離

This character uniquely combines an ancient mythological meaning (mountain spirit), and a widely used abstract meaning (separation).

Phono-semantic compound:

隹 (“bird”) — semantic element.

离 (li / lí, “mountain spirit, demon”) — phonetic element.

Originally depicts a mythical beast with horns and a bird-like lower body.

Early bronze and seal forms show an image representing:

- head with horns

- body with feathers or bird claws

Thus the meaning: a supernatural creature, often associated with mountains or wild nature.

Over time, this character was borrowed to mean “to separate, to part.”

Showing a bird departing / separating, the character took on the sense of “to leave, to separate.”

《說文解字》 (Shuowen Jiezi) documents the semantic shift:

「離，麗也。別也。」

“離 means ‘to depart’. It also means ‘to separate.’”

離別 (리별) — parting, separation

離間 (리간) — sowing discord, estrangement

距離 (거리) — distance

離散 (리산) — dispersal, scattering

離婚 (이혼) — divorce

離脫 (이탈) — detachment

Related characters (semantic family):

魑 — mountain demon

魅 — seductive spirit

魍魎 — spirits of mountains and marshes

鬼 — generic ghost/demon

In Korean folklore correspondence the meaning aligns with 도깨비 — supernatural forest/mountain beings with ambiguous nature

Although not identical, the conceptual overlap is culturally recognized.

In classical Chinese cosmology, 離 is also the name of one of the Eight Trigrams (八卦) in the I Ching, symbolizing fire, brightness, and clinging.

Thus the character embodies a paradox:

- as verb: “to part, to separate”

- as trigram name: “to cling, to attach”

This duality reflects the ancient worldview where light both illuminates and separates, yet also adheres to what it shines upon.

Classical citations:

《山海經》 (Classic of Mountains and Seas)

「有獸焉，其名曰離。」

“There is a beast there whose name is Li” — identifies 離 as a mythic creature inhabiting high mountains.

《廣雅》 (Guangya)

「離，山精也。」

“離 is a mountain spirit” — explicit support for the Korean meaning “산신 / 도깨비.”

《楚辭・九歌》 (Chu Ci)

「山鬼忽而來，離魂倏而去。」

“The mountain spirit suddenly comes; the departing soul swiftly leaves” — here 離 evokes supernatural mountain imagery.

Abbreviated form 𮥷 (U+2E977, ⿰文隹) is also used (example usages are attested).

In Songyuan Yilai Suzipu (《宋元以來俗字譜》), it appears as a vulgar (popular) form of 離.

In Jiyun (《集韻》), it is also listed as a variant of 鳼 (young quail, 문).