曬

Compare Proto-Monic *caj (“to spread in the sun to dry”) (Schuessler, 2007).
; “(slang) to share; to show”

cog

曬衣服／晒衣服

外面很曬。

外面很晒。

with strong sunshine; glaring; glaringly hot

(neologism, slang) to display publicly to show off; to share (in order to fish for compliments)


曾

→ English: Tseng, Zeng, Chan, Tsang

→ Tagalog: Chan

Pictogram (象形) – a cooker for steaming food. The derivative 甑 (OC *ʔsɯŋs) refers to the original word.

Zeng Guofan (Chinese statesman and military general of the Qing dynasty)

曾國藩

曾国藩


替

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 竝 + 曰 – two figures (竝) changing places. Two top components have been simplified from 立 to 夫.

He said: "There are those who say that if we always hold firm to the limits of the hua and the yi and keep to the borders between the Confucian and profane worlds, our circumstances shall be forlorn and our strength faltering. The cause of honoring and commemorating is not upheld thereby. So if we disregard whether the customs are hua or yi or whether the people are of the old or new types, breaking these boundaries and achieving our aim along with them, this would also be a way to act appropriately for these times. What do you have to say?"

Wal: "Yu wi ilhyang eom hwai ji banghan, su yu sok ji gyebun, jeuk se go ryeok che. Jonmo ji ui mu i yuji. Jeuk bulmun sok ji hwai, in ji gusin, pa gi hyu reung, i yeo ji seong gi sa, yeok siui ji il do ya. Gi eon yeoha?"

曰：「有謂一向嚴華夷之防閑，守儒俗之界分，則勢孤力替。尊慕之義無以維持。則不問俗之華夷、人之舊新，破其畦稜，而與之成其事，亦時宜之一道也。其言如何？」

to decline; to go downhill; to be on the wane; to fall; to decay


望

→ Thai: มอง (mɔɔng, “watch, look”)

Burmese language
Proto-Sino-Tibetan language

Originally written 𦣠, an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 臣 (“eye”) + 𡈼 (“person standing on the ground”) – a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 (“moon”) was added to produce 朢.
The 臣 component is now written 亡, making the current form a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *maŋ, *maŋs): phonetic 亡 (OC *maŋ) + semantic 月 + semantic 𡈼.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mraŋ (“to see”). Cognate with Burmese မြင် (mrang).

Han compound

朢
𣈂
𦣠
𥩿
𣍢
𥪛
𢾘
𭱗

ancestral home; place of origin (of one's lineage)

郡望

地望

朔望月

In the year 1081, the seventh moon just on the wane, I went with a friend on a boat excursion to the Red Wall.

1082, Su Shi (蘇軾), The Red Wall: Summer (《前赤壁賦》). English translation by Herbert Allen Giles.

Rénxū zhī qiū, qīyuè jìwàng, Sūzǐ yǔ kè fànzhōu yóu yú Chìbì zhī xià.

壬戌之秋，七月既望，蘇子與客泛舟遊於赤壁之下。

壬戌之秋，七月既望，苏子与客泛舟游于赤壁之下。

(Chinese astronomy) the day or night of the full moon

alt. forms: 往

望前頭跑

望前头跑


期

Characters in the same phonetic series (其) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kɯ, *ɡɯ): phonetic 其 (OC *kɯ, *ɡɯ) + semantic 月 (“moon”) – changing moon marks the passage of time, hence a period of time. In the original version, there was a sun 日 instead of the moon, hence the original version is 㫷 (with variant 𣇳).
Cognate with 其 (OC *kɯ, “should; probably”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

朞
𣍡
𣍣
𣍠
㫷
𣇳
𣅆
稘
其
𠔸
𡢁
𥟝
𣔔
𦝁

限期

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

Huì tiān dàyǔ, dào bù tōng, duó yǐ shīqī. Shīqī, fǎ jiē zhǎn.

會天大雨，道不通，度已失期。失期，法皆斬。

会天大雨，道不通，度已失期。失期，法皆斩。

date; specific day; scheduled time (Classifier: 個／个 c)

學期

学期

青春期

Classifier for issues of periodical publications. ⇒ all nouns using this classifier

Classifier for periods of time or stages of a project.


木

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (木):
* → Japanese: 木(もく) (moku); 木(ぼく) (boku)
* → Korean: 목(木) (mok)
* → Vietnamese: mộc (木)

→ Lü: ᦙᦴᧉ (muu²)

Characters in the same phonetic series (木) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a tree: branches on top, roots on the bottom (more visible in earlier forms). See also 本, 未, 末 and the top component of both 尞 and 夌 in their original version.
Unrelated to 耒, in which it represents a bifurcated plow, and 茶, in which it represents the door of a hut. Unrelated to 米 since it is the pictogram of six rice kernels with a sieve in the middle. Also unrelated to 保, in which it represents the body of a newborn baby. Eventually, unrelated to 罙, in which the bottom part represents a fire inside a kitchen stove.
No known cognate exists. It can perhaps be compared with Proto-Karen *məŋᴮ (“trunk (of a tree); firewood”) (Starostin) or Proto-Lolo-Burmese *ʔmuk (“stump (of a tree)”) (Schuessler, 2007).
The common Sino-Tibetan root for “tree; wood” is *siŋ ~ sik, represented by 薪 (OC *siŋ, “firewood”).

cog

樹木／树木

灌木

木芍藥／木芍药

But doing what you do to seek for what you desire is like climbing a tree to seek for fish.

Yǐ ruò suǒ wéi qiú ruò suǒ yù, yóu yuán mù ér qiú yú yě.

以若所為求若所欲，猶緣木而求魚也。

以若所为求若所欲，犹缘木而求鱼也。

木頭／木头

wood; timber (Classifier: 條／条 c; 塊／块 c; 嚿 c; 轆／辘 c)

就木

to die (literally, “to enter one's coffin”)

Yuan Rang got up on the coffin [of his mother] and said, "It is long since I sang to anything."

The Book of Rites, c. 4ᵗʰ – 2ⁿᵈ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Yuán Rǎng dēng mù yuē: “Jiǔ yǐ yǔ zhī bù tuō yú yīn yě.”

原壤登木曰：「久矣予之不托於音也。」

原壤登木曰：「久矣予之不托于音也。」

有木有

(Mandarin, neologism, slang) Eye dialect spelling of 沒 /没.


未

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (未):
* → Japanese: 未(み) (mi); 未(び) (bi)
* → Korean: 미(未) (mi)
* → Vietnamese: vị (未)

→ Vietnamese: Mùi

Pictogram (象形) – a tree with two layers of branches, or a tree's top branches not yet at full growth, signifying not grown (yet)
; "not yet"
; "eighth earthly branch"
: As for its association with the goat, Ferlus (2013) notes there is good correspondence with Austronesian Atayal miːts (“lamb”); also compare Lao ມົດ (mot, “year of the lamb”).


本

Sino-Xenic (本):
* → Japanese: 本(ほん) (hon)
* → Okinawan: 本(ふん) (fun)
* → Korean: 본(本) (bon)
* → Vietnamese: bổn (本), bản (本)

desc

→ Thai: พื้น (pʉ́ʉn, “foundation, floor”)

→ Vietnamese: vốn

Ideogram (指事): a tree (木 (mù)) with its bottom highlighted with an extra stroke, accentuating the roots; contrast 末, 朱.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(b/p)ul (“root; stump; tree”) (STEDT). Cognate with Mizo bul (“cause; beginning; root; stump”), Jingpho phun (“tree; bush; stalk; wood”), Garo bol (“tree”).

cog

(Korean Classical Chinese) ancestral seat of a descent group


朵

Sino-Xenic (朵):
* → Vietnamese: đoá (朵)

Originally a Ideogram (指事) depicting a stalk of a plant 禾 with something drooping. The bottom part of 禾 corrupted into 木, while the extra stroke corrupted into 乃, later simplified into 几.
“Hanging from a tree” > “flower” > classifier for flowers.
Probably from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(d/n)waj (“to hang from; to cling to; creeper”); see 垂 (OC *djol, “to hang down”) for more (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).
Also compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *kt₂uur (“ear”) (Schuessler, 2007).

inh

(of branches, leaves, flowers, fruits) hanging from a tree

leaves; flowers; fruits; leaves; flowers; fruits

一百朵玫瑰


朵

(Southern Min) Classifier for clusters of fruits.


朵

(Cantonese) name; nickname; title (Classifier: 個／个 c)

(Cantonese) reputation; name (Classifier: 個／个 c)


杆

旗杆

桅杆

Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China

Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong


架

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kraːls): phonetic 加 (OC *kraːl) + semantic 木 (“tree, wood”) – a wooden prop.
Cognate with Burmese ကြာ (kra, “to last, take time”) (Hill (2019), p. 205).


染

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 氵 (“water”) + 九 (“hook”) + 木 (“tree”) – to hang (on a hook 九) from a tree (木) into water (氵), so as to dye.
Earlier forms more often graphically 氵 + 杂; in the modern form, the water radical is moved upward to the upper-left corner.
Coblin (1986) compares this to Tibetan ཉམས་པ (nyams pa, “be stained, tarnished, spoiled”); Pan (1987) also notes Proto-Tai *ɲuɔmᴬ as well as Vietnamese nhuộm, both meaning "to dye".
Schuessler (2007) cites Downer (1986)'s opinion that form with 上 (shàng) tone is the verb, while form with 去 (qù) tone is the noun meaning "kind of cloth" (Lǐjì).


株

→ Proto-Tai: *toːᴬ

Thai: ตอ (dtɔɔ)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *to): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 朱 (OC *tjo).
Perhaps Austroasiatic; compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *ɟhooʔ (“tree; wood”), whence Mon ဆု (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

(literally) to watch a tree stump waiting for a rabbit

守株待兔

A thousand stalks of old cypress, ten thousand stems of tall bamboo.

