看護師
간호사
看 (to watch) + 護 (to protect) + 師 (master) — "the master who watches and protects"
📖 Origin of the Hanja
The hanja "看" combines hand (手) with eye (目) — a hand at the brow, watching far. "護" combines speech (言) with protection of a bird (蒦) — to guard tenderly. "師" means master. 看護師 = "the master who watches and protects". Korean nursing began in 1907 at the Bogu Yeogwan training school. While doctors diagnose, nurses watch 24 hours — the closest guardians of recovery.
"The first character of 看護師 is "to watch" (看). What is not watched cannot be protected. Nursing's essence is not technique but attention."
