誹

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pɯl, *pɯlʔ, *pɯls): semantic 言 + phonetic 非 (OC *pɯl).


觸

/t͡sʰiɔk̚³²/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚³²/

/t͡sʰiɔk̚³²/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚³²/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰjoɡ): semantic 角 + phonetic 蜀 (OC *djoɡ).
Compare Tibetan གཏུག (gtug, “to meet; to touch”) (Hill, 2019). An older theory by STEDT compares the word with Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/r-tuk (“to cut, knock, pound”), and compares the first two syllables of Burmese တောက်တောက်ကြော် (tauktaukkrau, “fried minced meat”), as well as a wide range of Sinitic words:
* 擣 (OC *tuːʔ, “to beat, pound rice”)
* 殊 (OC *to, *djo, “to cut off, die”)
* 祝 (OC *tjuɡs, *tjuɡ, “to cut off, pray”)
* 斵, 斫 (OC *tjaɡ, “to chop, carve, chisel, break open”)
* 椓 (“to beat, strike”)
* 啄 (OC *rtoːɡ, *toːɡ, “to peck”)
* 斀 (OC *rtoːɡ, “to castrate”)
* 誅 (OC *to, “to reprove, punish, kill”)
* 咮 (OC *tu, *tus, *tos, *tjo, “beak; to peck”)
* 斸 (OC *toɡ, “to cut, cut out”)
The internet slang sense is a phonetic borrowing from English true.

cog

တောက်တောက်ကြော်

och-l

to stir up; to invoke; to cause (feelings, etc.)

(Hokkien) to argue; to have a row; to come to blows; to scuffle

(Hokkien) to come into contact with a hard object (stone, horns, etc.)


袋

→ Proto-Tai: *daiᴮ (“a type of bag”)

Lao: ໄທ່ (thai, “a type of bag”)

Northern Thai: ᩱᨴ᩵ (“a type of bag”)

Thai: ไถ้ (tâi, “a type of bag”)

→ Old Turkic: tay (“bag, sack”)

Azerbaijani: tay

Turkmen: taý

/tɔːi̯²²⁻³⁵/

/tɔːi̯²²⁻³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'ɯːɡs): phonetic 代 (OC *l'ɯːɡs) + semantic 衣 (“clothes”).

Han compound

膠袋

胶袋

口袋

你個袋咩色㗎？

你个袋咩色㗎？


衛

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢʷads): semantic 行 + phonetic 韋 (OC *ɢʷɯl).

Han compound

(～國) the State of Wey during the Zhou dynasty, located in modern-day northeastern Henan province


裝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsraŋ, *ʔsraŋs): phonetic 壯 (OC *ʔsraŋs) + semantic 衣 (“clothes”).

Han compound

31st tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "packing" (𝌤)


訪

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰaŋs): semantic 言 (“talk”) + phonetic 方 (OC *paŋ, *baŋ).

Han compound

訪美／访美

(formal, of celebrities and politicians) to visit the United States

訪港旅客／访港旅客 [Cantonese] ― fong² gong² leoi⁵ haak³ [Jyutping] ― travellers visiting Hong Kong


螺

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *roːl): semantic 虫 + phonetic 累 (OC *ruːls, *rolʔ, *rols).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kroj (“shellfish, shell”). From the same root derives 蝸 (OC *kroːl, *kʷroːl, “terrestrial snail”).

och-l

(transgender slang) Short for 螺內酯／螺内酯 (luónèizhǐ, “spironolactone”); spiro

(historical) wine cup made from a snail shell

(historical) ink; pigment (green-black in color, produced from the snail, and used by women for drawing eyebrows)

Short for 螺髻 (“hair done up in a coil shape”).


褪

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *n̥ʰuːns): semantic 衣 (“clothing”) + phonetic 退 (OC *n̥ʰuːbs). Considered a 後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì).

zh-l

後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì)


誦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ljoŋs): semantic 言 + phonetic 甬 (OC *loŋʔ).


衰

→ English: suay

→ Indonesian: soe

→ Thai: ซวย (suai)

Pictogram (象形) — a piece of clothing made from palm fibers to be used as a raincoat (original form of 蓑) (Ji Xusheng, 2004).
Compare Khmer រៀវ (riəw, “to diminish; to decrease”), Mizo zuai (“to decline (in diligence, enthusiasm, industry, etc.)”) (Schuessler, 2007).

cog

咁衰㗎！

咁衰都有！

做衰嘢

衰人

衰婆

(Cantonese, Hakka) bad; detestable; awful


複

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *buɡs, *puɡ): semantic 衣 (“clothes”) + phonetic 复 (OC *buɡ, “to return”) – lined garment.
Cognate with 復 (OC *buɡs, *buɡ, “to return; again”) (Schuessler, 2007). See there for more.
覆 (OC *pʰuɡ, “to turn over; to overturn”) is an aspiration causative/iterative form of 複 (OC *puɡ), hence literally "to make something double over".


補

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *paːʔ): semantic 衤 (“clothes”) + phonetic 甫 (OC *paʔ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s/m-p(ʷ)a (“to patch; to mend; to sew”) (STEDT); compare Burmese ဖာ (hpa, “to patch; to mend”), Jingpho pa (pa³¹, “mended”).
According to Schuessler (2007), 補 (OC *paːʔ) is an area word; compare Khmer ប៉ះ (pah, “to mend; to patch; to fix”), Proto-Vietic *k-paːʔ (“to repair; to sew”).

cog

he should get 2 boxes of E from the place around the corner, and after he's taken it all they'll let him in :P

2020 August 24, Aphrodite 的想法: 去隔壁开两盒补，吃完就给进～ - 知乎

qù gébì kāi liǎng hé bǔ, chī wán jiù gěi jìn ~

去隔壁開兩盒補，吃完就給進～

去隔壁开两盒补，吃完就给进～

to all friends who are on E and cypro for HRT! please remember to get your E1:E2 ratios tested!

2020 November 28, KhloeKkkkkkkk 的想法: 各位靠补+色hrt的朋友们请注意检测自己的… - 知乎

gèwèi kào bǔ + sè hrt de péngyǒu men qǐng zhùyì jiǎncè zìjǐ de E2 / E1 bǐlì

各位靠補+色hrt的朋友們請注意檢測自己的E2/E1比例

各位靠补+色hrt的朋友们请注意检测自己的E2/E1比例

(transgender slang) Short for 補佳樂／补佳乐 (“Progynova”); E (estrogen)


詭

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *krolʔ): semantic 言 (“say”) + phonetic 危 (OC *ŋrol).


誣

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ma): semantic 言 + phonetic 巫 (OC *ma).


衝

→ Vietnamese: xông

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰjoŋ): semantic 行 + phonetic 重 (OC *doŋ, *doŋʔ, *doŋs).

Han compound

Soldiers came charging through the forest, guns at the ready.

Hèqiāngshídàn de shìbīng chuānguò línqū chōng le shànglái.

荷槍實彈的士兵穿過林區衝了上來。

荷枪实弹的士兵穿过林区冲了上来。

She burst out as the door was flung open again.

Dāng mén bèi zàicì měng de tuī kāi shí, tā chōng le chūqù.

當門被再次猛地推開時，她衝了出去。

当门被再次猛地推开时，她冲了出去。

A pretty young girl came hurtling down the stairs.

Yī ge piàoliang de xiǎonǚhái cóng lóutī shàng chōng xiàlái.

一個漂亮的小女孩從樓梯上衝下來。

一个漂亮的小女孩从楼梯上冲下来。

to go straight ahead; to rush; to charge; to dash

衝撞

冲撞

衝突

冲突

A battering ram may be used against the wall of a city, but it cannot be employed to stop up a hole - the uses of implements are different.

Liánglì kěyǐ chōng chéng, ér bù kěyǐ zhì xué, yán shū qì yě.

梁麗可以衝城，而不可以窒穴，言殊器也。

梁丽可以冲城，而不可以窒穴，言殊器也。


衝

/t͡sʰɔyŋ²¹³/

/t͡sʰɔyŋ²¹³/

(Hokkien) to bump into; to encounter; to meet accidentally


誓

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɦljeds): phonetic 折 (OC *l'eːl, *ʔljed, *ɦljed) + semantic 言 (“speech”).

Han compound

宣誓


術

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɦljud): semantic 行 (“street, path”) + phonetic 朮 (OC *l'ud, *ɦljud).
For the “to throw” definition, from English shoot.

Han compound

碎石術

碎石术

輸精管切除術

输精管切除术

Short for 手術／手术 (shǒushù, “surgery”), often used as suffix

手術

食甲術術吼／食甲术术吼 [Hokkien] ― chia̍h kah su̍t su̍t háu [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― to eat quickly (to eat with whispering sounds)

(Mainland China Hokkien) quickly; swiftly; at lightning speed

Short for 術力口／术力口 (Shùlìkǒu, “VOCALOID”).


謄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'ɯːŋ): phonetic 朕 (OC *l'ɯmʔ) + semantic 言 (“say”)


謂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢuds): semantic 訁 + phonetic 胃 (OC *ɢuds).


虎

Pictogram (象形). 虍 represents the tiger's head. The torso has disappeared and the legs and the tail have transformed into 人 in the small seal script and later 儿 in the clerical script.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k-la (“tiger”), from Proto-Austroasiatic *kla(ː)ʔ (“tiger”). Cognate with 菟 (OC *daː) in 於菟 (OC *qa daː, “tiger”). Compare Vietnamese khái ("tiger").
Hill (2019) compares it to Tibetan སྟག (stag, “tiger”); however, Zheng Zining deems that comparison "probably spurious".

乕
𢁺
𠂰
𧆞
𮓙
𮓜
𠪳
𢋪
𪋕
𧇂
虝
𪊖
俿

(Northeastern Mandarin, derogatory) overbold; stupid


謳

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qoː): semantic 言 + phonetic 區 (OC *qoː, *kʰo)


評

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *beŋ, *beŋs): semantic 言 + phonetic 平 (OC *ben, *beŋ).


諛

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *lo): semantic 言 + phonetic 臾 (OC *ɡruds, *lo).


覷

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): phonetic 虛 + semantic 見 (“see”).

(literary or Xiamen and Zhangzhou Hokkien) to peep; to spy on


誘

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *luʔ): semantic 言 (“word, language”) + phonetic 秀 (OC *slus).
Possibly Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-s-lu (STEDT) and cognate to Tibetan སླུས (slus, “to entice; to impose on; to deceive”). The character 䛻 (yòu) would have been phonetically closer to 盾 (OC *l'uːnʔ, *ɦljunʔ) ~ /*slun/ at an early stage, which might have been an internal cognate, but it was normalized as an alternative form of 誘／诱 (yòu) by later lexicographers. Also related to 訹 (OC *slud). (Wang, 2012)

cog

诱
䛻
㕗
唀
𥤃
𦎙
𦎅

誘敵深入

诱敌深入

(literary, or in compounds) to mislead; to lead astray


謎

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *miː, *miːs): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 迷 (OC *miː, “to be lost”).


諱

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰʷɯls): semantic 言 + phonetic 韋 (OC *ɢʷɯl).


詔

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (詔):
* → Japanese: 詔(しょう) (shō)
* → Korean: 조(詔) (jo)
* → Vietnamese: chiếu (詔)

→ Manchu: ᠵᠣᠣ (joo)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tjews): semantic 言 (“word; speech”) + phonetic 召 (OC *dews, *djews)
Perhaps related to 召 (OC *dews, *djews, “to call; to summon”) (Schuessler, 2007).


誇

→ Vietnamese: khoe

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰʷraː): semantic 言 (“words, language”) + phonetic 夸 (OC *kʰʷraː)


血

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (血):
* → Vietnamese: huyết (血)

Characters in the same phonetic series (血) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 一 (“drop of blood”) + 皿 (“container”) - a drop of blood inside a chalice for sacrificial uses.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-hjwəj-t (“blood”) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007).
Baxter and Sagart (2014) reconstruct the Old Chinese as *m̥ˤik to account for word-family connections with 脈 (OC *C.mˤ[i]k, “vein”), 衊 (OC *mˤi[k], “defiled blood”) as well as its use as a phonetic component in 侐 (OC *m̥(r)ik, “still; quiet”), which is in the same word family as 宓 (OC *mi[k], “quiet; silent”) (Sagart, 1999b; Baxter and Sagart, 2017). Sagart (1999b) argues that this word is not genetically related to the Tibeto-Burman form with *s-hjw-, but that this word has been borrowed into Tibeto-Burman.


詳

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ljaŋ, *laŋ): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 羊 (OC *laŋ).

Han compound

詳細

详细

安詳

安详


詳

Alternative form of 佯 (yáng, “to feign; to pretend”)


讜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *taːŋʔ): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 黨 (OC *taːŋʔ, *tʰaːŋʔ).


謙

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

Cognate with 歉 (OC *kʰreːms, *kʰreːmʔ, *kʰeːmʔ, *kʰeːms, “deficient”), 廉 (OC *ɡ·rem, “upright; having integrity; uncorrupt”) (Schuessler, 2007), Tibetan ཁྲམ་པ (khram pa, “modest”) (Geilich, 1995).


豉

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡjes): semantic 豆 (“bean”) + phonetic 支 (OC *kje).
The orthodox form in Shuowen was 𢻃, which has 尗 (“legume; bean”) instead of 豆.

Han compound

䜴
𢻃
敊
䜵
䜻
𩚡
⿰豆攵

Dà fǔ zhǔ zhī, shēnshū rú sì niú dòu, qiā ruǎn biàn zhǐ, shāng rè zé chǐ làn.

大釜煮之，申舒如飼牛豆，掐軟便止，傷熱則豉爛。

大釜煮之，申舒如饲牛豆，掐软便止，伤热则豉烂。


譽

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *la, *las): phonetic 與 (OC *la, *laʔ, *las) + semantic 言 (“say”).
Both 譽 (OC *las, “renown, praise (n.)”) and 譽 (OC *la, “to praise (v.)”) are related; the latter in turn is related to 舁 (OC *la, “to shoulder, to lift”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Ultimate origin is Sino-Tibetan: compare Tibetan རླ (rla) & བླ (bla, “over, above, upper, higher, superior”) (Schuessler, 2007; Coblin, 1986).
This word family is allofamic to 揚 (OC *laŋ), its Tibeto-Burman cognates, & ancestor Proto-Sino-Tibetan *laŋ; as well as 輿 (OC *la, *las) & 舉 (OC *klaʔ) (Schuessler, 2007, see also Baxter & Sagart, 1998).

Han compound

They are sure, day and night, to perpetuate their fame.

The Classic of Poetry, c. 11ᵗʰ – 7ᵗʰ centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

庶幾夙夜、以永終譽。

庶几夙夜、以永终誉。

We will feast, and I will praise her. 'I love you, and will never be weary of you.'

式燕且譽、好爾無射。

式燕且誉、好尔无射。

My heart is entirely satisfied. Right is it they should have praise and prosperity!

我心寫兮、是以有譽處兮。

我心写兮、是以有誉处兮。


譜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *paːʔ): semantic 言 (“sound”) + phonetic 普 (OC *pʰaːʔ).

Han compound

(linear algebra) spectrum (the set of eigenvalues of a matrix)


譚

譚詠麟

谭咏麟


談

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'aːm): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 炎 (OC *ɦlam).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-tam ~ g-dam.


