誦

Phono-semantic compound:

言 (말씀 언) — semantic, connected to speech, recitation, chanting.

甬 (종꼭지 용) — phonetic, gives the sound (song / yǒng) and contributes nuance of flowing, continuous motion, paralleling vocal recitation.

Thus, 誦 originally meant “to let words flow continuously from the mouth.”

In Korean, 誦(송) appears mainly in literary, academic, and religious contexts relating to recitation.

Memorization / recitation:

誦讀 (송독) — 외우며 읽다; to read aloud; recite

讀誦 (독송) — 글을 읽고 외움; chanting, recitation

誦經 (송경) — 경전을 외우고 읊음; scripture recitation

誦詩 (송시) — 시를 외우듯 읊다; reciting poetry

Buddhist and ritual recitation:

誦念 (송념) — 외우며 염송하다; chant with mindfulness

誦持 (송지) — 경전을 외워 지님; recite and uphold scriptures

誦呪 (송주) — 주문을 외우다; chant a mantra

Learning / education:

誦習 (송습) — 외워 익히기; memorization practice

誦讀法 (송독법) — 낭독하는 학습 방식; method of reading aloud

These compounds preserve the classical sense of verbalized repetition of memorized text, especially poetry and scripture.

Distinction from 調, 詠, 吟:

誦 — to recite aloud, often from memory

調 — to modulate or sing in tune

詠 — to chant poetry with emotion

吟 — to hum or chant softly

誦 is the most didactic and ritual of these.

Classical Confucian education followed the pattern:

讀 → 誦 → 曉 → 諷 → 詠

(read → recite → understand → intone → chant)

誦 represents the stage of memorization and verbal mastery.

誦 became one of the major translation terms for Sanskrit √jap (chanting), especially in sutra recitation.

Classical citations:

《論語·子張》 (Analects – “Zizhang”)

孔子曰：「誦詩三百，授之以政，不達；使於四方，不能專對，雖多，亦奚以為？」

Confucius said: “One may recite all three hundred poems, but if he cannot apply them to governance or handle missions abroad, of what use is his recitation?” — 誦 = recite from memory.

《孟子·告子上》 (Mencius – “Gaozi I”)

「誦其詩，讀其書。」

“Recite their poetry and read their books.”

《禮記·學記》 (Book of Rites – “Record of Learning”)

「誦其詩，以觀其志。」

“Recite their poems to observe their intent.”

《後漢書·蔡邕傳》 (Book of the Later Han)

「誦經不輟。」

“He recited the classics without ceasing.”

Buddhist Sanskrit-related usage (Chinese translations):

Example from 《法華經》 “Lotus Sutra”:

「讀誦大乘，思其義。」

“Read and recite the Mahāyāna scriptures, contemplating their meaning” — 誦 strongly associated with Buddhist scripture chanting.