末

Ideogram:

木 (tree radical) – the base structure.

一 (stroke at the top) – marks the very end or tip of the tree.

Together, the form depicts the topmost end of a tree, symbolizing “end” or “extremity.”

Semantic associations:

- end of time (final stage, last days);

- tip of an object (peak, top);

- conclusion or termination of a sequence.

주말 (週末) – weekend

연말 (年末) – year-end

말기 (末期) – final stage

종말 (終末) – the end, apocalypse

미말 (未末) – not yet ended

Paired with 終 (to finish) and opposed to 初 (beginning).

Common in names (말자, 말숙, 말영, 말화), reflecting past cultural hopes for sons after daughters.

In Middle Korean, the native reading was 귿, preserved in Hunmongjahoe.