Wu Cheng'en, Journey to the West, 16ᵗʰ century CE

千株老柏，萬節修篁。

千株老柏，万节修篁。

Classifier for plants. ⇒ all nouns using this classifier


桶

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l̥ʰoːŋʔ, *l'oːŋʔ): semantic 木 (“wood”) + phonetic 甬 (OC *loŋʔ).
Compare Khmer ថាំង (thang), Thai ถัง (tǎng).


梨

→ Malay: lai (“pear”)

→ Proto-Hmong-Mien: *rəj (“pear”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ril): phonetic 利 (OC *rids) + semantic 木.
Unknown. Also found in Proto-Hmong-Mien *rəj; folk etymology derives this from 利 (OC *rids, “sharp”) (Schuessler, 2007).


極

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡɯɡ): semantic 木 (“tree, wood”) + phonetic 亟 (OC *kʰɯɡs, *kɯɡ) – originally meaning a crossbeam rafter.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kak (“expensive; at its peak”) (STEDT). Cognate with 亟 (OC *kɯɡ, “urgent”), 殛 (OC *kɯɡ, “to kill”) (Schuessler, 2007).


槍

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (槍):
* → Korean: 창(槍) (chang)
* → Vietnamese: thương (槍)

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰi̯oŋ²⁴/

/t͡ɕʰi̯æn³³/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰi̯oŋ²⁴/

/t͡ɕʰi̯æn³³/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sʰaŋ, *sʰraːŋ): semantic 木 + phonetic 倉 (OC *sʰaːŋ).

Han compound

兩把槍／两把枪 [Cantonese] ― loeng⁵ baa² coeng¹ [Jyutping] ― two guns

gun; firearm; shooter (Classifier: 桿／杆 m; 支 m c; 把 m c)

keoi⁵ zung¹ zo² gei² coeng¹, lau⁴ zo² hou² do¹ hyut³.

佢中咗幾槍，流咗好多血。

佢中咗几枪，流咗好多血。


槍

Only used in 欃槍／欃枪 (chánchēng, “comet”).


欠

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰiɛn²¹³/

/t͡ɕʰiɛn²¹³/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³²⁴/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰiɛn²¹³/

/t͡ɕʰiɛn²¹³/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³²⁴/

Characters in the same phonetic series (欠) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a kneeling person with mouth open for various reasons (e.g., begging 欠, speaking and/or spitting while speaking 次, blowing 吹, singing 歌, desiring 欲, being tired 軟, vomiting 歐...).
The reversed version of this character is 㒫 > 旡 (e.g. 既), which must not be confused with 无.
Similar but unrelated to 卩, in which the person kneeling has the mouth shut.


款

Originally 歀 (kuài), phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): phonetic 柰 (OC *naːds) + semantic 欠 (“lacking, desire”), meaning “desire”. The 木 component was simplified into 士 via libian, similar to 隸→隷.
Shuowen Jiezi interprets it as phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰloːnʔ): abbreviated phonetic 窾 (OC *kʰloːnʔ) + semantic 欠 (“lacking, desire”).

Han compound

*欵
歀
㱁
𣢻
𣣙
𣤂


歇

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *qʰad): phonetic 曷 (OC *ɡaːd) + semantic 欠.
Related to 愒 (OC *kʰrad) (Sagart, 2007) and 憩 (OC *kʰrads) (Wang, 1982).


止

Characters in the same phonetic series (止) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a footprint pointing up, originally meaning "foot". The derivative 趾 (OC *kjɯʔ) refers to the original meaning. Compare 手 (“hand”). Note that in oracle script, composed of 3 toes and a sole.
Compare to 夊, 夂, which have similar shape in oracle script, but pointing down (toe pointing right), and 𡕒 (as in right side of 舛, roughly ヰ, toe pointing left), hence different evolution.
Compare to 丑, which is the pictogram of an animal claw.
Eventually, note that the foot is represented with three toes, like the human hand in the characters 爪, 寸, 九, 又, and 彐.


正

Burmese language
Chepang language
Jingpho language
Khmer language
Mizo language
Proto-Sino-Tibetan language
Thai language
Tibetan language

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tjeŋ, *tjeŋs): phonetic 丁 (OC *rteːŋ, *teːŋ) + semantic 止 (“foot”) – to go on a long journey. Original form of 征 (OC *tjeŋ, “to go on long campaign”).
Later, 丁 was simplified into a horizontal stroke, as in 旦. Folk etymologies do not recognize 丁. Graphically, the modern version of the character is the reverse of 之.
Sino-Tibetan or area word: “centre; target; first (month); straight; correct”.
Compare Mizo dîng (“to go straight or direct (as person, arrow etc.); to go straight through without breaking the journey; straight; direct”). Matisoff sets up Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-tjak/ŋ ~ tik/ŋ (“good; very; real; straight”) for this, which includes 正, 直 (OC *dɯɡ, “straight; right”) and 實 (OC *ɦliɡ, “solid; true”).
Additionally, Matisoff has Proto-Sino-Tibetan *t(r)waŋ (“straight; straighten”), whence Chepang धेङ्सा (dʰeŋ-, “straight”), Jingpho ding (“straight”), Tibetan དྲང་པོ (drang po, “straight; correct; upright; just; fair”), Burmese တန်း (tan:, “straight; to head straight for”). Also compare Khmer ទៀង (tiĕng, “accurate; correct; exact; precise; honest”) and Thai ดิ่ง (dìng, “vertically; straight; to plummet”).
Derivatives:
* 征 (OC *tjeŋ, “to go straight > to go on a journey”)
* 政 (OC *tjeŋs, “correct; to govern; government; to determine”)
* 整 (OC *tjeŋʔ, “orderly; to arrange; to dispose”)
For etymology of pronunciation 正 (zhĕng) in the month 正月 (zhēngyuè)'s name, see there.

och-l

正音


此

Characters in the same phonetic series (此) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 止 (“feet”) + 人 (“person”) – where a person stops; here.
Alternatively, this may be the original form of 跐 (OC *ʔsreːʔ, *ʔseʔ, *sʰeʔ, *ʔsreʔ, “to stamp, to stop, to stand”).
Cognate with 斯 (OC *se, “this”).
STEDT compares 此 (OC *sʰeʔ) and 斯 (OC *se) to Proto-Tani *si (“this”).

och-l

請按此。

请按此。

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven came here on a trip.

齊天大聖到此一遊。

齐天大圣到此一游。


步

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 止 (“foot”) + 止 (“foot”) reversed – one foot in front of the other. Compare: 夅, 舛, other characters deriving from "two feet". See also the inner component of 歲. Unrelated to 少.

Han compound

歨
𣥕
歩
𡵯
𰰦
𣥗
𣥶
𩣝


歪

Originally written as 竵. In its current form, an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 不 (“not”) + 正 (“straight; proper”).


母

Sino-Xenic (母):
* → Vietnamese: mẫu (母)

Differentiated form of 女 with the addition of distinguishing dots. In the early oracle bone texts both words 女 (OC *naʔ, *nas, “woman”) and 母 were written as 女 (Yao, 1989, Liu, 2011, Huang, 2014). Part of this character appears in 乳.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mow (“woman, female”).

inh

(figuratively, of instruments, tools, or connectors) female


每

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (每):
* → Japanese: 每(まい) (mai)
* → Korean: 매(每) (mae)
* → Vietnamese: mỗi (每)

→ Vietnamese: mọi

Shuowen: Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *mɯːʔ): semantic 屮 + phonetic 母 (OC *mɯʔ). Perhaps, in this character, the top component represents a hairpin (笄) made of bamboo to indicate that the woman was at least 15 years old.
Otherwise, partly in accordance to the interpretation of Xu Shen, the sprout indicates that the woman was considered adult and ready to be married and generate sons.
See the original form of 敖, in which the top component is the same. See also 毒.
The top component of the character is unrelated to 旅, 伤, 复, 乞 as well as 人.
Possibly from Proto-Mon-Khmer *muuj (“cardinal number one”) (Schuessler, 2007).

der

Lush are the fields! The old are about to be discarded; the new are being planned (or "making a plan"). (Ominous song heard before the Battle of Chengpu, precise meaning debated.)

Yuántián měiměi, shě qí jiù ér xīn shì móu.

原田每每，舍其舊而新是謀。

原田每每，舍其旧而新是谋。


毛

→ Arabic: مَاو (māw)

→ English: Mao

→ French: Mao

→ German: Mao

→ Italian: Mao

→ Persian: مائو (mâ'u)

→ Russian: Ма́о (Máo)

→ Turkish: Mao

→ Uyghur: ماۋ (maw)

Characters in the same phonetic series (毛) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – feather or hair.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s/r-m(u/i/ja)l (“hair; fur; feather”); related to 眉 (OC *mril, “eyebrow”) and cognate with Manipuri ꯃꯨꯅ (mun, “pubic hair”), Garo খিমিল (khimil, “hair; fur”), Proto-Lolo-Burmese *ʔ-məw¹ (“body hair”) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007).
(Cantonese) (mold): folk etymology suggests from English mold.

cog

一毛錢／一毛钱

三塊兩毛／三块两毛

three yuan and two jiao / three dollars and twenty cents

五毛黨／五毛党 ― wǔmáodǎng ― wumao

(colloquial) jiao; one tenth of a yuan or dollar; ten cents; dime

毛茶

你識條毛咩？

你识条毛咩？

(Cantonese, colloquial, always with the classifier) nothing; damn all; jack shit; bugger all (Classifier: 條／条 c)


氣

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (氣):
* → Japanese: 気(き) (ki)
* → Korean: 기(氣) (gi)
* → Vietnamese: khí (氣)

→ English: chi, qi, ki

→ Finnish: ki

/t͡ɕʰiə̯ɻ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰiə̯ɻ⁵¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰɯds, *qʰɯds): phonetic 气 (OC *kʰɯds) + semantic 米 (“rice”) – to give rice as a gift.
Later borrowed meanings of “air, flow” from 气 (OC *kʰɯds). The derivative 餼 (OC *qʰɯds) refers to the original word. Compare 乞 (OC *kʰɯds, *kʰɯd).

