行 (행) means “walk” or “travel,” and 李 (리) means “plum,” so the Korean word 행리 (行李) literally means “walking plums” or “travelling plums,” which for some reason translates as “baggage” or “luggage.”
This suggests that Koreans and Chinese used to travel pretty light, carrying mainly their walking fruits.
I am unsure of the origin of the word 행리, but I can imagine a mother sending her son off on a long trip with a bundle of plums to eat along the way.
I am unsure of the origin of the word 행리, but I can imagine a mother sending her son off on a long trip with a bundle of plums to eat along the way.
I do not know if Koreans still use the word 행리 (行李), but the Chinese in Taiwan apparently do use it.
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