稟

It is a phono-semantic compound, composed of:

禾 (grain, rice plant) – semantic element;

㐭 (reum, storehouse) – phonetic element, suggesting the sound and related to a granary or provision storage.

稟 combines the idea of grain (禾) with storehouse/provision (㐭), extending metaphorically to the act of presenting or reporting something formally. It developed into meanings of to report, to submit, and natural endowment.

Semantic range:

- to report, to inform – especially from a subordinate to a superior.

- to present, to submit – formally offering information or provisions.

- innate disposition, nature – in extended sense, one’s natural endowment or heavenly mandate.

In Korean, 품 (稟) is now rare, mainly appearing in classical or literary contexts:

여쭐 품 (稟) – to submit, to report.

Appears in compounds like 품성 (稟性) – natural disposition, character.

In modern Korean it is virtually obsolete outside of historical/literary usage.

In Chinese historical dramas, it is common for subordinates to begin a report with the formula 启稟 (qǐbǐn, “to respectfully report”) addressed to the emperor or a general. This reflects the long-standing usage of 稟 in hierarchical communication.