What does the 결 in 물결 mean?

Answer: wave

물 is the pure Korean word for water, so 물결 literally means water (물) waves (결). Also, 소리 is the pure Korean word for sound or noise, so 소리결 means sound waves. 결 can also be added to 숨, which is the pure Korean word for breath or breathing, so 숨결 means waves of breath or simply breathing. Finally, when 결 is added to 바람, the pure Korean word for wind, the combination forms 바람결, which refers to the movement of the wind. 바람결에, for example, can be translated as on the wind or in the wind. The Korean sentence 나뭇잎이 바람결에 흔들렸다, for example, translates as "The tree leaves quivered in the wind."

Besides meaning wave, 결 can also mean grain or texture, so when 결 is added to 나무, the pure Korean word for tree or wood, it forms the word 나뭇결, which means wood grain or tree rings. 돌 is the pure Korean word for rock or stone, so 돌결 refers to the grain of stone.

결 can also be added to some parts of the body to form words. For example, 살 means flesh or skin, so 살결 means the texture of the skin or complexion. 손 means hand, so 손결 means the texture of the skin of a hand.

Finally, 결 can be added to 마음, which means mind, but instead of 마음결 being translated as mind waves or texture of the mind, it is translated as temperament, disposition, or nature. Therefore, 마음결이 좋은 means good-natured; 마음결이 나쁜 means bad-natured; and 마음결이 고운 (곱다) means sweet-natured or sweet-tempered.