袖

/ɕi̯ɤʊ̯ɻʷ⁵¹/

/ɕi̯ɤʊ̯ɻʷ⁵¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ljɯwɢs): semantic 衣 (“clothing”) + phonetic 由 (OC *lɯw).
Part of a word family referring to any cover that one slips over something; cognate with 冑 (OC *l'ɯwɢs, “helmet”) (Schuessler, 2007). Schuessler (2007) reconstructs the word with a *s- suffix, which could play an iterative role, as sleeves come in pairs.


討

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰuːʔ): abbreviated phonetic 肘 (OC *tkuʔ) + semantic 言.
Shuowen Jiezi interprets it as an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 言 (“speech”) + 寸 (“hand”) – rectify.


誤

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋʷaːs): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 吳 (OC *ŋʷaː) – to speak an error.

Han compound

(Internet slang) A particle placed at the end of a sentence to indicate that the poster is joking. (used with parentheses)


讖

Sino-Xenic (讖):
* → Vietnamese: sấm (讖)

/t͡sʰaiŋ²¹³/

/t͡sʰaiŋ²¹³/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰrims): semantic 言 (“words; speech; language”) + phonetic 韱 (OC *sem).


能

Characters in the same phonetic series (能) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形): bear. Compare 熊 (OC *ɢʷlɯm, “bear”). In the character, two paws are visible as a pair of 匕 and the face with the open mouth is stylized as 月.
; "bear-like animal"
; “be able to; can; ability”
: Possibly Proto-Sino-Tibetan (which STEDT tentatively reconstructs as *m-nyaŋ (“can, be able”)): compare Tibetan ནུས (nus, “to be able to; capable; to withstand; capacity; strength; force; power; function; energy”), Burmese နိုင် (nuing, “can, be able to, may; master; win; prevail”). Schuessler (2007) also derives 態 (OC *n̥ʰɯːs, “apparition, bearing, manner”) from this; see also 忍 (OC *njɯnʔ, “to suffer, endure”).
: Compare the old pre-Sino–Vietnamese loanword nổi (“be able to; capable”).

och-l

[Shun] saw that Gun's flood-taming had been in vain, so Gun was imprisoned for life in Yu Mountain. Gun threw himself into the water, and became a yellow three-legged soft-shelled turtle, and he therefore became the god of Yu abyss.

Guān gǔn zhī zhìshuǐ wú yǒu xíngzhuàng, nǎi jí gǔn yú yǔshān. Gǔn tóu yú shuǐ, huà wèi huángnái, yīn wèi yǔyuān zhī shén.

觀鯀之治水無有形狀，乃殛鯀于羽山。鯀投于水，化為黃能，因為羽淵之神。

观鲧之治水无有形状，乃殛鲧于羽山。鲧投于水，化为黄能，因为羽渊之神。

(obsolete) mythical three-legged soft-shelled turtle


謀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mɯ): semantic 言 + phonetic 某 (OC *mɯʔ).

Han compound

謀取

谋取

謀生

谋生

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

君子謀道不謀食。

君子谋道不谋食。

He strives for the people's happiness, / Hurrah, he is the people's great saviour!

Tā wèi rénmín móu xìngfú, / hū ěr hāi yō, tā shì rénmín dà jiùxīng!

他為人民謀幸福， / 呼爾嗨喲，他是人民大救星！

他为人民谋幸福， / 呼尔嗨哟，他是人民大救星！


豺

/t͡sʰaːi̯²¹/

/t͡sʰaːi̯²¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zrɯː): semantic 豸 (“creature”) + phonetic 才 (OC *zlɯː, *zlɯːs).

Han compound

When the dhole sacrificed its prey, the hunting commenced.

The Book of Rites, c. 4ᵗʰ – 2ⁿᵈ century BCE

豺祭獸，然後田獵。

豺祭兽，然后田猎。

豺狼

豺狗


警

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kreŋʔ): phonetic 敬 (OC *kreŋs) + semantic 言 (“spoken language, speech”).
Cognate with 驚 (OC *kreŋ, “to be afraid; to scare”) (Schuessler, 2007); the sense "to be on guard" is the endoactive of 驚 (OC *kreŋ). See there for more.
儆 (OC *kreŋʔ, *ɡreŋs, “to warn; to guard against”) is the same word.

och-l

警覺／警觉


豨

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hlɯl, *hlɯlʔ): semantic 豕 (“pig”) + phonetic 希 (OC *hlɯl).
Dialectal variant of 豕 (OC *hliʔ, “pig”).

Han compound

(obsolete or Northern Min, Datian Min, Central Min) pig; hog; swine


諂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l̥ʰomʔ): semantic 言 + phonetic 臽 (OC *kʰloːmʔ, *ɡroːms).


規

Traditionally an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 夫 (“husband”) + 見 (“see”).
Smith (2011) proposes that the left component is an abbreviation of the phonetic component 癸 (OC *kʷilʔ). Compare the Shizhoupian script form of 癸.
It's possible 規 originally referred to a compass used for drawing circles given its early usage. The right half 夫 may have depicted such a compass, as evidenced by variants where
it is written with a 又 (“hand”) grabbing it.

规
䂓
槼
𩑬
𩒙
𩓠
𧠹
规
歸
幾
规
规


蟲

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): Triplication of 虫 (“snake; insect”).
Note that 虫 is also a traditional character on its own.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *djuŋ (“insect; bug”) (STEDT).

inh

虫
䖝
𧈰
⿱䖝⿰䖝䖝
蚛


訓

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰuns): semantic 訁 (“speech”) + phonetic 川 (OC *kʰjon).
Perhaps from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-kul (“to instruct, explain, admonish”). Compare Tibetan སྐུལ་བ (skul ba, “to exhort”).

訓誨

chiefly of superiors to subordinates, or old to young

(linguistics) To interpret / read a Chinese character or phrase by associating it with a (usually) non-Sinitic native morpheme or phrase with identical meaning. Applied in Sinitic dialects to Mandarin or Literary Chinese characters, and in the Sinosphere to Literary Chinese. For example, reading (訓／训) the character 人 (“person”) as Min Nan lâng (“person”), Korean 사람 (saram, “person”), or Japanese ひと (hito, “person”).


華

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (華):
* → Japanese: 華(か) (ka)
* → Korean: 화(華) (hwa)
* → Vietnamese: hoa (華)

Pictogram (象形); this was the original form of 花 (OC *hʷraː, “flower”). In the bronze inscription form, the top part of the glyph resembles flowers of a plant, and the bottom part (于) resembles its stalk and leaves. Also phono-semantic (形聲／形声), with 于 (OC *ɢʷa) functioning as the phonetic part. In the seal script, 艸 (“grass; plant”) was added as a semantic component.
華 (𦻏) and 𠌶 were initially the same character, but they were erroneously split in Shuowen into two entries.

鉛華

铅华


虹

Originally pictographic (象形) in the oracle bone script. The ancient Chinese regarded the rainbow as a two-headed creature.
In the seal script, it has become a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kroːŋs, *koːŋs, *ɡoːŋ): semantic 虫 (“insect; creature”) + phonetic 工 (OC *koːŋ).
Probably non-Sino-Tibetan; compare Proto-Mien *kluŋᴬ (“rainbow”), Thai รุ้ง (rúng, “rainbow”), Zhuang duzdoengz (“rainbow”), saidoengz (“rainbow”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Benedict (1986) and Carr (1990) relate this to 龍 (OC *b·roŋ, *mroːŋ, “dragon”) and 紅 (OC *ɡoːŋ, “red”).

Han compound

彩虹

天上出虹了。

rainbow; primary rainbow (Classifier: 條／条 m c; 道 m)


試

desc

→ Vietnamese: thử (“to try, to test”), thi (“to take an exam”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hljɯɡs): semantic 言 + phonetic 式 (OC *hljɯɡ). However, the phonetic component has a reference to standards and rituals.
Exoactive form of 式 (shì, “to use, to make use of”), with a causative s/h-suffix (Schuessler, 2007, p. 466).

Han compound

我切嚿蛋糕畀你试吖。 [Cantonese, simp.]
ngo⁵ cit³ gau⁶ daan⁶ gou¹ bei² nei⁵ si³ aa¹. [Jyutping]

Let me cut a piece of cake for you to try.


設

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hljed): semantic 言 + phonetic 埶 (OC *ŋeds). 埶 (yì) in this character initially appears as an ancient short form ⿰𡉣攴 (Jiang, 2019).


販

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pans): semantic 貝 (“cowry”) + phonetic 反 (OC *panʔ, *pʰan).
The exoactive of 反 (OC *panʔ, *pʰan, “to return, lit. "to make someone return"”) (Schuessler, 2007).
STEDT compares it to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *par (“to trade; to buy; to sell”), from which Tibetan ཕར (phar, “interest (on money); exchange”) is derived.


豐

Ideogram (指事) – The top component is 𠁳, a pot full of plants 丰 (abundance, plenty). The bottom component is 豆, which is another pot.
Unrelated to 豊, in which two strings of jade pieces 玨 are present. The top component of 豐 is unrelated to 山.


蜜

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (蜜):
* → Japanese: 蜜(みつ) (mitsu)
* → Okinawan: 蜜(みち) (michi)
* → Korean: 밀(蜜) (mil)
* → Vietnamese: mật (蜜)

→ Old Uyghur: 𐽹𐽶𐽾 (mir)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mliɡ): phonetic 宓 (OC *mriɡ, *mliɡ) + semantic 虫 (“insect”).
Possibly from Tocharian B mit, from Proto-Indo-European *médʰu (“honey”). Cognate with Tocharian B mit (“honey”), English mead, Dutch mede (“mead”) German Met (“mead”), Swedish mjöd (“mead”), Sanskrit मधु (madhu, “honey”), Ancient Greek μέθυ (méthu, “wine”), Old Church Slavonic медъ (medŭ, “honey”), Russian мёд (mjod, “honey”), Polish miód (“honey”).
Sense “mistress, young girl” is additionally a phono-semantic matching of English miss.


謬

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-kiː(l/r) (“to bend; to wind; to twist; to roll”), i.e. “to twist words; to twist the truth”. Related to 糾 (OC *krɯwʔ, “to entangle”), 絞 (OC *kreːwʔ, “to twist; to strangle”), 摎 (OC *krɯːw, “to strangle”).


貯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *taʔ): semantic 貝 (“shellfish”) + phonetic 宁 (OC *da, *daʔ).

Han compound

We once had our farmlands, but Zichan made us pay levies; we once made our clothes, but Zichan collected them as levies.

Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE

Wǒ yǒu tiánchóu, ér Zǐchǎn fù zhī. Wǒ yǒu yīguān, ér Zǐchǎn zhù zhī.

我有田疇，而子產賦之。我有衣冠，而子產貯之。

我有田畴，而子产赋之。我有衣冠，而子产贮之。


謝

→ English: Hsieh, Xie, Tse, Chia, Seah

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ljaːɡs): semantic 言 (“word; speech”) + phonetic 射 (OC *ɢljaːɡs, *laːɡs, *ɢljaːɡ, *laːɡ).

Han compound

(historical) region of ancient China in present-day Henan


譯

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (譯):
* → Japanese: 訳(やく) (yaku)
* → Korean: 역(譯) (yeok)
* → Vietnamese: dịch (譯)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *laːɡ): semantic 言 (“say”) + phonetic 睪 (OC *neb, *laːɡ, *kuː).
Same word as 繹 (OC *laːɡ, “to unravel”) (Schuessler, 2007). See there for more.

Han compound

直譯

直译

把書譯成中文

把书译成中文


誠

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djeŋ): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 成 (OC *djeŋ).


認

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *njɯns, *njɯŋs): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 忍 (OC *njɯnʔ).
Compare Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-njan (“to hear; to listen”) (STEDT); cognate with Tibetan ཉན (nyan, “to listen”), Mizo en (“to look; to look at”). Schuessler (2007) suggests another cognate Jingpho non⁵⁵ (“to think; to consider”).


表

/pi̯aʊ̯ɻʷ²¹⁴/

/pi̯aʊ̯ɻʷ²¹⁴/

Originally 𧘝, an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 衣 (“garment; clothing”) + 毛 (“hair; feather”) — outer garment.
Officially adopted as the simplified form of 錶 (etymology 2) in the Chinese Character Simplification Scheme (《漢字簡化方案》) in 1956.


貞

Pictogram (象形) - a ding (oracle bone script , ; same as 鼎 (OC *kleːŋʔ)). Borrowed phonetically for “to divine”; however, bronze tripods in ancient China were sometimes used during rituals. Later, a new character was created by adding 卜 (“to divine”) as a radical, hence a semantic component, thus getting 鼑 (oracle bone script ; bronze script . The bottom component was stylized into the unrelated 貝 during the Warring States. Compare 𠟭 > 則.
Various comparisons have been proposed. Within Chinese, it has been compared to 偵 (OC *tʰeŋ, “to test; to detect”) (Schuessler, 2007), 正 (OC *tjeŋs, “correct; right”) (Sagart and Ma, 2020). Outside of Chinese, it has been compared to Tibetan དྲང་པོ (drang po, “straight”) (Sagart, 2020b).

忠貞

忠贞


詩

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (詩):
* → Japanese: 詩(し) (shi)
* → Korean: 시(詩) (si)
* → Vietnamese: thi (詩)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hljɯ): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 寺 (OC *ljɯs) – poetry is a form of language, speech.

Han compound

Short for 詩經／诗经 (Shījīng, “Classic of Poetry”).


課

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰloːl, *kʰloːls): semantic 言 (“to say”) + phonetic 果 (OC *kloːlʔ) – to assess; to examine.

Han compound

(modern) to pay for online goods or services


諸

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tjaː, *tja): semantic 言 + phonetic 者 (OC *tjaːʔ).
諸 (*ta, "many, all") is considered a dependent (non-adjunctive) pronoun, gradually replacing 多 (*tlai, “many, all”). The two may be cognate, and it may be conceivable that 諸 had branched off from 多 in the sense "all" as the pre-nominal proclitic with the loss of the final *-i in 多.
Probably also cognate with 都 (dū, “all”).

Han compound

諸侯

诸侯

諸位

诸位

諸子百家

诸子百家

do not do anything today (used in Chinese almanacs)

諸事不宜

诸事不宜

many; each; every; all (forming plurals; especially for persons to whom respect is due)


賬

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *taŋs): semantic 貝 (“shell”) + phonetic 長 (OC *taŋʔ, *daŋ, *daŋs).

Han compound

細賬／细账 [Hong Kong Cantonese] ― sai³ zoeng³ [Jyutping] ― alternate acount


貂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *teːw): semantic 豸 + phonetic 召 (OC *dews, *djews)


證

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tjɯŋs): semantic 言 + phonetic 登 (OC *tɯːŋ).
Cognate with 徵 (OC *tɯŋ, “to summon; to testify”).
Related to Khmer ទៀង (tiəng, “true; exact”), Khmer ផ្ទៀង (phtiəng, “to correct; to verify”), but they may be Chinese loans. Perhaps related to 貞 (OC *teŋ, “to test; to verify”) and 真 (OC *ʔljin, “true”) (Schuessler, 2007).

cog

证
証
䥌
䥭
𨨾
𨧭
𨭻
𧁅
𨪔
𨨼

to receive one's certificate (especially a marriage certificate)

領證

领证

學生證

学生证

駕駛證

驾驶证

無證駕駛

无证驾驶

憑證進入

凭证进入

identification; identity document; credential; papers; ID card


詞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ljɯ): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 司 (OC *slɯ).