Han compound

气
气
炁
𣱛
𣱖
𤽍
𣅠
㫓
*暣
気

喘不過氣來

喘不过气来

我會戰鬥到最后一口氣。

我会战斗到最后一口气。

元氣

元气

氣虛

气虚

traditional Chinese medicine
traditional Chinese medicine

(Chinese philosophy, traditional Chinese medicine) qi; vital energy; life force

氣味

气味

to have the odor of alcohol all over one's body

滿身酒氣

满身酒气

生氣

生气

消消氣

消消气

有男人氣

有男人气

書生氣

书生气


求

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯əu̯¹³/

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯əu̯¹³/

Pictogram (象形) of a centipede. Original form of 蛷 (OC *ɡu).
Likely cognate with 救 (OC *kus, “to save, help”), Burmese ကူ (ku, “to help”) (STEDT).


汗

→ Zhuang: hanh

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kaːn, *ɡaːn, *ɡaːns): semantic 水 + phonetic 干 (OC *kaːn).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-(k/ŋ)rul (“sweat”). Compare Tibetan རྔུལ (rngul, “sweat”).

Han compound

我正流著汗。

我正流着汗。

to sweat so much that the head is drenched

出了一頭大汗

出了一头大汗

他去跑步流了一身汗。

(literary) condensation on bamboo when put over fire


決

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (決):
* → Vietnamese: quyết (決)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʷeːd, *qʰʷeːd): semantic 氵 + phonetic 夬 (OC *kʷraːds).
Possibly a derivative of 夬 (OC *kʷraːds, “to split”).

Han compound

决
决
𣲺
决
决
𣲺
吷
𦐍
𦐋
决
决
缺

炮決

炮决

斬立決

斩立决

(Xiamen and Quanzhou Hokkien) to execute by shooting

to execute; to put to death
to execute by shooting


沖

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *duŋ): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 中 (OC *tuŋ, *tuŋs).

Han compound

沖茶

冲茶

Here's your coffee, just the way you like it.

Gěi nǐ de kāfēi, àn nǐ de kǒuwèi chōng de.

給你的咖啡，按你的口味沖的。

给你的咖啡，按你的口味冲的。

沖喜

冲喜

(dialectal) flatland in a mountainous area (Classifier: 個／个)


油

→ Vietnamese: dầu (𪽠)

Characters in the same phonetic series (由) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *lɯw, *lɯwɢs): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 由 (OC *lɯw).
;“weeb”

Han compound

The teacher posted the picture that my brother coloured on the board.

lou⁵ si¹ zoeng¹ dai⁶⁻⁴ dai⁶⁻² jau⁴ go² fuk¹ waa² tip³ tong⁴.

老師將弟弟油嗰幅畫貼堂。

老师将弟弟油嗰幅画贴堂。

(Cantonese) to colour (with crayons, coloured pencils, oil pastel, etc.)


治

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'ɯ, *l'ɯs, *l'is): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 台 (OC *l̥ʰɯː, *l'ɯː, *l'ɯː, *lɯ) — name of a river.
Sagart (1999) relates it to 釐 (OC *rɯ, “to govern; to regulate”).

Han compound

省治

(historical) former seat of a local government


洒

/t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴/


洞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *doːŋ, *doːŋs): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 同 (OC *doːŋ).
; “hole; cavity” > “penetrating; thorough; zero”

Han compound

(literary, or in compounds) thorough; penetrating

the numeral zero (used in radio communications in aviation and by the military)

dong, a submunicipal administrative division in North and South Korea


洞

Only used in 澒洞／𭱊洞 (hòngtóng) and 洪洞 (Hóngtóng, “Hongtong”).


浪

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *raːŋ, *raːŋs): semantic 水 + phonetic 良 (OC *raŋ).
May be a colloquial variant of 瀾／澜 (lán, “wave”). Probably not related to Tibetan དབའ་ཀློང (dba' klong, “wave”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

Where have you been playin’ out this time?

你又去哪兒浪去了？

你又去哪儿浪去了？

(dialectal Mandarin or slang) to amuse oneself; to have fun; to go out; to hang out; to stroll


浮

→ Proto-Tai: *wuːᴬ (“to float”)

Thai: ฟู (fuu, “to float, to swell”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *bu): semantic 水 (“river”) + phonetic 孚 (OC *pʰuw).
Related to 漂 (OC *pʰew, *pʰews, “to float, drift”); see there for more.

Han compound

GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified)

浮水

浮土

浮誇

浮夸


涼

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡ·raŋ, *ɡ·raŋs, *ɡ·raŋs): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 京 (OC *kraŋ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/s-glak ~ m-glaŋ (“cold; freeze”). Cognate with 霜 (OC *sraŋ, “frost”), Tibetan གྲང་ (grang, “cold”). According to Schuessler (2007), this etymon seems to have a wider distribution: Compare Austroasiatic Kharia raŋga (“cold; freeze”), Khmer រងា (rɔɔrɔngiə, “cold”).
A derivative is probably 凔 (OC *sʰaːŋ, “cold”). A vocalic variant is 冷 (OC *raːŋʔ, *reːŋ, *reːŋʔ, “cold”).

inh

[Let's] all go away; the Flash platform is already dead!

都散了吧，Flash平臺已涼！

都散了吧，Flash平台已凉！

As a phone OS, webOS is long since thoroughly dead!

Zuòwéi shǒujī xìtǒng de webOS zǎojiù liáng tòu le!

作為手機系統的webOS早就涼透了！

作为手机系统的webOS早就凉透了！

(slang, neologism) be done for; be finished or destroyed; gone for the dogs; curtains (for someone)


混

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡuːnʔ): semantic 氵 + phonetic 昆 (OC *kuːn).


添

→ Vietnamese: thêm

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tʰiːm): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 忝 (OC *l̥ʰiːmʔ, *l̥ʰiːms) – to increase by pouring more water in.
Compare Proto-Tai *k.temᴬ (“full”), whence Thai เต็ม (dtem, “full”) (Manomaivibool, 1975).

Han compound

(Cantonese) A transliteration of the English male given name Tim


清

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
Mainland Southeast Asia linguistic area
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

→ English: Ching, Cing, Qing

/t͡sʰi̯aŋ²⁴/

/t͡sʰi̯aŋ²⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sʰleŋ): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 青 (OC *sʰleːŋ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(t)s(j)aŋ (“clear; pure; clean”); cognate with Tibetan གཙང (gtsang, “clean; pure”), Mizo thiang (“to be clear; to be clean; to be pure”), Southern Qiang ɕó, Drung cangma (“clean”), Burmese စင် (cang, “clean, pure”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).
Within Chinese, cognate with 淨 (OC *zeŋs, “clean”), 醒 (OC *seːŋ, *seːŋʔ, *seːŋs, “to wake up; to become sober”), and allofamic with 星 (OC *sleːŋ, “star”), 晴 (OC *zleŋ, “(of weather) clear; fine”); possibly also related to 靜 (OC *zleŋʔ, “quiet”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Perhaps an areal word; compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *caŋ (“to glitter”) (Schuessler, 2007).

och-l

(～朝) the Qing (Ching) dynasty (Manchu) (1644-1911)


減

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *krɯːmʔ, *ɡrɯːmʔ): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 咸 (OC *ɡrɯːm, “seal”) - to seal off a stream of water, decreasing its flow. 咸 is the original character of 緘 /缄 and also serves as a semantic component.

Han compound

减
减
减
噉
咁
𡄎
緊
减


渠

Attested since 4th to 5th century CE, preserved in many central and southern dialects (Schuessler, 2007). See 佢 and 伊.

[I want to] ask it [the pond] why it can be so clear. It is because running water continuously flows in.

Wèn qú nǎ dé qīng rú xǔ, wèi yǒu yuántóu huóshuǐ lái.

問渠哪得清如許，為有源頭活水來。

问渠哪得清如许，为有源头活水来。

1997, 覃遠雄, 韋樹關, 卞成林, editors, 南寧平話詞典 [A Dictionary of Nanning Pinghua] (Great Dictionary of Modern Chinese Dialects), first edition, Nanjing: 江蘇教育出版社, page 41:

渠是哪個？

渠是哪个？

(literary or dialectal) third-person pronoun; he; she; it

while 渠 is more common in other varieties

Chinese varieties in general do not distinguish gender

distinctions are only sometimes made in writing.佢 is commonly used in Yue


渡

Proto-Tai: *daːᴮ (“river”)

Lao: ທ່າ (thā)

Lü: ᦑᦱᧈ (taa¹)

desc

Shan: တႃႈ (tāa, “pier; shallow place in water”)

Thai: ท่า (tâa, “pier; port”)

Zhuang: dah (“river”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *daːɡs): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 度 (OC *daːɡs, *daːɡ).
Inherited from Proto-Sino-Tibetan. Cognate with Tibetan འདས ('das, “to pass over”).
Proto-Tai *daːᴮ (“river”) (whence Thai ท่า (tâa, “port; pier; quay”) and Zhuang dah (“river”)) is a loan from late Old Chinese (Schuessler, 2007).
The Austroasiatic synonym of 渡 is 濟 (OC *ʔsliːlʔ, *ʔsliːls, “to cross a river”).

och-l

(Hakka) to look after; to take care of; to care for; to attend to


港

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kroːŋʔ, *ɡloːŋs): semantic 水 (“river; water”) + phonetic 巷 (OC *ɡroːŋs).
Cognate with 江 (OC *kroːŋ, “river”) (Schuessler, 2007). The southern dialectal word originally meant "small river/stream", which is still preserved in some Min languages. The irregular pronunciation in Mandarin (expected Mandarin reflex is *jiǎng) originated from southern dialects where velars have not palatalized (Schuessler, 2007).


