榜

Phono-semantic compound consisting of:

木 (나무 목) — semantic component, indicating material made of wood or an object constructed from it (e.g., tablet, board, sign).

旁 (곁 방) — phonetic component, providing the sound bǎng / bang and carrying the idea of “side” or “proximity.”

According to Kangxi Zidian (康熙字典):

「榜，木牌也。从木，旁聲。」

“榜 means a wooden tablet or board; composed of 木 (‘wood’) and phonetic 旁 (‘side, near’).”

Thus, 榜 originally referred to a wooden board for public display, later extended to mean the act of posting or publishing notices.

榜文 (방문) — official notice or proclamation

榜示 (방시) — to post publicly; public notice

揭榜 (게시) — to put up a notice; to announce publicly

榜單 (방단) — list; roster; roll of names

金榜 (금방) — the “golden list” (esp. list of successful exam candidates)

張榜 (장방) — to hang up a public notice

海報榜 (해방) — poster board; billboard

榜樣 (방양) — model; example; exemplar (lit. “example displayed on a board”)

Because 榜 signifies a board, announcement, or formal display, it also acquired broader figurative uses:

榜樣 (model, exemplar) — originally “an example posted for others to follow.”

掛榜 (to hang a board) — to announce names, especially in official or academic contexts.

In modern East Asian languages, 榜 continues to denote public lists, leaderboards, or ranking tables, such as:

中文排行榜 (중문 방행방) — Chinese “ranking list”

인기순위榜 — popularity chart or leaderboard

Thus, 榜 retains both its literal visual function and symbolic sense of social recognition.

Historical and cultural background:

In ancient China, before printing became widespread, 榜 referred to wooden or bamboo boards placed in public areas — city gates, markets, or government offices — to display official announcements, edicts, or lists of examination results.

During the imperial examination system (科擧), the 金榜 (golden list) was the board on which the names of those who had passed the final palace examination were posted.

The phrase 金榜題名 (금방제명) — “to have one’s name inscribed on the golden list” — became a classical idiom meaning success in one’s career or life, especially through scholarly achievement.

Similarly, 張榜 (to post a notice) symbolized recognition or honor, as it made private merit visible to the public.

Conversely, 揭榜求賢 (to post a notice seeking the worthy) referred to a ruler’s call for talented officials, a common image in political writings.

Thus, the evolution of 榜 from a simple wooden sign to a metaphor for public acknowledgment and reputation reflects both cultural and moral ideals — that achievement, virtue, and truth should be displayed openly.

Cultural symbolism:

In classical literature, 榜 carries the notion of public morality and visible merit.

To “be on the board” (登榜) is to achieve recognition through one’s virtue or learning;

to “hang a board” (張榜) is to make truth or justice known to the world.

It reflects the Confucian belief that virtue and learning should be made manifest, not hidden — that honorable deeds must serve as 榜樣 (moral examples) for others.

「君子之德，宜為世榜。」

“The virtue of the gentleman should stand as a model for the world.”

From ancient edicts and examination rosters to modern leaderboards, 榜 has preserved its core symbolism — the act of displaying worth and truth openly before others, uniting the physical and moral dimensions of “what is set forth to be seen.”