Han compound

(literature) ci; a form of poetry originating in the Tang dynasty and flourishing during the Song dynasty (Classifier: 首 m)


貌

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mreːwɢs): phonetic 豹 (OC *preːwɢs) + semantic 皃 (“looks”).
Originally written as 皃 (OC *mreːwɢs, *mreːwɢ), which is a pictogram (象形) of the face.

Han compound

facial appearance; facial features; looks


贈

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zɯːŋs): semantic 貝 + phonetic 曾 (OC *ʔsɯːŋ, *zɯːŋ).


豎

Possibly phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djoʔ): semantic 臤 + phonetic 豆 (OC *doːs).

Han compound

竖
竪
𠐊
㒘
䜿
䝂
𥪛


趼

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/


贖

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɦljoɡ): semantic 貝 (“shell”) + phonetic 𧶠 (OC *luɡ); the phonetic was originally 𧷏 and has later become graphically similar to the unrelated 賣.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-lu-t-s (“to ransom; to buy off”); compare Tibetan བླུ (blu) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007).


賒

Sino-Xenic (賒):
* → Vietnamese: xa (賒)

Originally written as 賖, which is a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hljaː): semantic 貝 (“shell”) + phonetic 余 (OC *la) – to buy or sell on credit.
In the era of Middle Chinese, a vulgar form 𧶟, also a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声) with phonetic component 舍 (MC syaeX|syaeH) that was more similar-sounding to the character, once appeared but never became popularized.
The current form 賒 appeared as a vulgar form at the Ming-Qing transition and is a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声) with phonetic component 佘 that is similar-sounding to the character.
According to STEDT, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/m/s-laj ~ r/s-lej ~ b-rej (“to change, exchange, buy”) (whence also 移 (OC *lal, “change, alter”) & 易 (OC *leɡ, “change, exchange”)); if so, Chinese vocalism might have been influenced by superficially similar words like 舍 (OC *hljaːʔ, “to bestow, to give”) (Schuessler, 2007).
商 (OC *hljaŋ) is its derivative with terminative suffix *-ŋ; 貰 (OC), minimally reconstructed as *lhas ~ *m-las, is another with *-s > *-h extrovert suffix (ibid.).
Thai แลก (lɛ̂ɛk)'s possible relation to 賒 (OC *hljaː) (ibid.) is through its cognate 易 (OC *leːɡs, *leɡ), wherefrom arose Thai แลก (lɛ̂ɛk), Lao ແລກ (lǣk), Shan လႅၵ်ႈ (lēk), Tai Nüa ᥘᥦᥐ (laek), & Ahom 𑜎𑜢𑜀𑜫 (lik) (Pittayaporn, 2014)
Lastly, Bodman (1980)) proposes cognacy to Tibetan གྱར་བ (gyar ba, “to borrow, to lend, to hire”).

cog

賒賬

赊账


財

/t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/

/t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zlɯː): semantic 貝 (“shell”) + phonetic 才 (OC *zlɯː, *zlɯːs). 才 is also a reference to one's abilities, hence intellectual resources; in this particular syllable, the abilities are probably thought as financial possibilities and resources.

Han compound

A nobleman makes fortune in a noble way.

君子愛財，取之有道。

君子爱财，取之有道。


護

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢʷraːɡs): semantic 言 + phonetic 蒦 ().
Likely cognate with Tibetan འགོགས་པ ('gogs pa, “to prevent; to avert; to repel”) (Schuessler, 2007).

cog

to side with (someone); to take sides; to discriminate in favor of; to show prejudice (to a particular party)


蟹

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡreːʔ): phonetic 解 (OC *kreːʔ, *kreːs, *ɡreːʔ, *ɡreːs) + semantic 虫. Originally written as 蠏.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *d-k(j)aːj (“crab”). Compare S'gaw Karen ဆွဲၣ် (hsweh̀).
; “to decrease in value’

Han compound

A great crab is in the middle of the sea.

大蟹在海中。

The crab has six legs and two pincers; yet without the snake's or the eel's hole, it cannot have a shelter; for its mind is restless.

Xiè liù guì ér èr áo, fēi shéshàn zhī xué, wúkě jìtuō zhě, yòngxīn zào yě.

蟹六跪而二螯，非蛇蟺之穴，無可寄託者，用心躁也。

蟹六跪而二螯，非蛇蟺之穴，无可寄托者，用心躁也。


賭

→ Zhuang: doj

(in general) to make a bet; to place a wager


貿

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mlus): phonetic 卯 (OC *mruːʔ) + semantic 貝 (“cowry”).


踔

/t͡sʰiɪk̚²⁴/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚¹²¹/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚²⁴/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚¹²¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rtʰeːwɢs, *rtʰeːwɢ): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 卓 (OC *rteːwɢ).


賀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡaːls): phonetic 加 (OC *kraːl) + semantic 貝 (“shellfish money”).

Han compound

He Zhizhang / He Chih-chang (a Chinese poet, one of the Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup)

賀知章

贺知章


購

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *koːs): semantic 貝 (“shellfish”) + phonetic 冓 (OC *koː, *koːs).


賄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰʷɯːʔ): semantic 貝 (“cowry; money”) + phonetic 有 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ).


趨

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰlo): semantic 走 + phonetic 芻 (OC *sʰro).

Han compound

趋
趍
騶
趣
𧻫
𧻬
𨃘
𧼜

to go after something like a flock of ducks

趨之若鶩

趋之若鹜

to ingratiate oneself with powerful or influential people

趨炎附勢

趋炎附势

to attach (oneself) to; to ingratiate oneself with

大勢所趨

大势所趋

日趨惡化

日趋恶化


赦

In the bronze script, it was written as 𢼜, a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hljaɡs): phonetic 亦 (OC *laːɡ) + semantic 攴 (“hand holding a stick”). In later scripts, the phonetic component was replaced with 赤 (OC *kʰljaɡ).
Exoactive (causative) of 釋 (OC *hljaɡ, “to unloose; to release”) (Schuessler, 2007). Also related to 舍 (OC *hljaːʔ, “to let off”) (Wang, 1982), of which there exists a derived reading 舍 (OC *hljaːs, “to let off; to liberate”) that formed a variant relationship with 赦 (OC *hljaɡs), despite not having the same pronunciation in Old Chinese (*-aːs vs *-ags).


視

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡljilʔ, *ɡljils, *ɢljils): phonetic 示 (OC *ɡle, *ɢljils) + semantic 見 (“see”).
Related to 見 (“to see; to meet”). The Chu form did not include the phonetic 示 component, making it near-identical to 見, but with the lower component a kneeling figure rather than a standing one. (Galambos, 2006)


贏

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *leŋ): phonetic 𣎆 () + semantic 貝 (“cowry; money”).
Despite STEDT, probably not related to 盈 (OC *leŋ, “to fill; full, surplus”), in light of Baxter and Sagart's reconstruction of the Old Chinese pronunciation. Instead, note similarities to Proto-Lolo-Burmese *ʔoŋ¹ (“to win, complete”), whence Burmese အောင် (aung, “to be victorious”).

cog

赢
𦢼
⿱夃𠀃
⿱亡⿵𠘨贝

(Gan, Xiang) Used with 不 or 得 to express capability.


葉

→ English: Ye, Yeh, Yip, Ip, Yap, Yeap

→ Tagalog: Yap

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hljeb, *leb): semantic 艸 (“grass”) + phonetic 枼 (OC *leb, “flat”).
Possibly also ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) with 枼 (“leaf”) also acting as a semantic component.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-lap (“leaf”). Cognate with Tibetan ལོ་མ (lo ma, “leaf”), Western Tibetan ལོབ་མ (lob ma, “leaf”), Jingpho lap (“leaf”). Related to 世 (OC *hljebs, “world”).
This is part of the word family *lVp meaning “flat”, represented by the phonetic component 枼 (OC *leb). Compare also 茶 (OC *rlaː, “tea < *leaf”).

Han compound

紅葉

红叶

十九世紀中後葉／十九世纪中后叶

一葉扁舟／一叶扁舟

1962, 鳳閣恩仇未了情:

You've left in a light boat, and we are separated by ten thousand mountains

jat¹ jip⁶ hing¹ zau¹ heoi³, jan⁴ gaak³ maan⁶ cung⁴ saan¹

一葉輕舟去，人隔萬重山

1962, 鳳閣恩仇未了情:

一叶轻舟去，人隔万重山

2022, “某種老朋友 [Stranger]”, 林夕 [Albert Leung] (lyrics), 澤日生 [Christopher Chak] (music)performed by 林家謙 [Terence Lam]:

I can temporarily reminisce about some sort of old friend, but I cannot share a boat with them

nang⁴ zaam⁶ si⁴ waai⁴ nim⁶ mau⁵ zung² lou⁵ pang⁴ jau⁵, bat¹ gwo³ mei⁶ nang⁴ gung⁶ hoeng² jat¹ jip⁶ zau¹

能暫時懷念某種老朋友 不過未能共享一葉舟

能暂时怀念某种老朋友 不过未能共享一叶舟

葉飛

叶飞


色

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (色):
* → Japanese: 色(しき) (shiki); 色(しょく) (shoku)
* → Korean: 색(色) (saek)
* → Vietnamese: sắc (色)

Burmese language
Japhug language
Mizo language
Proto-Sino-Tibetan language
Shuowen

Characters in the same phonetic series (色) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 爪 (“claw; hand”) + 卩 (“kneeling person”) – complexion.
Shuowen interprets this character as an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 人 (“person; human”) + 卩 (“etiquette”) – complexion.
Compare 印, 抑.
Sometimes, especially in folk etymology, the character is misinterpreted as a proto-form of 絕. The bottom part of the radical is unrelated to 巴.
Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-r(j)ak ~ *g-jak (“ashamed; shy”), whence Burmese ရှက် (hrak, “ashamed; shy”), Japhug tɤ-zraʁ (“shame”) (Schuessler, 2007; Jacques, 2015b).
Alternatively, Schuessler (2007) connects this word to Mizo sâr (“prismatic colours seen in the sky in fine weather; to be healthy-looking, ruddy”), which would point to a form *sər-k from which the Old Chinese was derived.
彩 (OC *s.r̥ˤəʔ, “colour”) may be a dialectal variant (Baxter, 1992; Baxter and Sagart, 2014).

cog-lite

(colloquial) perverted; being a pervert; lecherous

色子

die (a cube with numbers or symbols on each side, used in games of chance) (Classifier: 粒 c)

各位靠補+色hrt的朋友們請注意檢測自己的E2/E1比例

各位靠补+色hrt的朋友们请注意检测自己的E2/E1比例

cyproterone acetate
cyproterone acetate#English

(transgender slang) Short for 色普龍／色普龙; cypro (cyproterone acetate)


赴

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰoɡs): semantic 走 (“running”) + phonetic 卜 (OC *poːɡ).


趁

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *nlanʔ, *l̥ʰɯns, *l'ɯn): semantic 走 (“to run”) + phonetic 㐱 ().

Han compound

趁熱打鐵

趁热打铁

While the weather's good, go outside and play.

趁天氣好，快出去玩兒吧。

趁天气好，快出去玩儿吧。

used to indicate a present situation: while circumstances are optimal


蹤

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsloŋ) and ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 從 (OC *zloŋ, *zloŋ, *zloŋs, “follow”)


買

→ Proto-Hmong-Mien: *mɛjX (“to buy”)

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 网 (“net”) + 貝 (“money cowrie”). The original version is 𧵽.
Baxter and Sagart (2014) consider it to be a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): abbreviated phonetic 羅 (*rˤaj) + semantic 貝 (“money cowrie”).
Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/m/s-laj ~ *r/s-lej ~ *b-rej (“to buy; to barter”); compare Proto-Karen *breᴬ (“to buy”), Proto-Bodo-Garo *prai¹ (“to buy”), Tibetan རྗེ (rje, “to exchange; to barter”) (Schuessler, 2007; Sagart, 1999, 2011). Benedict (1967, 1972) considers this allofam to be a result of borrowing from Austro-Tai *(m)baḷi several times into Sino-Tibetan languages.
Alternatively, Haudricourt and Strecker (1991) consider 買 and 賣 to be borrowed from Hmong-Mien, which may have a family of verbs related to possession: *mɛjX (“to buy”, corresponding to 買), *mɛjH (“to buy”, corresponding to 賣), *ʔ-mɛj (“to grasp”), *n-mɛj (“to have”) (Ratliff, 2010). However, Sagart (1995) argues that the direction of borrowing is more likely to be from Chinese to Hmong-Mien because Hmong-Mien does not seem to have a suffix that would give rise to the tone in the word for “to buy”. In addition to these two ways of relating the Chinese word to Hmong-Mien, Ratliff (2010) proposes common inheritance as a third option and maintains that more evidence is needed to determine which of the three explanations are correct.
The surname only appears among Taiwanese aboriginals and Hui people in Mainland China. The surname is from the Siraya name Takalomay in Taiwan or possibly from the name 買買提／买买提 (Mǎimǎití, “Mehmet”) for Hui people.


跇

The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

Chěng róng yǔ xī yì wàn lǐ, jīn ān pǐ xī lóng wèi yǒu.

騁容與兮跇萬里，今安匹兮龍為友。

骋容与兮跇万里，今安匹兮龙为友。

(obsolete) to pass; to go through; to surpass; to go over


跇

跇𡅏做 [Eastern Min]

(Eastern Min) to take (an opportunity); to make use of time


賜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sleːɡs): semantic 貝 (“shell, money”) + phonetic 易 (OC *leːɡs, *leɡ).
From *s- (extrovert/causative) + 易 (OC *leɡ, “to change”) + *-s (Schuessler, 2007).


講

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (講):
* → Japanese: 講(こう) (kō)
* → Korean: 강(講) (gang)
* → Vietnamese: giảng (講)

→ Bouyei: gaangc

→ Zhuang: gangj

/t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kroːŋʔ): semantic 言 (“say”) + phonetic 冓 (OC *koː, *koːs).

Han compound

講衛生

讲卫生

不講武德

不讲武德

Yī xiǎodì kànlái: jiǎng xuéwèn de zhǐ jiǎng xuéwèn, bùbì wèn gōngmíng; jiǎng gōngmíng de zhǐ jiǎng gōngmíng, bùbì wèn xuéwèn. Ruòshì liǎngyàng dōu yào jiǎng, nòng dào hòulái, yī yàng yě zuò bù chéng!

依小弟看來：講學問的只講學問，不必問功名；講功名的只講功名，不必問學問。若是兩樣都要講，弄到後來，一樣也做不成！

依小弟看来：讲学问的只讲学问，不必问功名；讲功名的只讲功名，不必问学问。若是两样都要讲，弄到后来，一样也做不成！

to emphasise; to pay attention to; to take into account


賤

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zlens): semantic 貝 + phonetic 戔 (OC *zlaːn).


賽

/t͡sʰɔːi̯³³/

/t͡sʰɔːi̯³³/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *slɯːɡs): abbreviated phonetic 塞 (OC *slɯːɡs, *slɯːɡ) + semantic 貝 (“shell”).

