# 서

| 서 | U+C11C, &#49436; HANGUL SYLLABLE SEO |
| Composition: | ㅅ + ㅓ |
| ← 섛 [U+C11B] | Hangul Syllables | 석 → [U+C11D] |
서석섞섟선섡섢 섣설섥섦섧섨섩 섪섫섬섭섮섯섰 성섲섳섴섵섶섷 :
| 섀 ← | → 세 |

## Korean
### Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 西, from the Middle Korean reading 셔 (Yale: syè), from Middle Chinese 西 (MC sej).

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [sʰʌ̹]
* Phonetic hangul: [서]

#### Noun

서 • (seo) (hanja 西)
* west

##### Coordinate terms

* (compass points)
| 서북(西北) (seobuk) 북서(北西) (bukseo) | 북(北) (buk) | 동북(東北) (dongbuk) 북동(北東) (bukdong) |
| 서(西) (seo) | | 동(東) (dong) |
| 서남(西南) (seonam) 남서(南西) (namseo) | 남(南) (nam) | 동남(東南) (dongnam) 남동(南東) (namdong) |

##### Derived terms

* See the hanja entry at 西 for Sino-Korean compounds of 서 (西, seo).

### Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 署.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [sʰɘ(ː)]
* Phonetic hangul: [서(ː)]
** Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

#### Noun

서 • (seo) (hanja 署)
* police station
    서에서 봅시다.Seoeseo bopsida.See [you] at the police station.

#### Suffix

—서 • (-seo) (hanja 署)
* office; bureau; station
    경찰서(警察署) ― gyeongchalseo ― police station
    소방서(消防署) ― sobangseo ― fire station
    관공서(官公署) ― gwan'gongseo ― government office

#### Derived terms

* See the hanja entry at 署 for Sino-Korean compounds of 서 (署, seo).

### Etymology 3

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 서〯 (Yale: sě). Beyond Middle Korean, see Appendix:Historical Koreanic numerals#Three for related forms.

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [sʰɘ(ː)]
* Phonetic hangul: [서(ː)]
** Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

#### Numeral

서 • (seo)
* (archaic) three (before certain classifiers)
    Synonym: 세 (se, more productive equivalent)

### Etymology 4

Modern Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

#### Syllable

서 • (seo)
* 西: west
    (eumhun reading: 서녘 서 (seonyeok seo)) (MC reading: 西 (MC sej))
* 書: document
    (eumhun reading: 글 서 (geul seo)) (MC reading: 書 (MC syo))
* 徐: slow
    (eumhun reading: 천천히 서 (cheoncheonhi seo)) (MC reading: 徐 (MC zjo))
* 緖: clue
    (eumhun reading: 실마리 서 (silmari seo)) (MC reading: 緖)
* 序: order
    (eumhun reading: 차례 서 (charye seo)) (MC reading: 序 (MC zjoX))
* 瑞: auspicious
    (eumhun reading: 상서로울 서 (sangseoroul seo)) (MC reading: 瑞 (MC dzyweH))
* 庶: crowd
    (eumhun reading: 무리 서 (muri seo)) (MC reading: 庶 (MC syoH))
* 署: bureau
    (eumhun reading: 관청 서 (gwancheong seo)) (MC reading: 署 (MC dzyoH))
* 敍: record
    (eumhun reading: 서술할 서 (seosulhal seo)) (MC reading: 敍)
* 誓: vow
    (eumhun reading: 맹세할 서 (maengsehal seo)) (MC reading: 誓 (MC dzyejH))
* 鼠: rat
    (eumhun reading: 쥐 서 (jwi seo)) (MC reading: 鼠 (MC syoX))
* 恕: forgive
    (eumhun reading: 용서할 서 (yongseohal seo)) (MC reading: 恕 (MC syoH))
* 棲: reside
    (eumhun reading: 깃들일 서 (gitdeuril seo)) (MC reading: 棲 (MC sej))
* 嶼: islet
    (eumhun reading: 섬 서 (seom seo)) (MC reading: 嶼 (MC zjoX))
* 逝: pass; pass away
    (eumhun reading: 갈 서 (gal seo)) (MC reading: 逝 (MC dzyejH))
* 曙: dawn
    (eumhun reading: 새벽 서 (saebyeok seo)) (MC reading: 曙 (MC dzyoH))
* 暑: hot
    (eumhun reading: 더울 서 (deoul seo)) (MC reading: 暑 (MC syoX))
* 舒: unfurl
    (eumhun reading: 펼 서 (pyeol seo)) (MC reading: 舒 (MC syo))
* 抒: express
    (eumhun reading: 풀 서 (pul seo)) (MC reading: 抒 (MC zjoX|zyoX))
* 犀: rhinoceros
    (eumhun reading: 무소 서 (muso seo)) (MC reading: 犀 (MC sej))
* 薯: potato
    (eumhun reading: 감자 서 (gamja seo)) (MC reading: 薯 (MC dzyoH))
* 胥: together
    (eumhun reading: 서로 서 (seoro seo)) (MC reading: 胥 (MC sjo|sjoX))
* 黍: millet
    (eumhun reading: 기장 서 (gijang seo)) (MC reading: 黍 (MC syoX))
* 墅: farmer's hut
    (eumhun reading: 농막 서 (nongmak seo)) (MC reading: 墅 (MC dzyoX))
* 鋤: hoe
    (eumhun reading: 호미 서 (homi seo)) (MC reading: 鋤 (MC dzrjo))
* 壻: son-in-law
    (eumhun reading: 사위 서 (sawi seo)) (MC reading: 壻)
* 絮: cotton
    (eumhun reading: 솜 서 (som seo)) (MC reading: 絮 (MC sjoH|nrjoH|trhjoH|naeH))
* 筮: divination
    (eumhun reading: 점 서 (jeom seo)) (MC reading: 筮 (MC dzyejH))
* 噬: chew
    (eumhun reading: 씹을 서 (ssibeul seo)) (MC reading: 噬 (MC dzyejH))
* 揟: filter
    (eumhun reading: 거를 서 (georeul seo)) (MC reading: 揟 (MC sjo))
* 撕: rip, tear
    (eumhun reading: 찢을 서 (jjijeul seo)) (MC reading: 撕 (MC sej))
* 紓: lax
    (eumhun reading: 느슨할 서 (neuseunhal seo)) (MC reading: 紓 (MC syo|zyoX))
* 芧: oak tree
    (eumhun reading: 상수리나무 서 (sangsurinamu seo)) (MC reading: 芧 (MC drjoX))