癖

A phono-semantic compound:

疒 (녁) — semantic component, indicating illness or pathological condition

辟 (벽) — phonetic component, supplying the sound (벽 / pì)

The structure frames a habit as something disease-like—an ingrained condition that is difficult to change—hence the later meanings of fixation or obsession.

Semantic development:

- medical condition — disease-like predisposition

- psychological fixation — obsession or compulsion

- behavioral habit — ingrained personal tendency

癖 is used in medical, psychological, and literary contexts, often carrying a negative or marked nuance.

버릇 (癖) — habit; ingrained tendency

악벽 (惡癖) — bad habit; vice

기벽 (奇癖) — eccentric habit; odd fixation

식벽 (食癖) — eating habit (often pathological)

수집벽 (蒐集癖) — collecting obsession

Classical / technical usage:

적취 (積聚) — morbid accumulation (traditional medical term)

편벽 (偏癖) — biased or lopsided disposition

Unlike 習 (habit by repetition) or 慣 (accustomed), 癖 emphasizes abnormal persistence or pathological coloring.

In East Asian discourse, 癖 often implies that a habit is:

- difficult to correct

- deeply rooted

- potentially harmful or socially noticeable

This is why 癖 commonly pairs with 惡, 奇, or 偏, reinforcing its evaluative tone.

Related characters (habit & disposition):

習 — to learn; habit through repetition

慣 — accustomed; used to

偏 — biased; one-sided

病 — illness

性 — nature; disposition

Among these, 癖 uniquely frames habit as a condition rather than a neutral routine.