Han compound

決賽

决赛


踴

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *loŋʔ): semantic 𧾷 (“foot”) + phonetic 勇 (OC *loŋʔ).
Compare Khmer ប្លោង (plaong, “to leap over; to throw upward”) (Schuessler, 2007). Perhaps related to 逾 (OC *lo, “to exceed; to cross over”) and 溶 (OC *loŋ, “much water”) (ibid.).


跨

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰʷraː, *kʰʷraːʔ, *kʰʷraːs, *kʰʷaːs): semantic 足 + phonetic 夸 (OC *kʰʷraː).

Han compound

Alternative form of 胯 (kuà, “crotch; groin”)


跪

/kʰu̯e̞i̯⁴¹/

/kʰu̯e̞i̯⁴¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰrolʔ, *ɡrolʔ): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 危 (OC *ŋrol). However, the phonetic component shows (perhaps by chance) a person kneeling on the ground.
Perhaps connected with Proto-Vietic *t-kuːlʔ (> Vietnamese gối (“knee”)) (Schuessler, 2007). For the semantic relationship, compare English kneel. Also compare Proto-Sino-Tibetan *koj (“bend; curved; lap; bosom”), whence Burmese ခွေ (hkwe, “to coil; hoop”) (STEDT).

cog

(figuratively) to kowtow; to show obedience to


讀

→ Vietnamese: đọc

→ Zhuang: doeg

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'oːɡ): semantic 言 (“to say”) + phonetic 𧶠 (OC *luɡ).
“To say aloud, to tell” (Shijing) > “to recite” > “to read”.
Cognate with Tibetan ཀློག (klog, “to read; to recite”). Starostin sets up Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k-lok (“to recite; to give notice”) for this, and also includes Burmese လျှောက် (hlyauk, “to tell; to ask; to petition; word-for-word translation; indiscriminately”) and Mizo thlûk (“accent, tone, intonation”). Related to 讟 (OC *l'oːɡ, “resentment, slander < to grumble; complaint”).
STEDT provisionally sets up Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-g-(l/r)əwk (“to read”), relating it to 牘 (OC *l'oːɡ, “tablet”).
Sagart (1999) argues that “read” cannot be the primary meaning, since existence of the concept “to read” before the invention of writing is questionable. There is likely no writing at the time of the split between Chinese and other Sino-Tibetan languages, therefore the Tibetan word may represent a borrowing from Chinese.

inh

朗讀

朗读

read the side if any; read the middle part if there is no side

有邊讀邊，沒邊讀中間

有边读边，没边读中间

二讀

二读


跋

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *boːd): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 犮 (OC *boːd).
Cognate with 茇 (OC *poːd, “roots of grass”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

(Min) to toss; to throw (dice, moon blocks, etc.)

to trek; to walk; to go by foot; to travel on land

(Mainland China Hokkien) to go down; to drop (price, etc.)


贊

Originally 賛. Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 㚘 + 貝 (“money”) – to help with money.
Now phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsaːns): phonetic 兟 (OC *srin) + semantic 貝 (“money”).

Han compound

(literature) a form and style of writing that summarizes and concludes a narrative, biography, or portrait, etc.


贛

In the bronze script, it was attested as 𬔧, an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 章 (“jade ornament”) + 丮 (“to hold”) – holding a jade ornament > “to bestow”. The 丮 component corrupts into 欠 or 次, and later to 夂 or a variant with 二 under 夂. An additional semantic component 貝 (“cowrie; money”) was often added. The 二 and 貝 components combine to form an emergent phonetic component 貢 (OC *koːŋs).
Shuowen reinterprets it as a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kluːmʔ, *kluːms, *kromʔ, *kloːms): abbreviated phonetic 竷 (OC *kʰluːms) + semantic 貝 (“shell; money”), but this is not supported by earlier scripts.

Han compound

赣
贑/𫎬
𥫔
灨
⿱夂贡
赣
贑/𫎬

(～江, ～水) Gan River (a river in Jiangxi, China)

Alternative name for 江西 (Jiāngxī, “Jiangxi, a province of China.”).

江西

贛語

赣语


賓

Shuowen: Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mpin): phonetic 𡧍 (OC *meːnʔ) + semantic 貝.
In oracle bone script, ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): a person 人 in a building 宀 – a guest.
Variants that replaced 人 with 万 (OC *mans, *mɯːɡ) were also common, and posited to be the original form of 丏 (OC *meːnʔ), which would also act as the character's phonetic component, which has corrupted into ⿱一𣥂 in the modern form.
Bronze inscriptions added 貝 (“money; valuables”), signifying gifts.
From n-nominalization of Proto-Sino-Tibetan *hin (“to give”). Cognate with 嬪 (OC *bin, “to become a bride”), which is an endopassive of 賓 (OC *mpin, “lit, "to be received like a guest"”). See 畀 (OC *pids, “to give”) for more cognates.

och-l

宾
賔
𧶉
𧶎
𥦎
𡪛
𡧍
𡫅
𢊟
𧶑
𠆄

(Cantonese, anatomy) Short for 賓舟／宾舟 (“penis”).

凍檸賓／冻柠宾 [Cantonese] ― dung³ ning⁴⁻² ban¹ [Jyutping] ― iced Ribena with lemon

(Cantonese) Short for 利賓納／利宾纳 (“Ribena”).

賓妹／宾妹 [Cantonese] ― ban¹ mui⁶ [Jyutping] ― a Philippine girl, especially a domestic helper

(Cantonese, attributive, possibly derogatory) Short for 菲律賓／菲律宾 (Fēilǜbīn, “Filipino/a”).


許

Zheng (2017) suggests that it is from 爾 (OC *njelʔ, “that”). Compare 耳 (OC *njɯʔ, “ear”) > Min Nan hī.


負

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): ⺈ (“person”) + 貝 (“cowry”).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ba (“carry, shoulder”).

inh

(mathematics, electricity, etc.) negative


觀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *koːn, *koːns): phonetic 雚 (OC *koːns) + semantic 見 (“see”).
“To watch; to observe” (Pronunciation 1) > “watchtower; platform; temple” (Pronunciation 2).
Schuessler (2007) connects it with 侯 (OC *ɡoː, “target”) and 候 (OC *ɡoːs, “to watch; to be on the lookout for; to wait”).


赫

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰraːɡ): Duplication of 赤 (“red”), with 赤 (OC *kʰljaɡ) acting as the phonetic component.
Related to 赫 (OC *qʰraːɡ, “bright red”) and possibly 奭 (OC *hjaɡ, “majestic; red”).

liushu

(physics) Short for 赫茲／赫兹 (Hèzī, “hertz”).


貨

Characters in the same phonetic series (化) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hŋʷaːls): phonetic 化 (OC *hŋʷraːls) + semantic 貝 (“shell, money”) – valuable goods.
Related to 訛 (OC *ŋʷaːl, “to change”), 化 (OC *hŋʷraːls, “to transform”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

現貨／现货

百貨／百货

退貨／退货

gam¹ jat⁶ wui⁵ jau⁵ pai¹ fo³ sung³ dou³ lai⁴.

今日會有批貨送到嚟。

今日会有批货送到嚟。


豹

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (豹):
* → Japanese: 豹(ひょう) (hyō)
* → Vietnamese: báo (豹)

→ Proto-Vietic: *pɛːw

Vietnamese: beo

→ Zhuang: beuq

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *preːwɢs): semantic 豸 (“beast; creature”) + phonetic 勺 (OC *pljewɢ, *bljewɢ). Pictogram (象形) in the oracle bone script.
Exopassive derivative of 駁 (OC *praːwɢ, “piebald (horse)”), literally "the spotted one"; ultimately from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *bruk (“piebald; speckled”).

der

The steeds of the Son of Heaven could run a thousand li (a day) faster than any wild beast (or any) man; the hounds of the Son of Heaven could run a hundred li (a day) and they were able to seize tigers and leopards.

The Tale of King Mu, Son of Heaven, c. 370 – 330 BCE, translated based on E. J. Eitel's version

Tiānzǐ zhī mǎ zǒu qiān lǐ, shèng rén měngshòu. Tiānzǐ zhī gǒu zǒu bǎi lǐ, zhí hǔbào.

天子之馬走千里，勝人猛獸。天子之狗走百里，執虎豹。

天子之马走千里，胜人猛兽。天子之狗走百里，执虎豹。

hó͘ pà sai kah chhiūⁿ ta̍k-ke sio-chiⁿ khòaⁿ

虎豹獅甲象大家相爭看

虎豹狮甲象大家相争看

Panthera pardus
Panthera pardus#Translingual

leopard; panther (often more specifically Panthera pardus) (Classifier: 隻／只 m c mn)


趌

趌 (Kangxi radical 156, 走+6, 13 strokes, cangjie input 土人土口 (GOGR), four-corner 4480₆, composition ⿺走吉)


計

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 言 (“say”) + 十 (“all”).

Han compound

to think of a way to deal with something

諗計

谂计

冇計

冇计

(Cantonese) solution; way to deal with something


蹈

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'uːs): semantic 足 + phonetic 舀 (OC *lowʔ, *lu, *lo).

Han compound

to go through boiling water and tread on fire

赴湯蹈火

赴汤蹈火


賢

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (賢):
* → Vietnamese: hiền (賢)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡiːn): phonetic 臤 (OC *kʰaːn, *kʰriːn, *ɡiːn, *kʰins) + semantic 貝 (“money”) – worthy, valuable (like money)

Han compound

贤
𬥎
贒
臤
*䝨
𠤕
贤


貝

Characters in the same phonetic series (貝) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – cowrie used as currency in ancient China. Unrelated to the original version of 則. See also the top component of 得. Unrelated to 目.
Cowries were used as money in ancient China (shell money).
Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *bwap (“snail”); cognate with Jingpho pawp, lapawp (“snail”), Chepang बोप् (bop, “snail”) (STEDT; Starostin; Schuessler, 2007).
Alternatively, Guo (1945) proposes that it is an ancient loanword from languages of the south (which call it bia). Since the species of sea snail used as decoration and currency—Monetaria moneta (money cowry)—is not native to the eastern seashores of China, he proposes that cowries used by the ancient Chinese dynasties in Central China must have come from the southeastern shores of China and areas further south. Compare Malay bia (“cowry”), Thai เบี้ย (bîia, “cowry shell; money”), Proto-Mon-Khmer *ɓa(a)j (“bean, small weight or coin”) > Khasi sbâi (“cowry; shell; money”), Khmer ពៃ (pɨy, “obsolete small coin”) (Schuessler, 2007). Note also Burmese ပဲ (pai:, “bean”).

cog

Ieoh Ming Pei (Chinese-American architect)

貝聿銘

贝聿铭


議

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋrals): semantic 言 (“talk”) + phonetic 義 (OC *ŋrals).
Cognate with 儀 (OC *ŋral, “ceremony; appearance”). See there for more.

Han compound

Today we will discuss the military situation.

今天我們就議一下軍情。

今天我们就议一下军情。


貧

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *brɯn): phonetic 分 (OC *pɯn, *bɯns, “divide”) + semantic 貝 (“money”) – to divide one's money.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *d-b(u/i)l (“poor”); cognate with Tibetan དབུལ (dbul, “poor”) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007; Hill, 2014).

Han compound

I go out at the north gate, with my heart full of sorrow. Straitened am I and poor, and no one takes knowledge of my distress.

Chū zì běimén, yōuxīn yīnyīn. Zhōng jù qiě pín, mò zhī wǒ jiān.

出自北門，憂心殷殷。終窶且貧，莫知我艱。

出自北门，忧心殷殷。终窭且贫，莫知我艰。

To be poor without murmuring is difficult. To be rich without being proud is easy.

貧而無怨，難。富而無驕，易。

贫而无怨，难。富而无骄，易。


踏

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰuːb): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 沓 (OC *duːb).


豬

→ Thai: ตือ (dtʉʉ)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ta): semantic 豕 + phonetic 者 (OC *tjaːʔ).
Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan (Schuessler, 2007). Löffler (1966) considers Mru tia (“(wild) pig”) to be cognate.
Fangyan states that 豭 (OC *kraː) is a dialectal variant of 豬 (OC *ta), yet *kra was apparently older than *t(r)a and homophonic with 麚 (OC *kraː, “stag”); so instead *t(r)a is possibly an early rural dialectal variant (from the sound changes *ʈa < *tra < *Cra) of *kra, which would have had a general meaning of "male animal". See 豭 for more.

1919, 《新舊約全書：官話和合譯本》 [Mandarin Bible, Union Version], Shanghai: American Bible Society, 馬太福音 [Matthew] 8:30:

Now there was afar off from them a herd of many swine feeding. (English Revised Version)

Lí tāmen hěn yuǎn, yǒu yī dà qún zhū chīshí.

離他們很遠、有一大羣豬喫食。

离他们很远、有一大群猪吃食。

May "pig things" (homophonous with "all things") go well with you! (used to wish a happy Chinese New Year in the Year of the Pig)

豬事順利！（諸事順利！）

猪事顺利！（诸事顺利！）

pig; hog; swine (Classifier: 頭／头 m; 口 m; 隻／只 c mn; 條／条 c h)


踩

/t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰaːi̯³⁵/

/t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰaːi̯³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 采.

踩扁

踩油門

踩油门

踩單車

踩单车


變

Tai Languages

→ Proto-Southwestern Tai: *pliənᴮ²

Thai: เปลี่ยน (bplìian)

Lao: ປ່ຽນ (pīan)

desc

Lü: ᦵᦔᧃᧈ (ṗen¹)

Lü: ᦵᦔᧃᧈ (ṗen¹)

Tai Dam: ꪜꪸ꪿ꪙ

Shan: ပိၼ်ႇ (pìn)

Tai Nüa: ᥙᥤᥢᥱ (pǐn)

Northern Tai

Zhuang: bienq

Central Tai

Nong Zhuang: byenq, benq

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *prons): phonetic 䜌 (OC *b·roːn, *b·ron, *b·rons) + semantic 攴.
Likely related to 亂 (OC *roːns, “disorder”) (Baxter, 1992). Perhaps related to Tibetan སྤྲུལ་བ (sprul ba, “to transform”) (Shi, 2000) and Burmese ပြောင်း (praung:, “to change”).

改觀

to change appearance, to change one's view

春天後母面，欲變一時間／春天后母面，欲变一时间

chhun-thiⁿ āu-bú bīn, beh piàn chi̍t sî-kan

(transitive) to sell off (one's property)


花

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (花):
* → Japanese: 花(か) (ka)
* → Korean: 화(花) (hwa)
* → Vietnamese: hoa (花)

→ Ai-Cham: hwa¹

→ Zhuang: va

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hʷraː): semantic 艹 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 化 (OC *hŋʷraːls). Originally 𠌶 or 華 before the Han dynasty.
Unclear. According to Schuessler (2007), either from:
* Proto-Sino-Tibetan *baːr (“bloom, flower”) and thus an example of possible *b ~ *w variation, with final -r moved to medial position. If so, cognate with 葩 (OC *pʰraː); outside Sinitic, compare Burmese ပန်း (pan:), Lepcha ᰓᰫᰲ (búr), Mizo páar. Sagart (2021) also connects it to 葩 (OC *pʰˤra), modifying Baxter and Sagart's (2014) reconstruction to *Cə-pʰˤra and proposing the sound changes *Cə-pʰ- > *Cə-ɸ- > *ɸ- > xw-.
* Or from Austroasiatic; compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *pkaaw ~ *pkaʔ (“flower, blossom”).
華 (OC *ɡʷraː, “to flower”) is a derivative.

cog

太陽花／太阳花

開花／开花

flower; blossom (Classifier: 朵 m c; 支 m c; 蕊 h mn; 束 m c; 把 m; 盆 m c; 簇 m; 紮／扎 c)

種花／种花

Of the Chang family is this daughter; for the Chang family this cotton blooms. It is a daughter of the Chang family, who unloads cotton here in these fields.