準

/ʈ͡ʂu̯ən²¹⁴/

/ʈ͡ʂu̯ən²¹⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *qʷjinʔ, *qʷjed): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 隼 (OC *sqʰʷinʔ) – “water level”.

Han compound

(historical) water level (measuring instrument)


滅

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *med): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 烕 (OC *hmed) – to destroy with water (extinguish, flood).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-miːt (“to extinguish; to shut abruptly; to wink; to blink; to die”). Matisoff compares Burmese မှိတ် (hmit, “(of eyes) to close; (of light) to put out, to switch off”) and possibly Tibetan མེད (med, “to not exist”). Cognate Chinese characters include:
* 烕 (OC *hmed, “to destroy; to cause destruction”)
* 蔑 (OC *meːd, *meːd, “to destroy”)
The Old Chinese *e ~ Proto-Tibeto-Burman *i vowel discrepancy may be explained by a reanalysis of the proto-etymon in Chinese, as derived from 隳 (OC *hmai, “to destroy”) + suffix *-t (Schuessler, 2009), although 隳 is reconstructed in the Baxter-Sagart and Zhengzhang systems as having an *l-like initial. The direct Chinese comparandum of Proto-Tibeto-Burman *mit may be 沒 (OC *mɯːd, “to disappear; to die; to perish in water”) (ibid.).

och-l

to extinguish (a fire); (of light or fire) to go out


滑

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡruːd, *kuːd, *ɡuːd): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 骨 (OC *kuːd).

Han compound

滑手機／滑手机

(Mainland China Hokkien) to slip out; to blurt out involuntarily


滴

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *teːɡ): semantic 水 + phonetic 啻 (OC *hljeɡs).

Han compound

一滴仔

滴滴仔


滾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kluːnʔ): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 袞 (OC *kluːnʔ)

Han compound

(Cantonese, Gan, Hakka) boiling hot; scalding hot


漏

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *roːs): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 屚 (OC *roːs, “to leak”)

Han compound

(of liquids and gases) to spill; to leak

(of information) to divulge; to leak; to let out


演

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *lenʔ): semantic 氵 + phonetic 寅 (OC *lil, *lin).


漲

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *taŋ, *taŋʔ, *taŋs): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 張 (OC *taŋ, *taŋs).


濃

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *noŋ): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 農 (OC *nuːŋ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-naːŋ (“heavy; thick, viscous”).


灰

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 又 (“hand”) + 火 (“fire”) – fire that can be touched with the hand (ash). 又 has been modified to 𠂇; compare 友 (“friend”), 右 (“right”).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *pʷut ~ hwut (“ashes, dust”) (STEDT; Schuessler (2007) reconstructs Proto-Sino-Tibetan *wu). Compare Mizo vutᴸ, Apatani mù-bu, Manipuri ut, Northern Tujia bu³ ci².

inh

There's a layer of dust on the computer screen.

電腦屏幕上有一層灰。

电脑屏幕上有一层灰。

Tā chuī gānjìng zhè běn shū shàng de huī.

他吹乾淨這本書上的灰。

他吹干净这本书上的灰。


災

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 巛 (“flowing water”) + 火 (“fire”) – two main types of disaster, fire (conflagration) and flowing water (flooding).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tsa-t ~ dza-t (“hot, fever, hurt, ill, temper”); cognate with Burmese ဆာ (hca, “hungry, thirsty”), Tibetan ཚ (tsha, “hot, intense”), and 菑 (OC *ʔsrɯ, *ʔsɯː, *ʔsɯː, “field cleared by slash and burn”) (STEDT), which is its r-causative (Schuessler, 2007).

och-l

灾
烖
菑
灾
𤆎
𡿧
甾
𤉣
𤈮
𥘔
𢎇
𨓌
𭴠

(literary, or in compounds) calamity; disaster; catastrophe


炮

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (砲 /炮):
* → Japanese: 砲(ほう) (hō)
* → Korean: 포(砲) (po)
* → Vietnamese: pháo (砲)

→ Tuvan: боо (boo)

Mongolic:

→ Buryat: буу (buu)

→ Daur: pau

→ Dongxiang: pao

→ Kalmyk: бу (bu)

→ Mongolian: ᠪᠤᠤ (buu) / буу (buu)

Tungusic:

→ Manchu: ᡦᠣᠣ (poo)

→ Nanai: пао (pao)

→ Orok: пау (pau)

→ Ulch: пау

→ Nivkh: пʼау (pʼau)

Characters in the same phonetic series (勹) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pʰruːs, *bruː): semantic 火 + phonetic 包 (OC *pruː).

Han compound

(Cantonese, colloquial) gun (Classifier: 支 c; 條／条 c; 轆／辘 c)


炮

(historical) to wrap hirsute meat with mud and roast it on fire


烤

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰluːʔ): semantic 火 + phonetic 考 (OC *kʰluːʔ).
Originally 熇.

Han compound

烤焦了

to roast; to bake; to grill; to broil; to toast


煤

→ Guiqiong: mɛi (“coal”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *mɯː): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 某 (OC *mɯʔ).
Sino-Tibetan. Schuessler (2007) proposes two possibilities:
* Cognate with Proto-Lolo-Burmese *ʔ-mu² (“soot; acrid (smoke)”). If related, a merger of Minimal Old Chinese *ə with *o must have occurred.
* Cognate with Mizo mang (maŋᴿ), man (manᴸ, “sooty”), Mizo mang (maŋᴴ, “partially burnt wood”).
文 (OC *mɯn) may be a derivation with -n nominal suffix. 黑 (OC *hmlɯːɡ, “black”) may be an allofam. Unrelated to 晦 (OC *hmɯːs, “dark”) according to Schuessler (2007).


照

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (照):
* → Vietnamese: chiếu (照)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tjews): semantic 灬 (“fire”) + phonetic 昭 (OC *tjew) – shine the light of a fire on.
Exoactive of 昭 (OC *tjew, “bright”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

燳
曌
瞾
炤*
耀
炤


煮

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tjaʔ): phonetic 者 (OC *tjaːʔ) + semantic 灬 (“fire”) – to cook over a fire.


燒

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *hŋjew, *hŋjaws): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 堯 (OC *ŋeːw).
From 蕘 (OC *ŋjew, “firewood; fuel”) with causative devoicing (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified); † - describes the weather; ‡ - describes objects

(dialectal Mandarin, Gan, Hakka, Jin) boiling hot; scalding hot

(Internet slang) to cause flaming; to cause controversy


燙

→ Zhuang: dangq (“to iron”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l̥ʰaːŋs): phonetic 湯 (OC *l̥ʰaːŋ, *l̥ʰaːŋs, *hljaŋ) + semantic 火.
From 湯 (OC *l̥ʰaːŋ, “hot water”).

Han compound

我的手被蒸汽燙傷。

我的手被蒸汽烫伤。

to burn; to scald; to injure (with high temperature)

燙恤衫

烫恤衫

洗澡水太燙了。

洗澡水太烫了。


爛

Characters in the same phonetic series (柬) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡ·raːns): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 闌 (OC *ɡ·raːn).

Han compound

bright; brilliant; gorgeous; magnificent


爭

→ Vietnamese: giành

Pictogram (象形) – two hands on a plowshare. The two hands are still visibile on top of the character (爪 and 彐), while the plowshare looks like a vertical hook in modern writing.
; "to dispute; to fight; to contend; to strive"
; "to lack; to owe"

Their house still hasn't had the bathroom installed yet.

keoi⁵ dei⁶ gaan¹ uk¹ zung⁶ zaang¹ go³ ci³ so² mei⁶ zong¹.

佢哋間屋仲爭個廁所未裝。

佢哋间屋仲争个厕所未装。

There are still a couple minutes until we reach the airport.

dou³ gei¹ coeng⁴ zung⁶ zaang¹ gei² fan¹ zung¹.

到機場仲爭幾分鐘。

到机场仲争几分钟。

好似争减啲嘢 [Cantonese, simp.]
hou² ci⁵ zaang¹ gam² di¹ je⁵ [Jyutping]

(dialectal Mandarin, Cantonese, dialectal Hakka, Jin, dialectal Min, Southern Wu) to lack; to be missing; still have; remaining

I still owe you thirty cents, I'll give it to you tomorrow.

ngo³ huan² zen¹ nyi³ san¹ go² qian² min² tian¹ ge¹ nyi³

我還爭你三角錢，明天給你。

我还争你三角钱，明天给你。

(Standard)

I can't be bothered to bicker with you, we'll see who's right eventually.

吾勿搭倷爭，到辰光看到底啥人對。

吾勿搭倷争，到辰光看到底啥人对。

(Suzhounese, Dongguan Cantonese) to argue for the sake of arguing

25th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "contention" (𝌞)


牌

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (牌):
* → Japanese: 牌(はい) (hai)
* → Korean: 패(牌) (pae)
* → Vietnamese: bài (牌)

desc

→ Burmese: ဖဲ (hpai:, “playing cards; game of cards”)

→ Khmer: បៀ (biə, “playing cards”)

→ Lao: ໄພ້ (phai, “playing cards”)

→ Lü: ᦘᦻᧉ (phaay², “playing cards”)

→ Shan: ၽၢႆႉ (phâ̰ai, “domino, playing cards”)

→ Thai: ไพ่ (pâi, “playing cards”)

→ White Hmong: phaib (“playing cards”)

→ Zhuang: bej (“playing cards”)

/pʰaːi̯²¹⁻³⁵/

/pʰaːi̯²¹⁻³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *breː, *breː): semantic 片 + phonetic 卑 (OC *pe).

