泣

Especially to cry quietly or inwardly.

A phono-semantic compound:

水 (water) — semantic component, tears, liquid

立 (립, to stand) — phonetic component, provides the sound

The character depicts tears flowing downward or falling like water. From this imagery arose the meaning “to shed tears; to cry quietly.”

In Korean usage, 泣 carries a literary and emotional tone, often associated with suppressed sorrow, grievance, or tragic dignity. It is less common than 哭 and usually appears in written language, classical quotations, or elevated prose.

읍소 (泣訴) — tearful appeal; pleading with tears

읍읍 (泣泣) — sobbing quietly (literary)

비읍 (悲泣) — sorrowful weeping (literary)

Related characters:

哭 — to cry loudly

哀 — sorrow; grief

悲 — sadness; tragedy

涙 / 淚 — tears

Comparison with 哭:

泣 — quiet crying; sobbing; silent tears

哭 — loud crying; wailing; open lamentation

Example contrast:

泣 — inward grief, restrained sorrow

哭 — outward, audible grief

Example:

痛哭 / 慟哭 — “to wail bitterly” (uses 哭, not 泣)

泣 often implies emotional depth without outward noise, making it suitable for tragic, dignified, or restrained contexts.

Its semantic field strongly overlaps with tears (涙) but emphasizes the act of weeping, not the liquid itself.