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Hx411r7rj/, "Of whose family's this daughter, of whose family these blooms" (啥人家囡兒啥人家花), Southern Wuxi folklore tune

¹tsan-ka₁-li₀ ⁶noe-gni₂-meq₈ ¹tsan-ka₁-li₀ ¹hu ¹tsan-ka₁-li₀ ⁶noe-gni₂-meq₈ ¹ten-leq₈ ²die-tson₁ ⁵sia ²mie-hu₁

張家裡囡兒末張家裡花 張家裡囡兒末登勒田中卸棉花

张家里囡儿末张家里花 张家里囡儿末登勒田中卸棉花

(dialectal Mandarin, Northern Wu) Clipping of 棉花 (“cotton”).


跍

跍 (Kangxi radical 157, 足+5, 12 strokes, cangjie input 口一十口 (RMJR), four-corner 6416₀, composition ⿰𧾷古)


賣

→ Proto-Hmong-Mien: *mɛjH (“to sell”)

Characters in the same phonetic series (買) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Originally 𧷓, an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mreːs): semantic 出 (“go out”) + phonetic 買 (OC *mreːʔ, “buy”).
出, which indicates exoactive semantics (Sagart, 1999), was eventually reduced to the etymologically unrelated 士.
Unrelated to 𧶠, which is used as a phonetic component in a number of characters.
Exoactive of 買 (OC *mreːʔ, “to buy”) (Sagart, 1995; Schuessler, 2007; Baxter and Sagart, 2014), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/m/s-laj ~ *r/s-lej ~ *b-rej (“to buy; to barter”); see there for more.

揀啊揀，揀著一個賣龍眼／揀啊揀，揀著一个賣龍眼／拣啊拣，拣着一个卖龙眼

kéng--ah kéng, kéng-tio̍h chi̍t ê bē lêng-géng


跌

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'iːɡ): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 失 (OC *hliɡ).
Note similarities in the Old Chinese pronunciation to Burmese လဲ (lai:, “to fall down”).


資

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsli): phonetic 次 (OC *sn̥ʰis) + semantic 貝 (“shell-money”) – “property, resource”.


踢

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰeːɡ): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 易 (OC *leːɡs, *leɡ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-t(j/w)ak (“to kick”) (STEDT).

inh

踢出校

give someone the boot
give someone the boot

(figurative) to reject; to eliminate; to give someone the boot

(Internet) to kick (from a group, forum, etc.)


責

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsreːɡ): phonetic 朿 (OC *sʰeɡs) + semantic 貝 (“cowry; money”) – tax; debt.
Top component now resembles 生 (without the diagonal stroke) – compare 青, 素.


賞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hjaŋʔ): phonetic 尚 (OC *djaŋ, *djaŋs) + semantic 貝 (“cowry”).


豪

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡaːw): abbreviated phonetic 高 (OC *kaːw) + semantic 豕 (“pig, boar”).

Han compound

Alternative form of 毫 (háo, “fine hair; slightest amount”)


賺

赚
𧸖
赚
赚
𧸖
誕
綻
鄭

(Eastern Min, Southern Min, dialectal Wu) wrong; erroneous


蹄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *deː): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 帝 (OC *teːɡs).

Han compound

蹄子

馬蹄

马蹄


親

Bronze script: phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰin, *sʰins): phonetic 辛 (OC *siŋ) + semantic 見 (“see”).
Seal script: phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰin, *sʰins): phonetic 𣓀 () + semantic 見 (“see”). The left part (a chisel with a tree at the bottom to indicate "hazelnut branch" used as a whip) was then stylized as 亲, which originally is a variant of 辛, the chisel.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *dziŋ (“relatives, ancestors”) (STEDT). Cognate with Burmese စဉ် (cany, “to line up, arrange”).

cog

亲
媇
𧡘
𡩁
*寴
𡪔
𢾉
𧠍
𧠸
𧡿
亲
媇
𧡘
𡩁
*寴
𡪔
𢾉
𧠍
𧠸
𧡿
亲

related by blood; blood (brothers, sisters)


趙

→ English: Chao, Zhao, Chiu

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'ewʔ): semantic 走 + phonetic 肖 (OC *slew, *slews).

Han compound

Qín shǐ Wǔ'ān jūn Bái Qǐ jī, dà pò Zhào yú Chángpíng, sìshí yú wàn jìn shā zhī.

秦使武安君白起擊，大破趙於長平，四十餘萬盡殺之。

秦使武安君白起击，大破赵于长平，四十余万尽杀之。

(～國) Zhao, a later and larger state during the Warring States period of Chinese history

趙紫陽

赵紫阳

Zhao Benshan (Chinese skit and sitcom actor, comedian, television director)

趙本山

赵本山

a surname, listed first in the Baijiaxing. It is the family name of the Song emperors

See also: 趙家

Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China

(neologism) of the Communist Party of China


跳

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l̥ʰeːws, *l'eːw): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 兆 (OC *l'ewʔ).
Related to 超 (OC *tʰew, “to leap onto; to leap over; to surpass”) (Schuessler, 2007).

och-l

跳級

跳级

I will never skip such an awesome opening.

我絕對不跳這麼好聽的OP。

我绝对不跳这么好听的OP。


軌

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʷrɯwʔ): semantic 車 + phonetic 九 (OC *kuʔ).
Borrowed from Tocharian B kwarsär and Tocharian A kursär (“league, mile”).


躲

The underworld's reckoning cannot be evaded. The God of Heaven recognized that the karma of our love was unfinished, and that we had not sinned; so he lent me the phantasm of a body so that I could briefly bring my melancholy to an end, together with you. I am not meant to linger in the human realm and mislead a man of the bright world.

late 1400s, 金時習 (Kim Si-seup), 《李生窺牆傳》, 《金鰲新話》

Myeong su bul ga ta ya. Cheonje i cheop yeo saeng yeonbun mi dan, u mu joejang, ga i hwan che, yeo saeng jam hal sujang. Bi guryu inse, yi hok yang'in.

冥數不可躲也。天帝以妾與生緣分未斷，又無罪障，假以幻體，與生暫割愁腸。非久留人世，以惑陽人。


跤

Chinese sources commonly consider this to be a vernacular-layer descendant of Old Chinese 骹 (OC *kʰraːw, “lower leg”). However, its form, at least in Coastal Min, bears great resemblance to the Tai etymon for “leg”, e.g. Thai ขา (kǎa, “leg”) < Proto-Tai *p.qaːᴬ (“leg”) (Yue-Hashimoto, 1976; Luo, 1992), and Proto-Kam-Sui *kwa (“leg”). Such similarity may be superficial since this word is reconstructed to have the *au final in Proto-Min (Norman, 1981) and thus there is a disagreement in rime (Schuessler, 2007).


跡

Variant of 迹 using a semantic component with similar meaning; see there for more. Current form is a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsleːɡ): semantic 𧾷 (“foot”) + phonetic 亦 (OC *laːɡ).

Han compound

足跡

足迹

血跡

血迹

筆跡

笔迹

毀屍滅跡

毁尸灭迹

古跡

古迹

奇跡

奇迹

劣跡

劣迹

這跡

这迹

(Zhangzhou Hokkien) Classifier for marks, prints, and traces.


貢

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *koːŋs): phonetic 工 (OC *koːŋ) + semantic 貝. However, the phonetic component indicates the concept of working and achievement (功), hence putting efforts to make any kind of contribute and/or reach an achievement.

Han compound

(historical) to select or recommend talents for the imperial court


軛

→ Proto-Tai: *ʔeːkᴰ (“yoke”)

Ahom: 𑜒𑜢𑜀𑜫 (ʼik)

Lao: ແອກ (ʼǣk)

Lü: ᦶᦀᧅ (˙ʼaek)

Shan: ဢႅၵ်ႇ (ʼèk)

Tai Dam: ꪵꪮꪀ

Tai Nüa: ᥟᥦᥐᥱ (ʼǎek)

Thai: แอก (ɛ̀ɛk)

Zhuang: ek

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qreːɡ): semantic 車 (“chariot”) + phonetic 厄 (OC *qreːɡ, “yoke”) – specialized form of 厄.
Probably from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ʔik (“to strangle”), whence also 縊 (OC *qleːɡs, *qleɡs, “to strangle”).


豆

→ Proto-Southwestern Tai: *tʰuəᴮ¹

Ahom: 𑜌𑜥 (thū)

Khün: ᨳ᩠ᩅᩫ᩵

Lao: ຖົ່ວ (thūa)

desc

Lü: ᦷᦏᧈ (ṫho¹)

Lü: ᦷᦏᧈ (ṫho¹)

Northern Thai: ᨳ᩠ᩅᩫ᩵

Phake: ထုဝ် (thuw)

Shan: ထူဝ်ႇ (thò)

Tai Dam: ꪖ꪿ꪺ (thua2)

Tai Dón: ꪖꪺꫀ (tho2)

Tai Nüa: ᥗᥨᥝᥱ (thǒw)

Thai: ถั่ว (tùua)

Characters in the same phonetic series (豆) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – some kind of container. Borrowed phonetically for the plant name. Displaced Old Chinese 菽 (shū). Unrelated to the bottom part of 豊.
Derived from 頭 (OC *doː), ultimately from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *du (“head”) (STEDT).
"Soybean > bean" is possibly the same word as "round vessel" (Unger, 1984)

Han etyl

(historical) stemmed shallow bowl on a round base, often with a lid and sometimes with handles, initially earthenware and used as a food container, later also made of wood or bronze and used to hold minced and pickled meats and vegetables and used in ritual sacrifice


覺

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kruːɡs, *kruːɡ): abbreviated phonetic 學 (OC *ɡruːɡ) + semantic 見 (“see”) (the phonetic component xué is written in a contracted form, 𦥯).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kruk (“rouse; awaken; disturb”). Cognate with Old Chinese 學 (*ɡruːɡ, “to learn; to study”), 攪 (*kruːʔ, “to disturb”), Tibetan དཀྲོག (dkrog, “to agitate; to rouse”).

cog

觉
覚
斍
𡕚
覐
𧠔
𧠭
𧠷

覺醒

觉醒

大覺

大觉

to become aware; to dawn on; to awaken to


躬

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kuŋ): semantic 身 (“body”) + phonetic 弓 (OC *kʷɯŋ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *guŋ (“body, back”). Compare Burmese အကောင် (a.kaung, “body”).

Han compound

I was originally a commoner. I personally farmed in Nanyang.

227, 諸葛亮 (Zhūgě Liàng) (Zhuge Liang), 前出師表 (Former Chu Shi Biao)

臣本布衣，躬耕於南陽。

臣本布衣，躬耕于南阳。

As a child, what do I know? Yet I was able to personally attend this magnificent feast.

late 7th century CE, 王勃 (Wang Bo), 滕王閣序 (Preface to the Prince Teng Pavilion)

童子何知？躬逢勝餞。

童子何知？躬逢胜饯。


躍

/t͡sʰiɔk̚²⁴/

/t͡sʰiɔk̚²⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *lewɢ): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 翟 (OC *r'aːwɢ, *l'eːwɢ).


起

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰɯʔ): semantic 走 + phonetic 巳 (OC *ljɯʔ, *lɯs).
Perhaps from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kyi (“to lift, raise, awake”); cognate with Burmese ချီ (hkyi, “to lift”) (STEDT).


賴

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *raːds): phonetic 剌 (OC *raːd) + semantic 貝 (“cowry”) – to profit.

Han compound

赖
頼
顂
𩓃
𧡽
赖
攋
落
赖


軟

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *njonʔ): semantic 車 + phonetic 耎 (OC *njonʔ). 耎 turned into 欠 over time due to a popular variant.
The meaning of the radical of the chariot is not fully clear. It could be linked to the synonym 柔, which indicates the wood soft enough to be cut, or it could indicate the concept of being tired and weak after dragging a heavy chariot, hence "soft"; the right component could add part of the meaning, since it originally depicts a man under the rain, hence getting soaked (perhaps while dragging a heavy chariot). Today's component 欠 depicts a man kneeling with an open mouth, perhaps while breathing due to exhaustion.
Probably cognate with 柔 (OC *mlju, “soft”), see there for more (STEDT).

Han compound

他的態度軟了下來。

他的态度软了下来。

他的聲音很軟。

他的声音很软。


識

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tjɯɡs, *hljɯɡ): semantic 言 (“say”) + phonetic 戠 (OC *tjɯɡ).

Han compound

I don't know Mandarin. I don't know how to speak Mandarin.

ngo⁵ m⁴ sik¹ pou² tung¹ waa⁶⁻². ngo⁵ m⁴ sik¹ gong² pou² tung¹ waa⁶⁻².

我唔識普通話。我唔識講普通話。

我唔识普通话。我唔识讲普通话。

Chinese people really know how to eat (to appreciate, to be discerning, to enjoy, to be skilled, to savor). Chinese are good at business.

zung¹ gwok³ jan⁴ hou² sik¹ sik⁶. zung¹ gwok³ jan⁴ hou² sik¹ zou⁶ saang¹ ji³.

中國人好識食。中國人好識做生意。

中国人好识食。中国人好识做生意。

(Cantonese, Hakka, dialectal Wu) to recognise; to be familiar with; to know (especially someone or how to do something)

to appreciate; to recognise the worth of


軀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰo): semantic 身 (“body”) + phonetic 區 (OC *qoː, *kʰo)
Inherited from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-kəw (“body; chest; thorax; corpse”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan སྐུ (sku, “body”) and Burmese ကိုယ် (kuiy, “body”).


轆

→ Thai: รอก (rɔ̂ɔk, “pulley”)

(to browse through): probably a semantic extension of “wheel”, via the use of a scroll wheel.

坐兩轆／坐两辘 [Cantonese] ― co⁵ loeng⁵ luk¹ [Jyutping] ― to do two years time

(Hong Kong Cantonese, slang) Classifier for number of years in prison.


記

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (記):
* → Japanese: 記(き) (ki)
* → Korean: 기(記) (gi)
* → Vietnamese: kí (記)

→ Vietnamese: ghi

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kɯs): semantic 言 (“speech; words”) + phonetic 己 (OC *kɯʔ).

緬懷

to cherish the memory of, especially the deceased

也許我記錯了。

也许我记错了。

I remember that sentence that you said very well.

nei⁵ go² geoi³ syut³ waa⁶ ngo⁵ gei³ dak¹ hou² cing¹ co².

你嗰句說話我記得好清楚。

你嗰句说话我记得好清楚。


輔

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *baʔ): semantic 車 + phonetic 甫 (OC *paʔ).

