雇

A phono-semantic compound consisting of:

隹 (short-tailed bird) — semantic component;

戶 (door; household) — phonetic component, supplies the pronunciation "gù / go" and originally referred to a household or family unit — conceptually linked to domestic service and employment.

The semantic role of 隹 in this character is archaic and abstract. In ancient script forms, 隹 often appears in characters connected with social roles or service relationships.

Thus, 雇 originally conveyed the idea of engaging someone connected to a household — later generalized to hiring labor in general.

고용 (雇用) — employment; hiring

피고용자 (被雇用者) — employee; hired person

고용주 (雇用主) — employer

고용인 (雇用人) — employee

고용하다 (雇用하다) — to employ

In modern Korean, the verb 고용하다 is standard for “to hire.”

The pure native expression 품을 팔다 (to sell one’s labor) reflects the older semantic nuance.

The character emphasizes a social-economic relationship: one party provides labor, another provides compensation.

In historical contexts, it often referred to day laborers or temporary workers.

Unlike characters expressing authority or command, 雇 implies a transactional agreement rather than hierarchical obligation.

雇 differs subtly from related characters:

用 — to use (general sense)

聘 — to engage formally (often for a position or marriage)

召 — to summon

僱 — traditional variant emphasizing hired labor (often interchangeable with 雇 in modern usage)

While 用 simply means “to use,” 雇 specifically implies a contractual or wage-based relationship.