Han compound

打牌

洗牌

我就剩一張牌了！

我就剩一张牌了！

(card games, mahjong, dominoes) playing cards; cards; dominoes; mahjong; etc. (Classifier: 張／张 m c; 飛／飞 c)

無牌／无牌 [Cantonese] ― mou⁴ paai⁴ [Jyutping] ― unlicensed

考牌 [Cantonese] ― haau² paai⁴ [Jyutping] ― to take a test for a licence

攞牌／𫽋牌 [Cantonese] ― lo² paai⁴⁻² [Jyutping] ― to win a medal

(Jilu Mandarin) Classifier for card games: round


牙

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (牙):
* → Japanese: 牙(げ) (ge); 牙(が) (ga)
* → Korean: 아(牙) (a)
* → Vietnamese: nha (牙)

→ Proto-Tai: *ŋaːᴬ (“tusk, ivory”)

Thai: งา (ngaa)

Lao: ງາ (ngā)

Lü: ᦇᦱ (ngaa)

Shan: ငႃး (ngáa)

Ahom: 𑜂𑜠 (ṅa)

→ Proto-Vietic: *ŋaː (“ivory”)

Vietnamese: ngà

The pictogram of a pair of elephant tusks. According to Xu Shen, this pictogram was used to indicate human molars but not front teeth/incisors (齒).
Norman and Mei (1976) propose that this was a substrate loan; cf. Proto-Vietic *ŋaː (“ivory”) (Vietnamese ngà), Proto-Tai *ŋaːᴬ (“tusk; ivory”) (Thai งา (ngaa)). Pulleyblank (1983) disagrees with their hypothesis and considers Old Chinese to be the donor of this Wanderwort instead.
STEDT provisionally sets up Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-ŋja (“tusk; tooth”), comparing it to Mizo ngho (“tusk; fang”), Manipuri ꯌꯥ (yaa, “tooth”), Mru [script needed] (hngou, “tooth”), Pa'o Karen [script needed] (tə́ʔ ŋà, “tooth”).
; Hong Kong Cantonese neologism prefix

cog

拔牙

我牙疼。

(anatomy) tooth (Classifier: 顆／颗 m; 隻／只 m c; 棚 c)

牙雕

(Hong Kong Cantonese, Internet slang, leetspeak, neologism) Prefix used in front of the surname or last character of someone’s given name to express familiarity or friendliness.


牽

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰiːn, *kʰiːns): phonetic 玄 (OC *ɡʷeːn) + semantic 牛 (“cow, ox”) — leading an ox by hand.

細漢偷挽匏，大漢偷牽牛 / 细汉偷挽匏，大汉偷牵牛

sè-hàn thau bán pû, tōa-hàn thau khan gû


犯

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (犯):
* → Japanese: 犯(はん) (han)
* → Korean: 범(犯) (beom)
* → Vietnamese: phạm (犯)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *bomʔ): semantic 犬 + phonetic 𢎘 ().
"To pass over" > "to offend against, oppose". Compare 氾.
This character originally had bilabial nasal (*-m) final in Old and Middle Chinese, but had undergone dissimilation (from bilabial plosive *b-) to become *-n in most dialects. However, there are still some dialects that retain this feature, such as Meixian and Teochew dialect. Similar dissimilation happened in 帆 and 風.

Han compound

犯罪


狼

Characters in the same phonetic series (良) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *raːŋ): semantic 犭 + phonetic 良 (OC *raŋ).

Han compound

When Ning Cheng was the commandant of Jinan, his governance was like a wolf tending to sheep.

Níng Chéng wèi Jǐnán dōuwèi, qí zhì rú láng mùyáng.

寧成為濟南都尉，其治如狼牧羊。

宁成为济南都尉，其治如狼牧羊。

wolf (Classifier: 匹 m; 隻／只 m c; 條／条 m; 頭／头 m)


猜

/t͡sʰaːi̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰaːi̯⁵⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sʰlɯː): semantic 犭 + phonetic 青 (OC *sʰleːŋ).

Han compound

猜錯

猜错


獎

/t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ʔsaŋʔ): phonetic 將 (OC *ʔsaŋ, *ʔsaŋs) + semantic 犬 (“dog”). The significance of 犬 is unclear; cf. the same radical in 獻. Perhaps it's a reference to guiding a dog using one's voice.


獻

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (獻):
* → Vietnamese: hiến (獻)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sŋaːl, *hŋans, *ŋrad): phonetic 鬳 (OC *ŋans) + semantic 犬 (“dog”).
Same word as 憲 (OC *hŋans) (Schuessler, 2007), its basic meaning being seemingly "elevate > to be elavated".
Inside the Sinitic branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family, it's related to 甗 (OC *ŋan, *ŋranʔ, *ŋrans, “a cooking vessel consisting of a steamer 'elevated' on a three-legged boiler”). Furthermore, it's possibly cognate to Tibetan སྔར་མ (sngar ma, “sharp-witted, quick-witted, intelligent”) (ibid., Gong, 2000).

cog

2023, 《「四不青年」只能「卷躺潤獻」 中國年輕人對未來感到絕望》, 《自由時報》

Zhōngguó wǎnglù yě yòng “juǎn tǎng rùn xiàn” xíngróng niánqīngrén de shēngcún zhuàngtài, “juǎn” jiù shì nèijuǎn, zhǐ rén yǔ rén zhī jiān jīliè jìngzhēng; “tǎng” jiù shì tǎngpíng, jí yīzhǒng fàngqì xīntài, shénme dōu bù zuò; “rùn” jiù shì líkāi zhōngguó, yímín guówài; ér “xiàn” zé shì zhǐ wúchābié dì xíjī biérén, yǐ xuānxiè xīnzhōng yuànhèn gǎn de xíngwèi.

中國網路也用「卷躺潤獻」形容年輕人的生存狀態，「卷」就是內捲，指人與人之間激烈競爭；「躺」就是躺平，即一種放棄心態，什麼都不做；「潤」就是離開中國，移民國外；而「獻」則是指無差別地襲擊別人，以宣洩心中怨恨感的行為。

中国网路也用「卷躺润献」形容年轻人的生存状态，「卷」就是内卷，指人与人之间激烈竞争；「躺」就是躺平，即一种放弃心态，什么都不做；「润」就是离开中国，移民国外；而「献」则是指无差别地袭击别人，以宣泄心中怨恨感的行为。

(neologism, slang) to commit a mass murder


環

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (環):
* → Japanese: 環(かん) (kan)
* → Korean: 환(環) (hwan)
* → Vietnamese: hoàn (環)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡʷraːn): semantic 玉 (“jade”) + phonetic 睘 (OC *ɡʷeŋ).
Note similarities to Proto-Tibeto-Burman *hwaŋ (“to encircle; circular, fence”), whence Burmese ဝင်း (wang:, “enclosure, compound”).

cog

環繞

环绕

環法

环法

Nine beautiful maidens stood in a circle around the furnace

玉女九人環爐而立

玉女九人环炉而立

苯環

苯环

雜環

杂环

(chemistry) ring (a group of atoms linked by bonds to form a closed chain in a molecule)


甜

Characters in the same phonetic series (甜) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 舌 (“tongue”) + 甘 (“sweet”). Rearrangement of 甛.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ljam (“sweet; fragrant”) (STEDT). Compare Tibetan ཞིམ (zhim, “tasty”) (Coblin, 1986; Schuessler, 2007; Hill, 2019).

inh

甛
䑚
𭥹
䣶
餂
𩚵
𥑠
𦧩

(neologism, of a price) cheap; inexpensive


生

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 屮 (“bud”) + 一 (“ground”) – sprouting from the ground. A conservative version is 𤯓, which is unrelated to 㞷 (匩 > 匡) and 𡴀 > 丰.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-riŋ ~ s-r(j)aŋ (“to live; to be alive; to give birth; raw; green”). Cognate with Burmese ရှင် (hrang, “to live; alive”), Mizo hring (“to bear; to bring forth; to give birth to; green”).
Schuessler (2007) proposes that Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sriŋ is derived from the root *sri (“to exist”) (whence possibly Chinese 體 (OC *r̥ʰiːʔ, “body; shape; form”)) + *-ŋ (terminative suffix).
Both level tone and falling tone readings are found in Middle Chinese, but the latter has since been lost and is merged into the level-tone reading in modern dialects.
Related to 青 (OC *sʰleːŋ, “blue-green”), 蒼 (OC *sʰaːŋ, *sʰaːŋʔ, “dark blue; deep green”).
Derivatives: 性 (OC *sleŋs, “nature; character; personality; quality”), 姓 (OC *sleŋs, “family name”).
Pronunciation in Early Middle Chinese is *sraeng, but it comes from an earlier *srjaeng, as seen in Wang Renxu's edition of the Qieyun.

och-l

As a full-time student, you should attend classes on a regular basis.

Nǐ zuòwèi quánrìzhì shēng bìxū dìngqī shàngkè.

