群

Core sense of a collective entity characterized by cohesion or shared nature. The semantic range extends from the literal (a flock of animals) to the extended (a group of people sharing a common identity, purpose, or characteristic), and later to the pejorative (a crowd or "mob").

Primarily functions as a collective noun. In later texts, it serves as a measure word/classifier ("a group of..."). It may also function adjectivally ("collective," "numerous," "social") or verbally ("to flock together," "to associate with," "to swarm").

Unlike 眾 (zhòng), which often emphasizes a sheer mass of individuals, 群 implies a unit with internal consistency or shared instinct. While 集 (jí) refers to the act of assembling or the gathering itself, 群 describes the state of being a collective.

Tang-period reading: *ghiuɛn. Semantic variant: U+7FA3.

The etymological root 羊 (sheep) informs the primary meaning of "flock."

When choosing between "group," "flock," and "mob," look for cues of cohesion versus chaos. Caution is advised when applying measure-word logic to very early passages, where the glyph likely represents the collective whole rather than a counter.