• to mend;
  • to repair;
  • to fix;

Etymology

A phono-semantic compound composed of:

— semantic component meaning “thread; textile,” indicating actions like sewing or repairing;

— phonetic component indicating the sound (선 / shàn).

The meaning developed from the idea of using thread to fix something, thus repairing or improving it (i.e., making it “good,” as suggested by ).
Semantic development: - to sew or mend with thread; - to repair or fix; - to restore something to a good condition.

Usage in Korean

수선 (修繕) — repair; maintenance

보선 (補繕) — repair; patching

Additional notes

The character emphasizes restoring something to a proper or good state, not just fixing damage. It is commonly used in formal contexts such as building maintenance, document preparation, or restoration work.
Related characters: — to repair; to fix

— to mend; to patch

— good; virtuous

깁다
gipda
seon
Kangxi radical:120, + 12
Strokes:18
Unicode:U+7E55
Cangjie input:
  • 女火廿土口 (VFTGR)
  • 女火廿廿口 (VFTTR)
Composition:
  • ⿰ 糹 善

Neighboring characters in the dictionary

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