你作為全日制生必須定期上課。

你作为全日制生必须定期上课。


甩

This is a late character, and the divergent readings in various topolects may or may not be cognate.
The Mandarin reading came from 摔 (shuāi, “to fling, to throw, to fall down”), which can be traced to *srut in Old Chinese. It can be compared with Tibetan རུད (rud, “slip, that which has slipped down, falling mass, landslides”), རུད་རུད་པོ (rud rud po, “loosened, disintegrated, rough”).
The Cantonese reading is probably unrelated, though it may reflect a descendant of the archaic pronunciation *rut and hence be cognate with Mandarin. Either way, it is evidently from the same source as Min Nan 甪 (lut, “to come off, to slip loose”), Zhuang lot (“to come loose and drop off (due to loose tying)”), and Vietnamese lột (“to peel, to strip off”). May be compared with Tibetan ལོད་པོ (lod po, “relaxed, careless”), ལྷོད་པོ (lhod po, “relaxed, loose, lax”), and the Chinese word family of 兌 (*lot, > 脫 (“to come off”), 蛻 (“exuviae”)). Unlikely to be related to 落 (luò, “to fall, to drop off”).

cog

把石子甩出去

(Mandarin, Hokkien, Wu) to toss; to throw; to fling

(dialectal Mandarin) to take off; to remove

(dialectal Mandarin, of insects, zoology, etc.) to lay (eggs)


田

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (田):
* → Japanese: 田(でん) (den)
* → Korean: 전(田) (jeon)
* → Vietnamese: điền (田)

Characters in the same phonetic series (田) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – pictographic representation of a field divided into four sections. See the original version of 甫 and 里. Unrelated to 思, 黄, 果, 由, 甲, and perhaps 番.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-liŋ (“field”). Cognate with Tibetan ཞིང (zhing, “field; realm”), Jingpho maling (mă³¹ liŋ³³, “forest”). Compare Proto-Hmong-Mien *ljiŋ (“field”).

Han etyl

一塊玉米田／一块玉米田

Let there not be taken away the time that is proper for the cultivation of the farm with its hundred mu, and the family of several mouths that is supported by it shall not suffer from hunger.

Bǎi mǔ zhī tián, wù duó qí shí, shù kǒu zhī jiā kěyǐ wú jī yǐ.

百畝之田，勿奪其時，數口之家可以無飢矣。

百亩之田，勿夺其时，数口之家可以无饥矣。

田漢

田汉


田

The Min native word for “paddy field; field”.
Etymology unknown. Chinese scholars identify 塍 (OC *ɦljɯŋ, “raised path between fields”) as the etymological character (本字), although Norman proposes that this is related to 層 (OC *zɯːŋ, “layer”), reflecting the terraced fields commonly found in Fujian (Schuessler, 2007). Compare also 㽪 (“wet field”).

och-l

paddy field; wet field (Classifier: 坵 mn)

farmland in general; field (Classifier: 坵 mn)


畝

Originally written as 畮, a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *mɯʔ): semantic 田 (“field”) + phonetic 每 (OC *mɯːʔ). The phonetic component 每 was later replaced with 又, now written as the new phonetic component 久 (OC *kʷlɯʔ). The component 十 was added above 田 in the Warring States period and was later corrupted into 亠 in clerical script.
Possibly Sino-Tibetan. Compare Tibetan རྨོ (rmo), རྨོས (rmos, “to plow”), རྨོད (rmod, “plowing”), རྨོན་པ (rmon pa, “plow-ox”), Karbi [Term?] (-mò, “classifier for strips of fields”) (Bodman, 1980; Baxter, 1992; Schuessler, 2007).
Schuessler (2007) also suggests a connection to an Austroasiatic root, whence Old Khmer cval (“to enter; to penetrate; (of animals) to copulate”), Khmu [script needed] (cmɔɔl, “to plant (rice) with a digging stick”), [script needed] (crmɔɔl, “digging stick”) (cf. Ferlus, 1987). The semantic development would be “digging stick” > “plowing” > “mu”. He also connects this to 牡 (OC *mɯwʔ, “male animal”); see there for more.

cog

亩
畂
畞
𤱑
畒
畆
𤱈
𠭇
𣢿
𤱔
畮

One asked, ‘As for doing politics, is there something vital?’ Yangzi said, ‘To wish for and to loathe.’ […] One asked, ‘What to wish for? What to loathe?’ Yangzi said, ‘Treat others’ elderly as elderly, treat others’ orphans as orphans; nourish the sick and bury the dead; let men tend their croplands and let women tend the mulberry trees. This is what [I] called “to wish for”. If disrespect others’ elderly, distress others’ orphan, the sick gets alone and the dead gets [their bodies] exposed; croplands get deserted and looms get empty. This is what [I] called “to loathe”.’

Yang Xiong, Fa Yan (Exemplary Sayings), 9 CE

Huò wèn: “Wéi zhèng yǒu jī?” Yuē: “Sī yì.” […] Huò wèn: “Hé sī? Hé yì?” Yuē: “Lǎo rén lǎo, gū rén gū, bìngzhě yǎng, sǐzhě zàng, nánzǐ mǔ, fùrén sāng, zhī wèi sī. Ruò wū rén lǎo, qū rén gū, bìngzhě dú, sǐzhě pò, tiánmǔ huāng, zhùzhóu kōng, zhī wèi yì.”

或問：「為政有幾？」曰：「思斁。」[…] 或問：「何思？何斁？」曰：「老人老，孤人孤，病者養，死者葬，男子畝，婦人桑，之謂思。若污人老，屈人孤，病者獨，死者逋，田畝荒，杼軸空，之謂斁。」

或问：「为政有几？」曰：「思𭣧。」[…] 或问：「何思？何𭣧？」曰：「老人老，孤人孤，病者养，死者葬，男子亩，妇人桑，之谓思。若污人老，屈人孤，病者独，死者逋，田亩荒，杼轴空，之谓𭣧。」


略

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡ·raɡ): semantic 田 (“field”) + phonetic 各 (OC *klaːɡ) – to walk around a field (to outline it).
;"to plunder, to pillage"
:掠 (lüè) is a graphic variant of this sense.
;"sharp"
;"to trace out; to measure (an area); to plan; plan, method; boundary, frontier"
;"outline, sketch, strategy, summary, brief"
;"to omit, to leave out"


皮

/pʰei̯²¹⁻³⁵/

/pʰei²²⁻²²⁵/

/pʰei̯²¹⁻³⁵/

/pʰei²²⁻²²⁵/

Characters in the same phonetic series (皮) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a hand (又) stripping the fur from an animal pelt (similar to 革). The pelt moved to the top left and became abstracted.
The character 叚 is similar, but actually it depicts two hands and some rocks 石 on oracle bones; a conservative variant is 𠭊.
;“skin”
; “pico-”

Han etyl

甩皮 [Cantonese] ― lat¹ pei⁴ [Jyutping] ― to have flaky skin; to have peeling skin

樹皮／树皮

香蕉皮

Bulls still have skins; rhinoceroses and wild bulls still are many.

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

牛則有皮，犀兕尚多。

牛则有皮，犀兕尚多。

Someone's old horse is abandoned under the wall's shadow; he is gaunt, his hair darkened, his skin parched, beyond bearing.

阮攸 (Nguyễn Du),〈城下棄馬〉(Thành hạ khí mã, "The Abandoned Horse at the Wall's Bottom") in 《南中雜吟》(Nam trung tạp ngâm "Assorted Recitations while in the South"), 1805-1812

Thùy gia lão mã khí thành âm, mao ám bì can sấu bất câm.

誰家老-馬棄城-陰，毛-暗皮-乾瘦不-禁。

skin; peel; shell; rind (Classifier: 塊／块 m c; 層／层 m c)


盆

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (盆):
* → Japanese: 盆(ぼん) (bon)
* → Korean: 분(盆) (bun)
* → Vietnamese: bồn (盆)

⇒ Japanese: 盆(ぼに) (boni)

/pʰuːn²¹⁻³⁵/

/pʰuːn²¹⁻³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *bɯːn): phonetic 分 (OC *pɯn, *bɯns) + semantic 皿.

Han compound

花盆

洗臉盆

洗脸盆

骨盆

一大盆水

一盆花


盒

/hap̚²¹⁻²¹⁵/

/hap̚²¹⁻²¹⁵/

From 合 (OC *ɡuːb, “to be together; to close”) (Schuessler, 2007).

och-l

用個盒裝住啲錢

用个盒装住啲钱

box; case (generally small, with a lid) (Classifier: 個／个 c)

一盒朱古力

to expose someone's personal information online

开盒

(Internet, slang) The act of publicly exposing someone's private information or true identity online, derived from "开盒" (to open a box).


盤

/pʰuːn²¹⁻³⁵/

/pʰuːn²¹⁻³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *baːn): phonetic 般 (OC *praːn, *paːn, *baːn) + semantic 皿.

Han compound

軟盤／软盘

網盤／网盘

(computing, chiefly Mainland China) disk; hard drive; storage device


直

desc

→ Old Turkic: tik (vertical, straight, straightforward)

Oghuz: دیك

Azerbaijani: dik

Turkish: dik

Turkmen: dik

Turkmen: dikan (honest, straight, direct)

Oracle bone script: Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 目 (“eye”) + 丨 (“vertical stroke”) – vertical stroke above the eye; looking straight ahead. Then, a black dot was drawn inside the vertical stroke and this point later became a horizontal stroke (hence getting a shape similar to 十).
The line on the side appears in bronze script and subsequently stretched under the 目 shape, while the traditional form appears in seal script.
A conservative version is used inside the character 𢛳 (> 德), while the modern version is used inside its variant 惪. Unrelated to 具 and 真.
; "simply; only"
; "straight; right"
; “heterosexual”

Han compound

This hall is 8 meters in length and 10 meters in width.

Zhè ge dàtáng zhí lǐ yǒu bā mǐ, héng lǐ yǒu shí mǐ.

這個大堂直裡有八米，橫裡有十米。

这个大堂直里有八米，横里有十米。

(Chinese calligraphy) vertical stroke in Chinese characters


相

/ɬiaŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

/ɬiaŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 木 (“tree”) + 目 (“eye”) – looking at, or watching the tree.
An allofam is 胥 (OC *sŋa, *sŋaʔ, “each other; mutually; all; to observe; to assist”) (Gong, 1995; Schuessler, 2007).
Derivative: 想 (OC *slaŋʔ, “to think”) (“appearance > to visualise > to think”).

och-l

影幾張相

影几张相

photo; picture; photograph (Classifier: 張／张 m c; 幅 c)

(Chinese mythology) Xiang of Xia (fifth king of the semi-legendary Xia dynasty)


省

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (省):
* → Japanese: 省(しょう) (shō)
* → Korean: 성(省) (seong)
* → Vietnamese: tỉnh (省)

→ Bouyei: senj

→ Lü: ᦵᦌᦲᧃ (soen)

→ Zhuang: sengj

Originally 眚. In oracle bone script, an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sreŋʔ, *sleŋʔ): phonetic 生 (OC *sʰleːŋ, *sreŋs, “sprout”) + 目 (“eye”) – "to inspect plants". In Shuowen Jiezi, 眚 and 省 became separate characters. 生 corrupted over time into 少.

