縛

Expresses physical tying with cord or rope, and metaphorically, binding or restricting.

Phono-semantic compound:

糸 (가는 실 멱) — semantic, thread, cord, rope

尃 (펼 부) — phonetic element

尃 originally depicted spreading or laying out, but in this compound it functions only as a sound indicator.

Thus 縛 literally means “binding with rope/cord.”

Semantic development:

Literal tying, binding, fastening

- ropes, cords, restraints, shackles

Physical capture / arrest

- binding a prisoner, tying hands

Restriction / limitation

- societal, moral, or metaphorical constraints

Coercion / compulsion

- being “bound” to an obligation

In Korean, 縛(박) appears mainly in literary, legal, martial, or abstract compounds involving binding, restriction, or compulsion.

Binding / tying:

縛紲 (박설) — 줄로 묶음; binding with cord

束縛 (속박) — 얽매임; bondage; restraint; restriction

拘縛 (구박) — 붙잡아 묶음; to bind and detain

牢縛 (로박) — 단단히 묶음; secure binding

Arrest / legal restraint:

縛罪人 (박죄인) — 죄인을 결박함; binding a criminal

縛送 (박송) — 묶어서 압송함; to send under arrest, tied

Restriction / limitation:

束縛力 (속박력) — 얽어매는 힘; binding force; constraint

自縛 (자박) — 스스로 얽매임; self-binding; self-imposed restraint

禁縛 (금박) — 금지하여 얽매는 것; prohibition and restraint

Metaphorical / philosophical:

縛情 (박정) — 감정에 얽매임; being bound by emotion

縛心 (박심) — 마음을 얽어맴; emotional or mental bondage

This shows that Sino-Korean usage emphasizes restriction, compulsion, confinement, both physically and psychologically.

Comparison with similar “binding” characters:

綁 — to tie tightly (modern Chinese)

束 — to bind, bundle; figurative restraint

繫 — to tie, fasten securely; bind firmly

縛 — stronger sense of restraint, often punitive or coercive

Classical citations:

《史記·廉頗藺相如列傳》 (Records of the Grand Historian)

「乃縛其徒，送之庭。」

“So they bound the offender and sent him to the court” — 縛 = to tie up, restrain, arrest.

《漢書·張湯傳》 (Book of Han)

「縛罪人詣廷尉。」

“They bound the criminal and delivered him to the Minister of Justice.”

《後漢書·光武帝紀》 (Book of the Later Han)

「縛郡守，奪其印綬。」

“They tied up the governor and seized his seal and ribbon.”

《荀子·王制》 (Xunzi)

「法不縛於一端。」

“The law is not bound to a single principle” — metaphorical: restricted, constrained.

《唐宋八大家文抄·歐陽修》 (Collected Works of Ouyang Xiu)

「文辭不當縛。」

“Writing should not be constrained” — 縛 = to bind, restrict composition.

These passages show that 縛 ranges from literal tying to legal punishment to metaphorical constraint.