贖

Phono-semantic compound:

貝 (조개 패) — semantic element, gives meaning "wealth, valuables, money"

𧶠 (육) — phonetic element, gives pronunciation (zyuk → shú / 속)

Some forms appear as 貝 + 賣, but the 賣 component is only a graphical evolution; the character is not derived from “to sell.”

Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):

「贖，貿也。」

“贖 means to exchange (to trade).”

But already by the Han dynasty this meaning was rare. The dominant meaning became “to exchange money for release from punishment, debt, bondage, or pawn.”

In early Chinese legal codes, certain punishments could be redeemed with money:

贖刑 — paying money to avoid corporal punishment

贖錢 — the money itself used to redeem the punishment

This system appears clearly in 《史記》 (Records of the Grand Historian) and later dynastic histories.

Semantic development:

Exchange valuables to avoid punishment.

Buy back pawned or detained goods.

Redeem or ransom people.

Religious and moral atonement (parallel to English “redeem”).

Modern Chinese: to redeem, to ransom, to buy back.

In Korean, 贖(속) appears mainly in compounds related to atonement, redemption, ransom, and restoring by payment.

Atonement / expiation:

贖罪 (속죄) — 죄를 씻음; to atone for sin; expiate

贖愆 (속건) — 허물을 갚음; to make amends; compensate for faults

贖過 (속과) — 과오를 보상함; to redeem one’s faults

Buying back / redeeming property:

贖回 (속회) — 되사서 돌려받음; to buy back; to reclaim

贖金 (속금) — 되찾기 위해 바치는 돈; ransom money

贖物 (속물) — 속전으로 되찾은 물건; redeemed item

Legal / political:

贖刑 (속형) — 돈으로 형벌을 대신함; to redeem punishment with payment

贖身 (속신) — 몸값을 바침; to redeem one’s person (e.g., slavery, bondage)

贖役 (속역) — 잡역이나 노동을 돈으로 면제; redeeming forced labor

Hostage / captivity:

贖人 (속인) — 인질을 돈으로 되찾음; to ransom a person

贖俘 (속부) — 포로를 속전으로 교환; redeem prisoners

Religious / moral:

救世贖罪 (구세속죄) — 세상을 구하고 죄를 속함; salvation and atonement

贖命 (속명) — 목숨을 구제함; to ransom a life

These demonstrate the close parallel to English "redeem, ransom, atone," both legally and morally.

贖 vs 賠 vs 償:

贖 — redeem by paying valuables (recover, atone)

賠 — compensate damages

償 — repay, recompense, indemnify

贖 has the idea of reversing or cancelling a liability.

贖 appears frequently in Christian Chinese/Korean vocabulary:

贖罪 — atonement

贖回 — redemption

贖價 — ransom price (theological term)

The parallel between 贖 and English “redeem” is historically recognized.

Rare reading in 《詩經》 (The Book of Songs):

The only instance where 贖 is read 수 is in 《黃鳥》. All other contexts in Sino-Korean are 속.

Classical citations:

《史記·平準書》 (Records of the Grand Historian)

「民或犯法，持錢以贖。」

“When people committed offenses, they could bring money to redeem themselves” — legal redemption.

《史記·商君列傳》 (Records of the Grand Historian)

「贖罪以金。」

“He redeemed his crime with gold.”

《詩經·邶風·黃鳥》(The Book of Songs – “Yellow Birds”)

Original line referencing 贖 (rare reading 수 in this passage):

「誰生厲階？至今為梗。不得其死，願以贖之。」

“Who gave rise to this calamity? Her death is unjust. If only I could exchange my life to redeem hers” — 贖 = to ransom/exchange lives, emotional usage.

《後漢書·竇武傳》 (Book of the Later Han Dynasty)

「武為人質於匈奴，家以金帛贖之。」

“Wu had been taken hostage by the Xiongnu, and his family ransomed him with gold and silk.”

《禮記·檀弓下》 (The Book of Rites)

「有罪，則以財贖。」

“If one commits an offense, then he redeems it with wealth.”

These passages show 贖 meaning redeem, ransom, buy back, exchange, atone.