Han compound

外務省

外务省

社會安全省

社会安全省

^⁜ (historical, by extension) department (of a government)

ministry of the Japanese or North Korean government


眼

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ŋrɯːnʔ): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 艮 (OC *kɯːns).
Derived from Etymology 2 (Sagart, 1999). Displaced common Sino-Tibetan 目 (OC *muɡ, “eye”) in many dialects.


瞧

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡sʰiːu̯²¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɒu̯¹³/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡sʰiːu̯²¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɒu̯¹³/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 焦.

瞧他那個傻樣兒。

瞧他那个傻样儿。

looking at the crowd surviving off of bread

2023, 陳詠謙 [Chan Wing Him] (lyrics), 吳林峰 [Wilson Ng] (music), 捱麵包的人 [BreadMan], performed by 吳林峰 [Wilson Ng]

瞧捱麵包的人堆

瞧捱面包的人堆

(colloquial) to look; to see; to take a glance at


砍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰoːmʔ): semantic 石 (“rock”) + phonetic 欠 (OC *kʰoms).

Han compound

砍伐

砍價

砍价


硬

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ŋɡraːŋs, *ŋɡraːŋs): semantic 石 + phonetic 更 (OC *kraːŋ, *kraːŋs).


碎

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *suːds): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 卒 (OC *ʔsuːd, *sʰuːd, *ʔsud).


碑

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pre): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 卑 (OC *pe).

Han compound

墓碑

界碑

紀念碑

纪念碑


磨

Originally written as 䃺 (mó). Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *maːl, *maːls): semantic 石 (“rock”) + abbreviated phonetic 靡 (OC *mralʔ).


磨

Possibly from 摩 (OC *maːl, “to approach; to touch; to draw near”); cognate with Cantonese 埋 (maai4, “to approach”) (Yan et al., 2016).

och-l

Late Qing/Early Republic, 《古板秦世美全歌》, volume 3, 潮州 [Chaozhou]: 李萬利, page 1:

[He] quickly drew in closer to ask, “tell me who you are.”

kuai³ kuai³ gian⁵ bhua⁵ mung⁷ zêg⁸ sian¹, le² si⁶ ho⁵ nang⁵ dan³ ua² tian¹

快々行庅问一声 尔是何人呾吾听

快々行庅問一聲 爾是何人呾吾聽

Iâ-sou thóiⁿ-kìⁿ chèng-nâng chiâⁿ-khûn, chiũ chiẽⁿ--khṳ̀ che̍k-kâi-suaⁿ, tsõ-lo̍h--liáu I kâi mn̂g-thû chiũ bûa--lâi

1892, Kiù-Tsú Iâ-Sou Ki-Tok Kâi Sin-Ieh Tshuân-Tsṳ Chiēⁿ-Kńg Má-Thài Kàu Sài-Thû, Scotland: British and Foreign Bible Society, page 6:


礦

→ Bouyei: kuangq

→ Zhuang: gvangq

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʷraːŋʔ): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 廣 (OC *kʷaːŋʔ).

Han compound

矿
鑛
鉱
磺
丱
卝
鋛
𥐫
𥒩
𨥑
𨥥
𨧾
𨨭


私

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (私):
* → Japanese: 私(し) (shi)
* → Korean: 사(私) (sa)
* → Vietnamese: tư (私)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sil): semantic 禾 (“grain”) + phonetic 厶 (OC *sil) – private grain or field.
Displaced the original form 厶.

Han compound

私人

私有

自私

(Classical, humble) first-person singular pronoun: I; me

走私


科

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (科):
* → Japanese: 科(か) (ka)
* → Korean: 과(科) (gwa)
* → Vietnamese: khoa (科)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰoːl, *kʰoːls) and ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): phonetic 禾 (OC *ɡoːl, “grain”) + semantic 斗 (“measuring tool”).
Possibly a *k-prefixed noun derived from 和 (OC *ɡoːl), hence “the things which harmonize” (Schuessler, 2007).


移

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *lal): semantic 禾 + phonetic 多 (OC *ʔl'aːl).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/m/s-laj ~ r/s-lej ~ b-rej (“to change, exchange, buy”). Compare also Tibetan རྗེ་བ་ (rje ba, “to change, barter”) and Burmese လှယ် (hlai, “to exchange”).
Characters 易 (OC *leɡ, “to change”) and 賜 (OC *sleːɡs, “to give”) are derivates of it.

cog

䄬
迻
乁
扡
𡖰
𢼏
𥞀
𥟻
𧚕
⿰⿱一𤓯多

改觀

to change appearance, to change one's view


稍

請稍等

请稍等


種

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tjoŋʔ, *tjoŋs): semantic 禾 + phonetic 重 (OC *doŋ, *doŋʔ, *doŋs).
Perhaps Sino-Tibetan: Chepang [script needed] (tuŋʔ-, “to plant”), दुङ् (duŋ, “shoot; sprout”), दुङ्सा (duŋ-, “to sprout; to grow”). Compare 腫 (OC *tjoŋʔ, “to swell”) and 踵 (OC *tjoŋʔ, “heel”).
Related to Proto-Vietic *k-coːŋʔ (“seed”) (Vietnamese giống (“seed”)), which is likely a loanword from Chinese (Wang, 1948).
Pronunciation 2 (“to sow; to plant”) is the exoactive derivation of pronunciation 1 (“seed”).

cog

种
穜
𥡰
𥢖
𥻝
𦔉
𥠭


稱

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tʰjɯŋ, *tʰjɯŋs): semantic 禾 (“rice”) + phonetic 爯 (OC *tʰjɯŋ) – measure rice.

Han compound

別稱

别称


稱

(Mandarin, colloquial) to have (money or properties)


穩

傲人

nowadays especially of breasts, body curve


窄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ʔsraːɡ): semantic 穴 (“cave; hole”) + phonetic 乍 (OC *zraːɡs)


窮

/t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡuŋ): semantic 穴 (“cave; nest; confinement”) + phonetic 躬 (OC *kuŋ).
Possibly a vocalic variant of 邛 (OC *ɡoŋ, “distress”) (Schuessler, 2007). See there for more.

Han compound

窮大

穷大

俚讀書窮用功。

俚读书穷用功。


立

Sino-Xenic (立):
* → Vietnamese: lập (立)

Characters in the same phonetic series (立) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a person standing on the ground; compare 大 and 文. This characters is also a contracted form of 辛 on top of 妾 and 童. Unrelated to 音.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-r(j)ap (“to stand”). Cognate with 位 (OC *ɢʷrɯbs).

inh

to institute; to lay down; to draw up; to compose (legal document)


端

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (端):
* → Japanese: 端(たん) (tan)
* → Korean: 단(端) (dan)
* → Vietnamese: đoan (端)

Characters in the same phonetic series (耑) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *toːn): semantic 立 + phonetic 耑 (OC *toːn).

Han compound

(～母) (Chinese linguistics) the Middle Chinese initial of 端 (MC twan)


笨

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pɯːnʔ, *bɯːnʔ): semantic 竹 + phonetic 本 (OC *pɯːnʔ).
Cognate with Tibetan བླུན (blun, “foolish; stupid; dull”) (Schuessler, 2007).

cog

体
㤓
𢜘
賁
朌
坋
蕡
厚


等

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (等):
* → Japanese: 等(とう) (tō)
* → Korean: 등(等) (deung)
* → Vietnamese: đẳng (等)

→ Proto-Turkic: *teŋ (“equal”) (see there for further descendants)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tɯːʔ, *tɯːŋʔ): semantic 竹 (“bamboo”) + phonetic 寺 (OC *ljɯs).
竹 here refers to the bamboo strips used for writing (e.g. grading, classification) in ancient times. 寺 (OC *ljɯs) was originally used phonetically; the character was subsequently borrowed for another word with the same meaning, but with no phonetic resemblance to 寺.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-tjaŋ (“top; to rise; to raise”) (STEDT). Endoactive of 登 (OC *tɯːŋ, “to rise; to ascend”) (Schuessler, 2007).

liushu

OC *tɯːʔ, *tɯːŋʔ

inh

the third division member of a rime doublet

重紐三等

重纽三等

Middle Chinese finals
w:Middle Chinese finals

(Chinese phonetics) one of the "divisions" of a rime table, encoding some phonological distinction; see Middle Chinese finals on Wikipedia.Wikipedia


答

→ Proto-Southwestern Tai: *tɔːpᴰ¹ᴸ

Thai: ตอบ (dtɔ̀ɔp)

Cognate with 對 (OC *tuːbs, “to respond”) (Schuessler, 2007), which is the exoactive of 答 (OC *tkuːb). Compare Tibetan འདེབས ('debs, “to cast; to send”) (Hill, 2019).


管

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (管):
* → Japanese: 管(かん) (kan)
* → Korean: 관(管) (gwan)
* → Vietnamese: quản (管)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *koːnʔ): semantic 竹 (“bamboo”) + phonetic 官 (OC *koːn).


箭

→ Vietnamese: tên

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ʔslens): semantic 竹 (“bamboo”) + phonetic 前 (OC *zleːn).

Han compound

(archery, weaponry) arrow (Classifier: 支 m c mn)


粒

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *rɯb): semantic 米 (“rice”) + phonetic 立 (OC *rɯb).

