祝

It is a compound character (associative-ideograph), composed of:

示 (altar, to show) – semantic element, denoting ritual or offering;

兄 (hyeong, elder brother) – here not the kinship term, but a graphic form emphasizing mouth (口) + person (儿), representing someone speaking or chanting prayers.

Thus, the character originally depicted a person standing before the altar (示), opening the mouth to pray or invoke – “to pray, to wish.”

Semantic range:

- to pray, to invoke – originally referring to priestly functions in ritual.

- to wish, to bless – in the sense of offering well-wishing.

- to congratulate – as in 祝賀 (축하, congratulations).

- to curse, to spell – secondary, overlapping with 呪.

In Korean, 축 (祝) is widely used in religious and celebratory contexts:

축하 (祝賀) – congratulations

축복 (祝福) – blessing

축원 (祝願) – prayer, invocation

기축 (祈祝) – to offer prayers

주술 (呪術) – sorcery, incantation (shared origin with 祝).