離

Phono-semantic compound:

隹 (“bird”) — semantic element.

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

Originally showing a bird departing / separating, the character took on the sense of “to leave, 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

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.

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).