Han compound

(obsolete) protective wooden bars that helped prevent a carriage from overturning


蹲

/t͡sʰu̯ən³⁵/

/t͡sʰu̯ən³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zuːn): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 尊 (OC *ʔsuːn) – to sit.


超

/t͡sʰiːu̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰiːu̯⁵⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰew): semantic 走 (“run”) + phonetic 召 (OC *dews, *djews).

Han compound

超好聽

超好听


調

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *dɯːw, *dɯːws, *tɯw): semantic 言 + phonetic 周 (OC *tjɯw).

Han compound

to take liberties with (a woman); to flirt


調

/ti̯aʊ̯ɻʷ⁵¹/

/ti̯aʊ̯ɻʷ⁵¹/


逅

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡoːs): semantic 辵 + phonetic 后 (OC *ɡoːʔ, *ɡoːs).
Cognate with 遘 (OC *koːs, *koːs, “to meet”)，覯 (OC *koːs, “to come across”).


輿

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *la, *las): phonetic 舁 (OC *la) + semantic 車 (“carriage”).


轎

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (轎):
* → Vietnamese: kiệu (轎)

→ Indonesian: kio (“palanquin”)

→ Thai: เกี้ยว (gîao)

→ Zhuang: giuh

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/kiːu̯²²⁻³⁵/

/kʰiːu̯²¹⁻³⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɒu̯⁴⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɒu̯²¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/kiːu̯²²⁻³⁵/

/kʰiːu̯²¹⁻³⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɒu̯⁴⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɒu̯²¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡrew, *ɡrews): semantic 車 + phonetic 喬 (OC *krew, *ɡrew).

Han compound

來人啊，備轎！

来人啊，备轿！

sedan chair; palanquin (Classifier: 頂／顶 c)


著

→ English: tio

/ʈ͡ʂaʊ̯ɻʷ⁵⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂaʊ̯ɻʷ⁵⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *taʔ, *tas, *da, *taɡ, *daɡ): semantic 艸 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 者 (OC *tjaːʔ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-ta-t (“to put; to place”). Cognate with Tibetan སྟད (stad, “to put on; to lay on”), སྟ་གོན (sta gon, “preparation; arrangement”), Burmese ထား (hta:, “to put; to place”). See also 署 (OC *djas, “to put, place”) (STEDT).

cog

着
着
𣋐
𣥧
囉
就
着
着

火著得很歡。

火着得很欢。

窗簾首先著了火。

窗帘首先着了火。

to catch fire; to burn; to combust; to be ignited

著燈／着灯 [Cantonese] ― zoek⁶ dang¹ [Jyutping] ― to turn on the lights

著冷氣／着冷气 [Cantonese] ― zoek⁶ laang⁵ hei³ [Jyutping] ― to turn on the air conditioning

(Cantonese, Hokkien) to turn on; to light (a light, a machine, etc.)

(obsolete) to make (someone to); to order


跟

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kɯːn): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 艮 (OC *kɯːns).
Cognate with 根 (OC *kɯːn, “root”) (Wang, 1982).

Han compound

跟你媽一樣

跟你妈一样


轄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰaːds, *ɡraːd): phonetic 害 (OC *ɡaːds) + semantic 車 (“cart”) – linchpin.

Han compound

(Hokkien) Alternative form of 乏 (“to be moderate; to abstain; to check; to restrict oneself (in food, usage, spending, addiction, etc.)”)


迸

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *preːŋs): semantic 辵 (“walk”) + phonetic 并 (OC *peŋ, *peŋs).


跑

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *bruː, *bruːɡ): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 包 (OC *pruː).
Compare Proto-Loloish *paw¹ (“to flee”) (Schuessler, 2007).
The computing sense is a semantic loan from English run.

Han compound

GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified)

(Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou Hokkien) well-liked; popular


迅

Characters in the same phonetic series (卂) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sins, *sɯns): semantic 辶 + phonetic 卂 (OC *sins, *tods).
Compare with Burmese မြန်ဆန် (mranhcan, “quick, speedy, prompt”).


辜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kaː): phonetic 古 (OC *kaːʔ) + semantic 辛.


言

Characters in the same phonetic series (言) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogram (指事): 言 was created by adding a horizontal stroke to the top of the ancient version of 舌 to indicate movement of the tongue. This indicates speech, where 舌 is a mouth (口) with a tongue sticking out; hence 舌 doesn't indicate the speech, but the tongue as an organ of the body. In the modern version, another horizontal stroke (then stylized as a point) was added on top and the vertical body of the tongue disappeared.
See also 音.
Shuowen erroneously analyzes the glyph as a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): phonetic 䇂 () + semantic 口 (“mouth”).
According to Schuessler (2007: 74) this word is derived from 語 (OC *ŋaʔ, “to speak”) + -n nominal suffix.

Han compound

語言

语言

諾言

诺言

發言

发言

謠言

谣言

to be very lengthy (of an article, essay)

洋洋萬言

洋洋万言

我能留個言嗎？

我能留个言吗？

words; language appropriate to the occasion


該

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kɯː): semantic 言 + phonetic 亥 (OC *ɡɯːʔ).

Han compound

該死

该死

我該去睡了。

我该去睡了。


輩

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *puːls): semantic 車 + phonetic 非 (OC *pɯl).

Han compound

seniority among generations in a family or clan; position in the family hierarchy


輝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰul): semantic 光 (“light; bright”) + phonetic 軍 (OC *kun).

Han compound

brightness; lustre; brilliance; radiance; splendour


逞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l̥ʰeŋʔ): semantic 辶 + phonetic 呈 (OC *rleŋ, *l'eŋs).

Han compound

I will declare myself too old, and let Master Xi achieve his wish, which may perhaps lead to the solution [of the present evil]?

Yú jiāng lǎo, shǐ xìzǐ chěng qí zhì, shù yǒu zhì hū?

余將老，使郤子逞其志，庶有豸乎？

余将老，使郤子逞其志，庶有豸乎？

to succeed in; to achieve (something bad)


貴

Simplified from 䝿 (臾 → 𠀐). Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kluds): phonetic 臾 (OC *ɡruds, *lo) + semantic 貝 (“money cowrie”).
From Sino-Tibetan; compare Tibetan གུས (gus, “respect, reverence, devotion”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).

cog

雲貴

云贵


逾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *lo): semantic 辶 + phonetic 俞 (OC *l̥ʰus, *lo).


迦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ka, *kal, *kraːl): semantic 辶 + phonetic 加 (OC *kraːl).


遨

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋaːw) and ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): semantic 辶 (“walk”) + phonetic 敖 (OC *ŋaːw, “ramble”).

Han compound

to roam; to ramble; to travel for pleasure


邂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡreːs): semantic 辵 + phonetic 解 (OC *kreːʔ, *kreːs, *ɡreːʔ, *ɡreːs).


逝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɦljeds): semantic 辵 (“walking”) + phonetic 折 (OC *l'eːl, *ʔljed, *ɦljed)


解

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (解):
* → Japanese: 解(かい) (kai)
* → Korean: 해(解) (hae)
* → Vietnamese: giải (解)

→ Proto-Tai: *keːꟲ

Thai: แก้ (gɛ̂ɛ)

Lao: ແກ້ (kǣ)

Lü: ᦶᦂᧉ (k̇ae²)

Shan: ၵႄႈ (kāae)

Ahom: 𑜀𑜦𑜧 (kē)

→ Vietnamese: giãi

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 角 (“horn”) + 刀 (“knife”) + 牛 (“cow”) – a knife separates a horn from a cow, i.e. “cut up (an ox)”.
Three pronunciations are cognate. "To loosen; to disengage" > "idle, lazy, remiss". Cognate with 懈 (OC *kreːs, “lazy, remiss”) and possibly 邂逅 (OC *ɡreːs ɡoːs, “carefree and happy”).
? Area stem: *C-re. Compare Burmese ဖြေ (hpre, “to untie; to answer; to ease; to absolve”), အဖြေ (a.hpre, “answer, solution; response; explication”); Khmer រាយ (riəy, “to scatter, to be divided up, to separate”), ស្រាយ (sraay, “to untie, to undo, to explain, to solve”).


途

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'aː): semantic 辶 + phonetic 余 (OC *la).

Han compound

(figurative) journey (to officialdom); career; course; path


邈

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mraːwɢ): semantic 辶 + phonetic 貌 (OC *mreːwɢs).


論

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ruːn, *ruːns, *run): semantic 言 (“say”) + phonetic 侖 (OC *run).
Compare Mizo râwn (“to ask advice, to consult, to ask”) [high-tone], Mizo râwn (“to suggest, to advise, to recommend”) [low-tone].


見

Characters in the same phonetic series (見) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
目 (“eye”) + 卩 (“kneeling person”) – a kneeling human figure with a large eye for a head. Similar but unrelated to 艮 and the original version of 臣. See also 夏.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ken ~ m-kjen.

Han etyl

(～母) (Chinese linguistics) the Middle Chinese initial of 見 (MC kenH)


賊

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (賊):
* → Japanese: 賊(ぞく) (zoku)
* → Vietnamese: tặc (賊)

→ Proto-Southwestern Tai: *sɤkᴰ

Thai: ศึก (sʉ̀k, “war, battle”)

→ Vietnamese: giặc

→? Proto-Turkic: *yagï (war, bandit)

/t͡sʰaːk̚²⁻³⁵/

/t͡sʰat̚¹²¹/

/t͡siɪk̚¹²¹/

/t͡sʰaːk̚²⁻³⁵/

/t͡sʰat̚¹²¹/

/t͡siɪk̚¹²¹/

Characters in the same phonetic series (則) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zɯːɡ): phonetic 則 (OC *ʔsɯːɡ) + semantic 戈 (“weapon”).
This was later reinterpreted as a compound of 貝 (“money”) and 戎 (“weapon”) to produce the modern form.
Possibly Sino-Tibetan; compare Tibetan ཇག (jag, “robbery”) (Coblin, 1986). Schuessler (2007) points out that a palatalized consonant in Tibetan does not usually correspond to an unpalatalized one in Chinese; instead, he compares it to Khmer ឆក់ (chɑk, “to snatch; to steal”).
Possibly cognate with 災 (OC *ʔslɯː, “natural disaster”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Based on evidence from early loans from Chinese, e.g. Lakkia kjak⁸ (“bandit”) and Rục kəcʌ́ːk (“bandit”), Baxter and Sagart (2014) reconstructs the Old Chinese with a *k preinitial.

Han compound

to damage; to corrupt; to ruin; to destroy


辯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *brenʔ): phonetic 辡 (OC *prenʔ, *brenʔ) + semantic 言 (“say”). However, the phonetic component (which is the reduplication of the Kangxi radical of the knife to mark prisoners) perhaps symbolizes two prisoners accusing each other, hence "debating in an aggressive manner".
Cognate with 辨 (OC *breːns, *brenʔ, “to distinguish”).

och-l

辩
辡
辨
䛒
𧦪
𧦬
𮗿
𧩵
𰁏

(The trigram representing) the sky above, and below it (that representing the waters of) a marsh, form Lu. The superior man, in accordance with this, discriminates between high and low, and gives settlement to the aims of the people.

Shàng tiān xià zé, lǚ, jūnzǐ yǐ biàn shàngxià, ān mínzhì.

上天下澤，履，君子以辯上下，安民志。

上天下泽，履，君子以辩上下，安民志。

Alternative form of 辨 (“to distinguish; to differentiate”)


逃

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'aːw): semantic 辶 (“walk”) + phonetic 兆 (OC *l'ewʔ).

Han compound

49th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "flight" (𝌶)


遘

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *koːs, *koːs): semantic 辶 (“walk”) + phonetic 冓 (OC *koː, *koːs).
Compare Proto-Tibeto-Burman *gow ~ *gaw, whence Jingpho gau (kau³³, “cross over”), Burmese ကူး (ku:, “to cross over”) (STEDT, Schuessler, 2007).
In Chinese, cognate with 覯 (OC *koːs, “to come across”), 姤 (OC *koːs, “gou (hexagram of the I Ching)”). Possible allofams in Chinese include 冓 (OC *koːs) in 中冓 (OC *tuŋ koː, “inner chamber”), 逅 (OC *ɡoːs, “to meet”), and 購 (OC *koːs, “to award”). Compare 遇 (OC *ŋos, “to meet”).

och-l

The (grand) historiographer had written on tablets his prayer, which was to this effect: 'A. B., your great descendant, is suffering from a severe and violent disease'

The Book of Documents, circa 4ᵗʰ – 3ʳᵈ century BCE

Shǐ nǎi cè, zhù yuē: “Wéi ěr yuán sūn Mǒu, gòu lì nüè jí.”

史乃冊，祝曰：「惟爾元孫某，遘厲虐疾。」

史乃册，祝曰：「惟尔元孙某，遘厉虐疾。」

Alternative form of 構／构 (gòu, “to create; to form”)


遭

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsluː): semantic 辶 (“movement”) + phonetic 曹 (OC *zluː) – to meet with (on the road).

Han compound

to come across; to meet with; to encounter


誰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djul): semantic 言 (“speak”) + phonetic 隹 (OC *tjul).
From *du + *-i (“suffix in independent pronouns”); cognate with 疇 (OC *du, “who”), 孰 (OC *djɯwɢ, “which one; who”) (Schuessler, 2007). In other Sino-Tibetan languages, compare Mizo tû (“who; which”), Chepang दोह् (“what”), Proto-Kuki-Chin *tuu (“who; which (relativizer)”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).

cog

谁
谁
倽
上
仩
谁
𪝊
𫢗
谁
谁
孰:chiâ
咜:chôa


遊

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *lu): semantic 辵 (“walk”) + phonetic 斿 (OC *lu).
From Sino-Tibetan. Cognate with Tibetan རྒྱུ་ (rgyu, “to go; to walk; to move; to wander”), Lepcha ᰚᰪ (yŭ), Rawang yɨ (“to flow”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Same word as 游 (OC *lu, “to swim”). See there for more.


貓

→ English: ngeow (via Teochew)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mreːw, *mrew): semantic 豸 + phonetic 苗 (OC *mrew). The phonetic component perhaps points to the onomatopoeic nature of this word.
Ma Xulun suggested that 豸 was the original character of 貓.
Onomatopoeic. Compare 喵 (miāo, “meow, the onomatopoeic cry of a cat”).
Schuessler (2007) minimally reconstructs Old Chinese *mau, reasoning that 貓's place among division II syllables results from its onomatopoeic nature instead of an Old Chinese medial *-r-; onomatopoeia is also responsible for the 陰平／阴平 (yīnpíng) tone instead of the expected 陽平／阳平 (yángpíng).

zh-l

陰平／阴平 (yīnpíng)

猫
猫
猫
毛
猫
猫
猫
媌

(Mandarin, colloquial) to hang around; to stay somewhere doing nothing


辨

From 辧, a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *breːns, *brenʔ): phonetic 辡 (OC *prenʔ, *brenʔ) + semantic 刀 (“knife”). However, the phonetic component (the reduplication of the knife to mark prisoners) perhaps symbolizes two prisoners accusing each other, hence two different versions, which then leads to the concept of "discriminate".
Cognate with 辯 (OC *brenʔ). 辨 (OC *brenʔ, “divide, distinguish, discriminate, dispute”) and its two exopassive derivatives 釆 (“Literally, “(to cause to be) divided” > discriminate, distinguish”) and 瓣 (OC *breːns, “Literally, “what is divided” > piece, section, segment”) belong to the same word-family, which may be related to either 班 (OC *praːn, “to distribute → to arrange, classify → class, group”) or Mizo pʰel (“to split, cut in halves”) (with medial *-r- dropped after labial initials according to Mizo phonotactics) (Schuessler, 2007).


