to strike; to act,” indicating an active process

旉 — phonetic element (bu / fū), meaning “to spread”

The earliest meaning of 敷 was to spread something out flat, such as cloth, mats, or materials over a surface. From this concrete action, abstract meanings developed.

Semantic development:

- to spread or lay out physically

- to apply over a surface (medicine, materials)

- to distribute or disseminate (policies, teachings)

- to govern or administer widely (classical texts)

- broadly; extensively (adverbial usage)

부설 (敷設) — laying down (roads, pipes, cables)

도포·부포 (敷布) — spreading cloth or fabric

부연 (敷衍) — to elaborate; to expand upon (often excessively)

敷 implies breadth rather than depth. It often contrasts with:

立 (to set upright)

収 (to gather, collect)

In abstract usage, it may suggest over-extension, especially in 敷衍 (to elaborate; to expand upon), where elaboration becomes excessive or evasive.

Related characters:

布 — cloth; to spread; distribution; arrangement

展 — to unfold; to expand

施 — to bestow; to apply

播 — to sow; to disseminate

陳 — to lay out; to display

撒 — scattering

In Classical Chinese, 敷 often appears in political, ritual, and moral contexts:

敷教 — to disseminate teachings

敷政 — to extend governance

敷布德澤 — “to spread virtue and benevolence widely”

Here, 敷 does not merely mean “to spread,” but to intentionally extend influence or order over a domain.