糾

A phono-semantic compound:

糸 (thread) — semantic component;

丩 — phonetic component "gyu."

According to Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字), 糾 originally referred to "three strands of thread twisted together to form rope."

The original character was 丩, depicting:

- intertwined threads;

- a knotted or twisted shape.

In oracle bone script, it appears as a simple depiction of entangled lines.

In seal script (小篆), the semantic component 糸 (“thread”) was added to the left side to clarify meaning, producing the modern form 糾.

Semantic development:

- to entangle; to interweave;

- to gather or assemble;

- to investigate (untangle facts);

- to correct or rectify.

The semantic progression follows:

twisted thread → entangled matter → untangling → examining → correcting.

Thus 糾 carries both:

- physical entanglement;

- administrative correction.

규합 (糾合) — to unite; gather together

규명 (糾明) — to investigate and clarify

규찰 (糾察) — inspection; patrol

규탄 (糾彈) — to denounce

糾 retains the image of twisting and untangling threads, which metaphorically becomes clarifying confusion.

It differs from:

結 — to tie or bind (forming a stable knot)

纏 — to wrap around

査 — to investigate (administrative tone)

正 — to correct (abstract moral correctness)

察 — examine

Among these, 糾 most clearly expresses the act of untangling confusion, both physically and administratively.

Classical usage:

糾合義士 — “Gather righteous men.”

糾其過失 — “Correct his faults.”