送

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sloːŋs): semantic 辶 (“to walk”) + phonetic 灷 ().
Derivative: 餸／𩠌 (sung3, “(Cantonese) accompanying dish”).


迷

Sino-Xenic (迷):
* → Vietnamese: mê (迷)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *miː): semantic 辵 (“walk”) + phonetic 米 (OC *miːʔ)

Han compound

迷路


郊

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kreːw): phonetic 交 (OC *kreːw) + semantic 阝.


邁

(colloquial, in varieties that don't use 碼) kilometer per hour


述

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɦljud): semantic 辵 (“walk”) + phonetic 朮 (OC *l'ud, *ɦljud).


逮

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'ɯːds, *l'ɯːds): semantic 辶 + phonetic 隶 (OC *lɯds).

Han compound

逮捕

逮小偷兒

逮小偷儿


遍

遍歷

遍历

Such paltry charity cannot reach all. The people will not follow you.

小惠未遍，民弗從也。

小惠未遍，民弗从也。

to be everywhere; to be spread out; to lay out

請再說一遍。

请再说一遍。

已經講咗N遍

已经讲咗N遍

Multiple-pass compilation allows for more extensive and thorough optimization, resulting in a higher quality target program.

Duō biàn biānyì nénggòu shǐ yōuhuà gōngzuò zuò dé gèngduō, gèng chōngfēn, kě huòdé gèng gāo zhìliàng de mùbiāo chéngxù.

多遍編譯能夠使優化工作做得更多、更充分，可獲得更高質量的目標程序。

多遍编译能够使优化工作做得更多、更充分，可获得更高质量的目标程序。

(computing) pass, a run through a document as part of a translation, compilation or reformatting process.


退

→ Thai: ถอย (tɔ̌i)

In oracle bone script, ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 皀 (“food vessel”) + 夊 (“downward foot”) – to leave the table after eating. Variants that depicted the vessel as 酉 or 豆 were common. Bronze inscriptions added 彳 to emphasize the action of walking away.
In the modern form the vessel 皀 has simplified to the unrelated 艮, similar to ⾷, 即, 既, 郷.
Shuowen misinterprets the seal script form as ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 彳 (“move”) + 夊 (“walk”) + 日 (“sun”) – to walk away from the sun, to retreat.


遇

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋos): semantic 辶 + phonetic 禺 (OC *ŋo, *ŋos).
Possibly cognate with 遘 (OC *koːs, *koːs, “to meet”)，覯 (OC *koːs, “to come across”).

Han compound

to meet; to come across; to encounter; to run into


逐

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 辵 (“walking”) + 豕 (“pig”) – "to chase; pursue".

逐年增加


邱

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰʷɯ): phonetic 丘 (OC *kʰʷɯ) + semantic 邑 (“city; town”)
This character originated from the naming taboo of Confucius, 孔丘 (Kǒng Qiū).


辣

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *raːd): semantic 辛 + phonetic 束. The latter is an abbreviation of 剌 (OC *raːd).
Possibly cognate with 厲 (OC *m·rads), 烈 (OC *red).

Han compound

I don't find food that isn't spicy tasty.

無辣不歡

无辣不欢

我不吃辣。


路

Muong language
Proto-Vietic language
Vietnamese language
Waic languages

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡ·raːɡs): semantic 足 + phonetic 各 (OC *klaːɡ).
Either related to 格 (OC *klaːɡ, *kraːɡ, “to come, to arrive (obsolete)”) (Baxter, 1992) or from Austroasiatic (Schuessler, 2007). Compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *kraʔ (“road, way”), whence Proto-Vietic *kraːʔ (→ fossilized Vietnamese sá & Muong khá (“road, way”)), Chong khraa, Kuy (k)na, and Proto-Waic *kraʔ. Possibly cognate with 略 (OC *ɡ·raɡ).
; "-year-old, in multiples of ten"

och-l

(historical) circuit (an administrative unit during the Song and Yuan dynasties)


辭

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 𤔔 (“govern”) + 辛 (“punishment”) – litigation.

Han compound

辞
𤔲
辤
辞
𤔧
辝
𨐲

to resign one's office; to tender one's resignation

辭職

辞职


速

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sloːɡ): semantic 辵 + phonetic 束 (OC *hljoɡ).
Compare Proto-Tibeto-Burman *m-sow (“to arise; to awake; to awaken”) (STEDT). Related to 促 (OC *sʰoɡ, “to urge”) (Schuessler, 2007).

欲速則不達

yù sù zé bù dá

欲速则不达

yù sù zé bù dá


迭

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'iːɡ): semantic 辶 + phonetic 失 (OC *hliɡ).

Han compound

忙不迭


辦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *breːns): phonetic 辡 (OC *prenʔ, *brenʔ) + semantic 力 (“strength”).
Cognate with Tibetan བྲེལ་བ (brel ba, “to be employed; busy”) (Schuessler, 2007). Note also similarities to Burmese ဖန် (hpan, “to make, create”).

cog

法辦／法办

Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms, circa 3ʳᵈ century CE

君信可人，必能辦賊者也。

君信可人，必能办贼者也。

1888, James Dyer Ball, Cantonese Made Easy, Hongkong: The 'China Mail' Office, page 12:

He ought to be sentenced to two weeks' imprisonment.

jing¹ goi¹ baan⁶ keoi⁵ co⁵ loeng⁵ go³ lai⁵ baai³ gaam¹ aa³.

應該辦佢坐兩個禮拜監呀。

应该办佢坐两个礼拜监呀。

Pìrú Yù tàizūn suǒ bàn de rén, dàyuē shí fēn zhōng jiǔ fēn bàn shì liángmín, bànfēn shì zhèxiē xiǎodào.

譬如玉太尊所辦的人，大約十分中九分半是良民，半分是這些小盜。

譬如玉太尊所办的人，大约十分中九分半是良民，半分是这些小盗。


避

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *beɡs): semantic 辶 (“to walk”) + phonetic 辟 (OC *peɡ, *pʰeɡ, *beɡ).


走

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 夭 (“young, running man”) + 止 (“foot”) – a running man. The original version is 𧺆.
The top component (夭) is simplified to the unrelated 土. See also the top component of 去 and 赤.
As with 圭, there are two separate vertical strokes, not a single one.
Schuessler (2007) considers this to be part of a large Sino-Tibetan word family, including 搜 (OC *sru, “to move”), 速 (OC *sloːɡ, “quick”), 夙 (OC *suɡ, “morning”), 聳 (OC *sloŋʔ, “to excite”), 蔌 (OC *sloːɡ, “vegetables”), which derive from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-sow (“to arise; to awake”).

被難

to be killed in a disaster, political incident

走吧！

他走在我的面前。

不要走得那麼快！

不要走得那么快！

How long does it take to walk to the station?

走著去火車站要多久？

走着去火车站要多久？


輕

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰeŋ, *kʰeŋs): semantic 車 (“carriage”) + phonetic 巠 (OC *keːŋ). Explanation of semantic component: light carriage.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-jaːŋ (“light (weight); lightweight”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan ཡང་མོ (yang mo, “light”), Jingpho tsang (tsa̱ŋ³³, “light (of weight)”), Mizo zâng (“light”).

cog

Short for 輕工業／轻工业 (qīnggōngyè, “light industry”).

(obsolete, chemistry) Alternative name for 氫／氢 (qīng, “hydrogen”).


越

→ Vietnamese: vượt (“to pass over”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢʷaːd, *ɢʷad): semantic 走 (“to walk or run”) + phonetic 戉 (OC *ɢʷad) — to go over; to cross.
; “to go over; to surpass; to overstep; to turn”
: Related to 𨒋 (“to go over”), 䟠 (“to go beyond; to transgress”) (Wang, 1982) and perhaps 于 (OC *ɢʷa, “to go”) (Schuessler, 2007).
; “modal particle”
; “Yue; Viet; State of Yue”
: This is a general name for numerous indigenous tribes in ancient southern China, which are collectively called Baiyue. The ancient State of Yue during the Zhou dynasty of China was initially written as 戉 (OC *ɢʷad, “large battle-axe”) — alternatively written as 𫑛 — and it is commonly believed the name Yue originates from this instrument, which was widely found in neolithic cultures of southeastern China and served as a symbol of authority and royalty.
: See 戉 (OC *ɢʷad) for more on the etymology.

Han compound

Spring and Autumn
Spring and Autumn#English

(historical) (～國) The State of Yue: ancient state during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods of Chinese history, in the modern provinces of Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Jiangsu.


邢

Xing Bing (Song dynasty scholar who wrote commentaries on a number of Confucian classics)

邢昺


遼

Cao Wei
Chen dynasty
Eastern Han dynasty
Eastern Wei
Eastern Wu
Eastern Zhou dynasty
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
Han dynasty
Jin dynasty (1115–1234)
Jin dynasty (265–420)
Liang dynasty
Liao dynasty
Liu Song dynasty
Ming dynasty
Northern Qi
Northern Wei
Northern Zhou
Northern and Southern dynasties
Qin dynasty
Qing dynasty
Shang dynasty
Shu Han
Song dynasty
Southern Qi
Southern and Northern dynasties
Spring and Autumn period
Sui dynasty
Tang dynasty
Three Kingdoms
Warring States period
Western Han dynasty
Western Liao
Western Wei
Western Xia
Western Zhou dynasty
Xia dynasty
Xin dynasty
Yuan dynasty
Zhou dynasty

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *reːw): semantic 辵 (“walk”) + phonetic 尞 ().

Han compound

(～河, ～水) Liao (a river in Northeast China)

Short for 遼寧／辽宁 (Liáoníng, “Liaoning Province of China”).


邵

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djews): phonetic 召 (OC *dews, *djews) + semantic 阝.


要

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (要):
* → Japanese: 要(よう) (yō)
* → Korean: 요(要) (yo)
* → Vietnamese: yêu (要)

Characters in the same phonetic series (要) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形): a man 大 then drawn as a woman (女) with two hands pointing to his/her midsection. On top of the character there was huge eye 目, then stylized as a horn 角. The hands gradually shifted upwards; hence, a nearly-original version of the character is 𡢗. All the upper part was eventually stylized as 覀. Unrelated to 栗 but partly related to 票.
Original meaning was “waist” (now 腰 (OC *qew)).

Han etyl

要擊

要击


輪

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *run): semantic 車 (“carriage”) + phonetic 侖 (OC *run).

Han compound

我比他大一輪。

我比他大一轮。

(comparing people's ages) a cycle of Chinese zodiac, twelve years


週

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (週):
* → Japanese: 週(しゅう) (shū)
* → Korean: 주(週) (ju)

→ Zhuang: cou

Considered a 後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì). Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 辶 (“walking”) + phonetic 周 (OC *tjɯw).
Same word as 周 (OC *tjɯw).

zh-l

後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì)


迫

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *praːɡ): semantic 辶 + phonetic 白 (OC *braːɡ).

Han compound

Don't forcefully crowd your way in here!

m⁴ hou² gaap³ ngaang⁶⁻² bik¹ jap⁶ lai⁴ laa¹!

唔好夾硬迫入嚟啦！

唔好夹硬迫入嚟啦！


鄒

→ English: Tsou, Zou

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsru): phonetic 芻 (OC *sʰro) + semantic 邑 (“city; state”)

Han compound

(historical) Zou (an ancient Chinese state during the Zhou dynasty)


軍

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (軍):
* → Japanese: 軍(ぐん) (gun)
* → Korean: 군(軍) (gun)
* → Vietnamese: quân (軍)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 車 (“chariot”) + phonetic 勹. The phonetic component here is not 勹 (OC *pruː), but the original form of 螾 (OC *lin, *linʔ), which also acts as the phonetic component of 旬 (OC *sɢʷin), 勻 (OC *ɢʷin) and 云 (OC *ɢun).
The Shuowen Jiezi interprets it as ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 車 (“cart; chariot”) + 勹 (“to surround”).
Etymology not clear. Perhaps cognate with Tibetan གཡུལ (g.yul, “army; battle”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Alternatively, it is a derivation from 運 (OC *ɢuns, “to move”), or related to 群 (OC *ɡlun).

Han compound

關東軍

关东军

corps; army (consisting of two or more divisions) (Classifier: 個／个)


迎

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋaŋ, *ŋraŋs): semantic 辶 + phonetic 卬 (OC *ŋaːŋ, *ŋaŋʔ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ŋra-k/ŋ (“to meet; to encounter”). Cognate with Burmese ငြင်း (ngrang:, “to refuse to obey; to argue”). Within Chinese, it is related to:
* 禦 (OC *ŋaʔ, *ŋas, “to defend”)
* 迕 (OC *ŋaːs, “to meet; to go against”)
* 迓 (OC *ŋraːs, “to receive; to defend”)
* 溯 (OC *sŋaːɡs, “to go upstream”)
* 逆 (OC *ŋraɡ, “to greet; to go against; to resist”)

och-l

迎著風跑

迎著风跑

to face; to go against; to do something in face of ...; to forge ahead


邑

Characters in the same phonetic series (邑) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 囗 (“enclosure; city wall”) + 卪 (“kneeling person”). The bottom part of the radical is unrelated to 巴 and the top component is most likely unrelated to the original version of 丁.
Possibly Sino-Tibetan. Schuessler (2007) proposes two possible etymologies:
* From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *Ɂip (“shelter”), whence also 葺 (OC *ʔsib, *sʰib, *zib, “thatch”). Said root is apparently allofamic with Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-y(i/u)p (“to sleep”), whence Burmese အိပ် (ip, “to sleep”) (STEDT).
* Related to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k-jim ~ k-jum (“house”), whence Burmese အိမ် (im), Tibetan ཁྱིམ (khyim).


酋

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

Pictogram (象形): Some exposed liquid (八) above an alcohol vessel (酉). See also 酒.

superintendent of the preparation of liquors


郵

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 垂 (“far, remote”) + 阝 (“city”) – "relay station".


郡

Perhaps related to Tibetan ཁུལ (khul, “district; province”) (Gong, 1995).

cog

(historical) An administrative subdivision of imperial China of various status over the centuries, usually translated as commandery or prefecture


辟

In the oracle bone script, it is an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 卩 (“kneeling person”) + 䇂 (“sickle-like tool”) – to administer; to regulate; to punish.
〇 was sometimes added, though its function is disputed:
* Lin (1920) suggests that it represents “bind; restrain”.
* Luo (1927) suggests that it is the original character for 璧 (OC *peɡ, “jade annulus”) and that 辟 is the early form of 璧, with 〇 as the semantic component and ⿰卩䇂 as the phonetic component. Chi (2010), based on this theory, proposes that 〇 acted as a phonetic component in 辟 instead.
* Yu (1999) suggests that it is a decorative component with no meaning.
〇 was later corrupted into 口 or 日. Shuowen interprets 口 as representing the enforcer of the law.
In the bronze script from the Warring States period, forms where 䇂 is corrupted to 辛 begin to appear (Chi, 2010).
Officially adopted as the simplified form of 闢 in the Chinese Character Simplification Scheme (《漢字簡化方案》) in 1956 due to homophony and shared semantic fields.

