籤

Phono-semantic compound combining:

竹 (대 죽, “bamboo”) — semantic element, indicating material.

韱 (부추 섬) — phonetic element, providing the sound qiān / cheom.

The earliest forms appeared during the late Warring States to Qin period (c. 3rd century BCE), when divination slips and registration tallies were made of bamboo.

The derived form 簽 (U+7C3D) later became the more common variant meaning “to sign, tally, or note,” while 籤 retained the sense of divinatory lots.

제비 첨 (籤) — a lot or lottery stick

추첨 (抽籤) — drawing lots

점첨 (占籤) — divination by lots

첨두 (籤頭) — the upper part or head of a lot stick

In Korean, 籤 primarily survives in compounds related to fortune-drawing, random selection, or testing fate.

In temples of China, Korea, and Japan, devotees still draw bamboo lots (籤) to receive divine messages.

In Chinese culture, 求籤 (to seek a lot) involves shaking a bamboo cylinder until one slip falls out, interpreted as an oracle verse.

In Japan, omikuji (御神籤) uses paper slips, directly derived from the same character and ritual tradition.

In Korea, similar customs appeared in Buddhist temples and local shrines under the term 점첨(占籤) or 제비뽑기 for communal decision-making.

Symbol of Fate and Random Justice

Because each lot is drawn blindly, 籤 came to symbolize the impartial workings of fate — decisions left to Heaven’s will rather than human preference.

It embodies the ancient belief that chance itself can reveal destiny.