# Korean term for bushido?



## IcemanSK (Feb 20, 2010)

I had this thought, then I look & see Manny posted a seemingly similar question. 

Help me understand these terms:
Budo= Japanese for what, exactly

I know the Korean term for Budo is Mudo.

Is there a Korean term or idea for Bushido? I know that term has to do with MA, but I'm not sure it's meaning.


Help! It's Saturday night & I'm thinking of strange things!!!


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## bluekey88 (Feb 20, 2010)

According to my student manual, the term korean term for Bushido is Moosado.

I'm mnot a native speaker and can't vouch for the veracity of that, although our GM is Korean and had to approve the manual.

Peace,
Erik


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## Chris Parker (Feb 21, 2010)

Hey Iceman,

I can't help you with the Korean terms, but the translations for the Japanese I certainly can.

Budo translates literally as Martial Way, or Path. The characters are Bu, meaning Martial, originally comprised of two lesser characters for "spear" and "stop", showing an original idea for warrior-related ideas as being for defence against aggression, and Do (also pronounced Michi on occasion) which literally translates as Way, Path, or Street.

The extra character in the middle of Bushido (Shi/Sha) means Person, and when combined with Bu (to make Bushi) you get the generic term for Warrior (Martial Person) in Japanese (note, not Samurai, that is actually a little different). So Bushido is the Way, or Path (Do), of the Warrior (Bushi).

The concepts that these terms encompass are obviously far more involved than is covered here, as are most terms in Martial Arts. Hope this has helped you in your search for a Korean term.... however it must be said that Bushido is a purely Japanese concept, as is Budo itself. Korea and her arts will have their own unique concepts and terms, but you may get at least a translation from this post. Just don't expect to find Korean Bushido, as it by definition cannot exist.


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## granfire (Feb 21, 2010)

I suppose the Korean counter part is closest found in the HwaRang philosophy..

(As to the Bushi/Samurai...maybe it translates best when you consider the generic warfaring person Warrior, as compare to the class/cast of knights...which comes closest to Samurai)


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## MBuzzy (Feb 21, 2010)

bluekey88 said:


> According to my student manual, the term korean term for Bushido is Moosado.
> 
> I'm mnot a native speaker and can't vouch for the veracity of that, although our GM is Korean and had to approve the manual.
> 
> ...



Ok then!  Since we're talking about translating a "Japanese term" into Korean, which is only partially Japanese, since it is really based in Kanji, so it comes from the Chinese term.....we have to go to Hanmun to figure it out.

In short - Erik is 100% correct!  Your student manual is right.  What organization do you come from?  You're not related to Master Segarra are you?  Because he happens to use the term quite frequently.  Since you may recognize the actual translation for the character.  

Bushido = &#27494;&#22763;&#36947; - meaning (literally mind you) Military Scholar Way (Or Warrior Scholar Way)
So, if you take the Kanji, and convert it to Hanmun, &#27494;&#22763;&#36947; is pronounced Moosado, meaning the same.  (converting from Kanji to Hanmun really just means pronouncing the same characters differently from Japanese to Korean.  Each individual character in Chinese is a separate word with a different meaning, but when combined, they equate to the chinese principle of the Way of the Warrior.  When you put individual Chinese characters (or words) together, they can sometimes make completely different words or principles.

Kind of a long way to say that Erik was right...but for future reference...

Bushido is a Japanese term, writting in Kanji.
In Korean, the same term in Hanmun:
&#27494;&#22763;&#36947;
or
&#47924;&#49324;&#46020;
or
Moosado
Roughly meaning Military scholar way, way of the warrior, warrior scholar way, Military scholar way, etc.


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## MBuzzy (Feb 21, 2010)

granfire said:


> I suppose the Korean counter part is closest found in the HwaRang philosophy..



While the Hwarang "Five Commandments" certainly encompass some of the ideas set forth in Bushido or Musado, I wouldn't make the generalization that the CLOSEST Korean counterpart is found in Hwarang philosophy.  

Almost all Martial arts, not just Korean have some sort of code of ethics and conduct which relates to Bushio.  Hwarang isn't alone in that one.  

Also, Bushido isn't JUST a martial arts term.  It can relate to an entire way of life, from combat to business.  There is some excellent literature out there that discusses how one can use the concepts of Bushido in daily life.


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## TSDTexan (Jul 18, 2015)

무사도
mu sa do 
Bu shi do
Wu-Shu Dao (Romanized Chinese)

Katō Kiyomasa was one of the most powerful and well-known lords of the Sengoku Era. He commanded most of Japan's major clans during the invasion of Korea (1592–1598).

In a handbook he addressed to "all samurai, regardless of rank" he told readers that a warrior's only duty in life was to:

"...grasp the long and the short swords and to die".

But he is best known for his quote:

"If a man does not investigate into the matter of Bu-shi-do daily, it will be difficult for him to die a brave and manly death. Thus it is essential to engrave this business of the warrior into one's mind well."


Bu: the stopping of the spear, restoring peace, ending war.
Shi: the fourth and highest occupation.
Do: the way, lifestyle and practice thereof.


The terms bushi and samurai became synonymous near the end of the 12th century


Let us explore the origins of the word "warrior" in Japanese history as well as the kanji used to represent the word.

"Breaking down the character bu (武) reveals the radical (止), meaning "to stop", and an abbreviation of the radical (戈 ) "spear".

The Shuo Wen, an early Chinese dictionary, gives this definition: "Bu consists of subduing the weapon and therefore stopping the spear."

The Tso Chuan, another early Chinese source, goes further:

Bu consists of bun (文), literature or letters (and generally the arts of peace), stopping the spear. Bu prohibits violence and subdues weapons ... it puts the people at peace, and harmonizes the masses.

The radical shi (士) on the other hand seems to have originally meant a person who performs some function or who has the ability in some field.

Early in Chinese history it came to define the upper class of society, and in the Book of Han this definition is given:

The shi,
the farmer,
the craftsman,
and the tradesman are the four professions of the people. He who occupies his rank by means of learning is called a shi.

Some authorities, such as William Scott Wilson states that the "shi", as the highest of the four classes, brandished the weapons as well as the books. Bushi therefore translates as:

"a man who has the ability to keep the peace, either by literary or military means (though extreme deadly force), but predominantly by the latter".

Do, in this case, is finding the "way" and the practice there of.


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