Han compound

Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China

Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong

When the government of Xia had fallen into disorder, the penal code of Yu was made; under the same circumstances of Shang, the penal code of Tang; and in Zhou, the code of the nine punishments:—those three codes all originated in ages of decay.

Commentary of Zuo, c. 4ᵗʰ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Xià yǒu luànzhèng ér zuò “Yǔ xíng”, Shāng yǒu luànzhèng ér zuò “Tāng xíng”, Zhōu yǒu luànzhèng ér zuò “Jiǔxíng”. Sān pì zhī xīng, jiē shūshì yě.

夏有亂政而作《禹刑》，商有亂政而作《湯刑》，周有亂政而作《九刑》。三辟之興，皆叔世也。

夏有乱政而作《禹刑》，商有乱政而作《汤刑》，周有乱政而作《九刑》。三辟之兴，皆叔世也。

(literary) law; (specifically) penal code


農

In its current form, an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 曲 + 辰 (“field”). Top unrelated to 曲, and previously two hands, one on either side of a bundle 田 – a farmer bringing goods to market, from the field 辰.
Probably Sino-Tibetan. Cognate with 耨 (OC *noːɡs, *nuːɡ, “hoe, rake; to weed”), possibly derived from it with the terminative suffix *-ŋ for action with a goal, i.e. "to get a field hoed" > "cultivated"; compare 亡 (OC *maŋ, “to disappear”) from 無 (OC *ma, “(there is) no”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Huang (2000), Norman (1983) and Zhou (1986) hypothesised that this is the same etymon as 儂 (OC *nuːŋ, “person, I, me”). See there for more.

och-l

菜農

菜农


鄧

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (鄧):
* → Vietnamese: Đặng (鄧)

→ English: Deng, Teng, Tang

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *dɯːŋs): phonetic 登 (OC *tɯːŋ) + semantic 阝 (“city”).

Han compound

鄧麗君

邓丽君

鄧小平

邓小平

Listen to Old Deng (Deng Xiaoping) by day, listen to Little Teng (Teresa Teng) by night

Báitiān tīng Lǎo Dèng, wǎnshang tīng Xiǎo Dèng

白天聽老鄧，晚上聽小鄧

白天听老邓，晚上听小邓


費

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *prɯds, *pʰɯds, *bɯds): phonetic 弗 (OC *pɯd) + semantic 貝 (“cowry”).

Han compound

(historical) placename in modern-day Fei County, Shandong


酗

Written as 䣱 in Shuowen. Compare 醺 (OC *qʰun).
Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰos): semantic 酉 (“alcohol”) + phonetic 凶 (OC *qʰoŋ, “bad”).

Han compound

to be roaring drunk; to become violent under the influence of alcohol


邦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *proːŋ): phonetic 丰 (OC *pʰoŋ) + semantic 阝.
Possibly the same etymon as 封 (OC *poŋ, *poŋs) (Wang, 1982, Schuessler, 2007). Compare also Burmese ပြည် (prany, “country”) (Luce, 1981).

Han compound

北方邦

克欽邦

克钦邦

state; Pradesh (political division of a federation, especially in India and Myanmar.)


語

/ᵑɡui²¹⁻²¹⁵/

/ᵑɡui²¹⁻²¹⁵/

Characters in the same phonetic series (五) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋaʔ, *ŋas): semantic 言 + phonetic 吾 (OC *ŋraː, *ŋaː).
Compare Tibetan ངག (ngag, “speech”).
According to Schuessler (2007), 言 (OC *ŋan, “to speak; speech; talk”) is 語 (OC *ŋaʔ) with a nominal n-suffix.

Han compound

(linguistics) spoken language (contrary to written language 文)


郁

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʷɯ): phonetic 有 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ) + semantic 邑.

Han compound

郁達夫

郁达夫


逼

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *prɯɡ): semantic 辶 + phonetic 畐 (OC *pʰrɯɡ, *bɯɡ).


遷

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

迁
𨙙
䙴
𠨧
䙲
𢍱
𦦉
𦦒
𢍹
𦧂
𨙞
迁
拪
䢬
𢰕
𢫥
𠨩
𠨨
𨔰
𨗺
𨗇
𨕞
𨗢
𨒿
𨙘
𪝴

改觀

to change appearance, to change one's view


鄰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rin): phonetic 粦 (OC *rins) + semantic 阝.


酵

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kruːs): semantic 酉 + phonetic 孝 (OC *qʰruːs) – fermenting in a vessel, making alcoholic drink. 孝 is composed of “young + old”, hence connotations of “aging (in a vase), fermentation”.
In some lects, the pronunciation of 酵 (jiào) is the same as that of 孝 (xiào). This is the result of dubanbian (讀半邊／读半边 (dúbànbiān)).

zh-l

讀半邊／读半边 (dúbànbiān)

(Xiamen and Zhangzhou Hokkien) dough with yeast


請

/t͡ɕʰiaŋ²¹³/

/t͡sʰi̯aŋ³¹/

/t͡sʰiɪŋ⁵⁵⁴/

/t͡ɕʰiaŋ²¹³/

/t͡sʰi̯aŋ³¹/

/t͡sʰiɪŋ⁵⁵⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰleŋʔ, *zleŋs, *zleŋ): semantic 言 (“say”) + phonetic 青 (OC *sʰleːŋ).

Han compound

(dated) to buy holy sacrificial objects (such as joss sticks, candles, paper horses, etc.)


遲

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'il): semantic 辶 (“motion”) + phonetic 犀 (OC *sliːl) – to move slowly, to be late.

Han compound

迟
遟
𨒈
迡
遅
赿
邌
𢕌
⿺辶⿱㇇丰

遲重瑞

迟重瑞


選

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sqʰonʔ, *sqʰons) and ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): semantic 辵 + phonetic 巽 (OC *sqʰuːns).

Han compound

他選了一顆紅蘋果。

他选了一颗红苹果。


說

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (說):
* → Japanese: 説(せつ) (setsu)
* → Korean: 설(說) (seol)
* → Vietnamese: thuyết (說)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hljods, *hljod, *lod): semantic 言 + phonetic 兌 (OC *l'oːds).
All of the pronunciations of this character are in the same word family apparently derived from a root *lo meaning “to loosen; to relax” (Schuessler, 2007); based on this, STEDT compares the word to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/s-lwat (“free; release; slip; dislocate”), whence also 脫 (OC *l̥ʰoːd, *l'oːd, “to peel off, take off (clothes), escape, etc.”). However, STEDT also offers an alternative derivation from a provisional Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-tsyat (“to speak, say”), comparing Tibetan འཆད ('chad, “to say, explain”), which is semantically more appealing; the association with the words associated with "release" may be a case of phonetic pigeonholing.
According to the "release" theory, Pronunciation 1 is derived by causative devoicing of 悅 (OC *lod, “to relax; to be delighted”) (pronunciation 3).
Pronunciation 2 is probably the exoactive of pronunciation 1.

och-l

說漢語

说汉语

說話

说话

這就是我所說的。

这就是我所说的。


谷

Proto-Sino-Tibetan language
Tibetan language

Characters in the same phonetic series (谷) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) — valley (口) in between two mountain walls represented by near-parallel lines. The original version is 𠔌. See also 㕣.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kl(j)u(ŋ/k) (“river; gorge”). Cognate with Tibetan ལྗོངས (ljongs), Tibetan ཀླུང (klung) and Tibetan ལུང་པ (lung pa).

inh-lite

谷愛凌

谷爱凌


鄭

desc

→ English: Cheng, Zheng, Tseng, Tay, Teh, Tee, Tey

→ Tagalog: Ty, Tee (via Hokkien)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *deŋs): phonetic 奠 (OC *diːŋs) + semantic 邑.

Han compound

If you would spare Zheng as a host of the eastern roads, we are willing to provide hospitability and aid to your eastbound diplomatic missions. There could be no harm to you in this.

Ruò shě Zhèng yǐwéi dōngdàozhǔ, xínglǐ zhī wǎnglái, gōng qí fákùn, jūn yì wú suǒ hài.

若舍鄭以為東道主，行李之往來，共其乏困，君亦無所害。

若舍郑以为东道主，行李之往来，共其乏困，君亦无所害。

(historical) Zheng (a former state in modern-day Henan, during the Zhou dynasty)


進

→ Vietnamese: tiến

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 辵 (“walk”) + 隹 (“short-tail bird”). A bird can only walk forward not backward, hence implying "forward". Shuowen Jiezi interprets it as
Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔslins): semantic 辵 + abbreviated phonetic 閵 (OC *rins).
Unknown (Schuessler, 2007). Note similarities to Burmese ဆန်း (hcan:, “to be new; to begin a new year or season”).

cog

一個女孩進了房間。

一个女孩进了房间。


衣

Characters in the same phonetic series (衣) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) Outline of the chest, upper clothing. Compare to the upper part of 文.
This pictogram 衣 can be split into two parts and hold another component (e.g., 裹, 衮, 褱, 襄, and 𧝑 as used in 㞡 > 展). See also the top component of 雜.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *w(y)a-t ~ wit (“to wear; to clothe”).
Pronunciation 2 ("to wear") is the exoactive form of pronunciation 1 ("garment; clothes").


逆

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋraɡ): semantic 辶 (“movement”) + phonetic 屰 (OC *ŋraɡ, “go against”) – going in the opposite direction, contrary, disobedient.
Also originally written 屰, see there for more.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ŋra-k/ŋ (“to meet; to encounter”). Cognate with 迎 (OC *ŋaŋ, *ŋraŋs, “to receive, to welcome; to face, to go against”) and 額 (OC *ŋɡraːɡ, “forehead”).

och-l

屰
𨒫
扴
桀
恝
椵
硌


追

/ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕy̯e̞i̯³³/

/ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕy̯e̞i̯³³/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tul): semantic 辶 (“movement”) + phonetic 𠂤 () – moving after, pursuit. See also 師 and 官.

緬懷

to cherish the memory of, especially the deceased


遞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'eːʔ, *l'eːs): semantic 辶 + phonetic 虒 (OC *sle).

Han compound

递
逓
遰
遆
𨓝
𨔛
𨕑
𨘬
𨓠
𨒾
𮞏
𨔄

請把鹽遞給我。

请把盐递给我。

Pass this piece of paper to the teacher, please.

m⁴ goi¹ bong¹ ngo⁵ dai⁶ zoeng¹ zi² bei² aa³ soe⁴ aa¹.

唔該幫我遞張紙畀阿Sir啊。

唔该帮我递张纸畀阿Sir啊。

to pass; to hand over; to deliver; to transmit


郇

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡʷreːn, *sqʰʷin): phonetic 旬 (OC *sɢʷin) + semantic 邑 (“state; city”).

Han compound

(～國) Xun (feudal state during the Zhou dynasty, in modern southern Shanxi, China)


郇

Ultimately from Hebrew צִיּוֹן (tsiyón).

Sing praises to Yahweh, who dwells in Zion, and declare among the people what he has done.

1919, 《新舊約全書：文理和合譯本》 [Wenli Bible, Union Version], 詩篇 [Psalm] 9:11

Jū Xún zhī Yēhéhuá, yí gēsòng zhī, xuān qí zuòwéi yú zhūmín xī

居郇之耶和華、宜歌頌之、宣其作爲於諸民兮

居郇之耶和华、宜歌颂之、宣其作为于诸民兮

Chāi-chá tī Sûn-siâⁿ, Kok-kok-thaⁿ ê soaⁿ-téng, Kui kûn lâng kap peng-teng, Khòaⁿ-kìⁿ Chú siū tèng.

在昔在郇城，各各他的山頂，歸群人及兵丁，看見主受釘。

在昔在郇城，各各他的山顶，归群人及兵丁，看见主受钉。

Each breeze that sweeps the ocean brings tidings from afar of nations in commotion, prepared for Zion’s war.

1984 [1986], translation edited by 滕近輝 [Philip Teng] and 何統雄 [Richard Ho], 萬民奮興 [The Morning Light Is Breaking], in 《生命聖詩》 [Hymns of Life]

Hǎiyáng zhī fēng zhènzhèn chuī, dàilái yuǎnfāng xiāoxi: zhòng bāngguó fēnfēn jùjí, yào yǔ Xún chéng duìzhì.

海洋之風陣陣吹，帶來遠方消息：眾邦國紛紛聚集，要與郇城對峙。

海洋之风阵阵吹，带来远方消息：众邦国纷纷聚集，要与郇城对峙。


醉

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (醉):
* → Korean: 취(醉) (chwi)
* → Vietnamese: túy (醉)

/t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

/t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsuds): semantic 酉 (“alcoholic drink”) + phonetic 卒 (OC *ʔsuːd, *sʰuːd, *ʔsud).

Han compound

喝醉

Happily and long into the night we drink; till all are drunk, there is no retiring.

The Classic of Poetry, c. 11ᵗʰ – 7ᵗʰ centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

厭厭夜飲，不醉無歸。

厌厌夜饮，不醉无归。

The fisherman saw him and asked: "Were you not the sanlü dafu [a high position in the Chu court]? How have you ended up like this?"
Qu Yuan said: "The whole world was muddy and I was clean alone; all men were drunk and I was sober alone; and I was exiled for that!"

The Verses of Chu, 4ᵗʰ century BCE – 2ⁿᵈ century CE

Yúfù jiàn ér wèn zhī yuē: “Zǐ fēi sānlǘdàfū yú? Hégù zhì yú sī!”
Qū Yuán yuē: “Jǔshì jiē zhuó wǒ dú qīng, zhòngrén jiē zuì wǒ dú xǐng, shìyǐ jiàn fàng!”

漁父見而問之曰：「子非三閭大夫與？何故至於斯！」
屈原曰：「舉世皆濁我獨清，眾人皆醉我獨醒，是以見放！」

渔父见而问之曰：「子非三闾大夫与？何故至于斯！」
屈原曰：「举世皆浊我独清，众人皆醉我独醒，是以见放！」

When they were allowed this, they made the earlier attendants drink alcohol, making them drunk; stole their horses; and presented them to Zichang. Zichang then let the marquis return to Tang.

Xǔ zhī, yǐn xiān cóng zhě jiǔ, zuì zhī, qiè mǎ ér xiàn zhī Zǐcháng, Zǐcháng guī Táng hóu.

許之，飲先從者酒，醉之，竊馬而獻之子常，子常歸唐侯。

许之，饮先从者酒，醉之，窃马而献之子常，子常归唐侯。

Alcohol does not intoxicate men, men are intoxicated by themselves; women do not infatuate men, men are infatuated by themselves.

The Plum in the Golden Vase, circa 1610 CE

Jiǔ bù zuì rén rén zì zuì, sè bù mí rén rén zì mí.

酒不醉人人自醉，色不迷人人自迷。

醉心

to be fascinated with; to be enchanted by; to be crazy about; to be addicted to

醉蝦

醉虾


醒

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (醒):
* → Vietnamese: tỉnh (醒)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *seːŋ, *seːŋʔ, *seːŋs): semantic 酉 (“alcohol”) + phonetic 星 (OC *sleːŋ).
Cognate with 清 (OC *sʰleŋ, “clear”) (Schuessler, 2007). See there for more.