Han compound

一粒米

一粒糖 [Cantonese] ― jat¹ nap¹ tong⁴⁻² [Jyutping] ― a piece of candy

Classifier for small, round objects: granule, grain, particle, piece ⇒ all nouns using this classifier

一粒西瓜

The mountain in my hometown stands there forever, for who knows how many years.

kò͘-hiong hit lia̍p soaⁿ, éng-oán khiā tī hia, m̄ chai kúi tang

故鄉彼粒山 永遠徛佇遐 毋知幾冬

故乡彼粒山 永远徛伫遐 毋知几冬

(Hokkien, Eastern Min, Taiwanese, Singapore and Malaysian Mandarin) Classifier for any round, solid objects.

1952, 唐龍, directed by 潘炳權, 契爺艷史 [Foster-Daddy's Romantic Affairs], spoken by 梁大寒 (梁醒波 [Leung Sing Poh]):

Dad only has you two, a son and a daughter.

baa¹⁻⁴ baa¹ dak¹ nei⁵ dei⁶ jat¹ lap¹ zai² jat¹ lap¹ neoi⁵ gaa³ zaa³ bo³.

爸爸得你哋一粒仔一粒女㗎咋噃。

(Cantonese) Classifier for pips (insignia).

(Cantonese, slang) Classifier for money: ten thousand yuan, dollars, etc.


粗

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sʰaː, *zaːʔ): semantic 米 (“rice”) + phonetic 且 (OC *sʰjaːʔ, *ʔsa).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-ra (“hard, difficult”); cognate with Tibetan སྲ་མོ (sra mo, “hard”) (STEDT).

inh

頭髮粗硬

头发粗硬

腿粗的男生

thick; heavy; bulky (especially of cylindrical objects)


約

Sino-Xenic (約):
* → Vietnamese: ước (約)

Characters in the same phonetic series (勺) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ʔlewɢs, *ʔlewɢ): semantic 糸 (“rope”) + phonetic 勺 (OC *pljewɢ, *bljewɢ).

Han compound

四環九約

四环九约

(Hong Kong, historical) district (of the City of Victoria)


級

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *krɯb): semantic 糹 (“thread”) + phonetic 及 (OC *ɡrɯb). According to Shuowen Jiezi, the original meaning was referred to a "sequence" related to silk (絲的次第), however Xu Shen didn't specify the exact kind of sequence he was talking about.


紫

Characters in the same phonetic series (此) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ʔseʔ): phonetic 此 (OC *sʰeʔ) + semantic 糸.


組

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ʔsaːʔ): semantic 糸 (“silk”) + phonetic 且 (OC *sʰjaːʔ, *ʔsa).


絲

qualifier

see <i class="Latn mention" lang="la">sēricus</i> for descendants of this

→ Ancient Greek: Σήρ (Sḗr, “Chinese; silkworm”)
→ Latin: Sēres
English: Seres
Portuguese: Seres
Spanish: Seres
 (see sēricus for descendants of this)

→ Aramaic:

desc

Classical Syriac: ܫܺܐܪܳܐ (šērā), ܫܺܐܪܳܝܳܐ (šērāyā), ܫܻܝܪܳܝܳܐ (šērāyā, “silk; silk garment”)

Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: שִׁירָאָה (šērāʾā), שִּׁירָא (šērā, “silk; silk garment”)

Mandaic: ࡔࡉ࡚ࡓࡀࡉࡀ (/šērāyā/)

→ Arabic: سِيرَاء (sīrāʔ, “a kind of silk garment”)

ሢራይ, ሥራይ, ሤራይ

→ Ge'ez: ሢራይ, ሥራይ, ሤራይ (śiray, śəray, śeray, “silk; silk garment”)

→? Old Korean: 糸利 (*SIli, “thread”)

Middle Korean: 실〯 (sǐl, “id.”)

Korean: 실 (sil, “id.”)

→ Vietnamese: tơ

Obsolete. 皮 is used for SI prefix pico-.

絲竹

丝竹


經

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *keːŋ, *keːŋs): semantic 糸 (“silk; thread”) + phonetic 巠 (OC *keːŋ).


線

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sqʰeːns): semantic 糹 + phonetic 泉 (OC *sɡʷen).

Han compound

demarcation line; boundary; border; brink

(Singapore, computing) network connection

Classifier for for abstract nouns or numerals indicating few or little.


練

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡ·reːns): semantic 糸 (“silk”) + phonetic 柬 (OC *kreːnʔ).

Han compound

老練

老练


縣

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (縣):
* → Japanese: 県(けん) (ken); 県(げん) (gen)
* → Korean: 현(縣) (hyeon)
* → Vietnamese: huyện (縣)

→ English: hsien, xian

→ Iu Mien: nquenc

→ Lingao: hin⁴

desc

→ Lü: ᦶᦉᧃᧈ (ṡaen¹)

→ Lü: ᦶᦉᧃᧈ (ṡaen¹)

→ Mongolian: сияан (sijaan)

→ Zhuang: yen

/jᵘɔn³²⁻³²⁵/

/jᵘɔn³²⁻³²⁵/

Shuowen: Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 𥄉 + 系 – to hang 系 by the head 𥄉 (hair hanging down).
Original form of 懸. Originally in bronze and bamboo slip scripts, Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 目 + 木 + 糸 - to hang with the string 糸 by the head 目 (using an eye to represent a head) on a tree 木. In Qin bamboo slip scripts, some of 目 + 木 were corrupted to 県 (with one straight horizontal line rather than 𠃊) which interpreted to a reversed 首 head by Shuowen, and 糸 was corrupted to 系.

Han compound

seat of government
seat of government#English

(in many cases but not always) county seat (the town which serves as the seat of government of such divisions)


縮

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sruɡ): semantic 糸 (“string, thread”) + phonetic 宿 (OC *suɡs, *suɡ).


織

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tjɯɡs, *tjɯɡ): semantic 糸 (“silk”) + phonetic 戠 (OC *tjɯɡ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tak ~ dak (“to weave”).


繞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ŋjewʔ, *ŋjaws): semantic 糸 (“rope”) + phonetic 堯 (OC *ŋeːw).


缺

/t͡ɕʰy̯e̞²⁴/

/t͡ɕʰy̯e̞²⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰʷed, *kʰʷeːd): semantic 缶 (“earthen pot”) + phonetic 夬 (OC *kʷraːds).


罐

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *koːns): semantic 缶 (“pottery”) + phonetic 雚 (OC *koːns).

Han compound

𮉸
鑵
𨫝
罆/𰭄
𤮳
𰭃
⿰缶关

can; jar; tin; cylindrical container for holding objects or liquids or cooking

(dialectal) Classifier for bottled items.


罵

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *mraːʔ, *mraːs): semantic 网 + phonetic 馬 (OC *mraːʔ). The original version is 𦋻. See also 詈 (< 𧧧).


美

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (美):
* → Japanese: 美(み) (mi); 美(び) (bi)
* → Korean: 미(美) (mi)
* → Vietnamese: mĩ (美)

Pictogram (象形) – a person (大) wearing a headdress (now written 羊) of feathers or ram's horn.
The modern form could be considered an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 羊 (“ram or feathers”) + 大 (“person”).
See also 敖, 冒, and 免.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mwaj (“beautiful, well, perfectly”) (STEDT).
According to Schuessler (2007), cognate with Mizo mawi (“beautiful, lovely”), Jingpho moi (“perfectly, beautifully”) as well as Karbi me- (“be good”) and Jingpho cha mai (“good”); the former two items from *moy "beautiful" and the latter from *may "good, well", which were two roots reconstructed separately by Benedict (1972).

der

美籍華人

美籍华人

中美關係

中美关系

美屬薩摩亞

美属萨摩亚

Short for 美國／美国 (Měiguó, “United States of America”).

United States of America
United States of America


群

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (群):
* → Japanese: 群(ぐん) (gun)

/t͡ɕʰyə̯ɻ³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰyə̯ɻ³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡlun): phonetic 君 (OC *klun) + semantic 羊 – a herd of sheep; a group.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-kul (“twenty; all”); cognate with 昆 (OC *kuːn, “swarming”), Tibetan ཀུན (kun, “all”), Burmese အကုန် (a.kun, “all”) (Benedict, 1972; STEDT).

inh

(～母) (Chinese linguistics) the Middle Chinese initial of 群 (MC gjun)


考

→ Guiqiong: kʰɐu (“to sit exams”)

Characters in the same phonetic series (丂) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Variant of 老 (OC *ruːʔ) – Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 耂 (“an old man with long hair, bent over”) + 丂 (“a walking cane”) originally drawn as 匕 – an old man, leaning on a cane. Compare top component to 孝 (OC *qʰruːs).
Structurally related to 老 (OC *ruːʔ); the most commonly cited example of 轉注 (“reciprocal meaning”).

Han compound

先考

In sacrificing to them, a grandfather is called 'the sovereign grandfather'; a grandmother, 'the sovereign grandmother'; a father, 'the sovereign father'; a mother, 'the sovereign mother; a husband, 'the sovereign pattern.' While alive, the names of 'father', 'mother', and 'wife' are used; when they are dead, those of 'the completed one', 'the corresponding one', and 'the honored one'.

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

Jì wángfù yuē huángzǔkǎo, wángmǔ yuē huángzǔbǐ. Fù yuē huángkǎo, mǔ yuē huángbǐ. Fū yuē huángpì. Shēng yuē fù, yuē mǔ, yuē qī, sǐ yuē kǎo, yuē bǐ, yuē pín.

祭王父曰皇祖考，王母曰皇祖妣。父曰皇考，母曰皇妣。夫曰皇辟。生曰父、曰母、曰妻，死曰考、曰妣、曰嬪。

祭王父曰皇祖考，王母曰皇祖妣。父曰皇考，母曰皇妣。夫曰皇辟。生曰父、曰母、曰妻，死曰考、曰妣、曰嫔。

(literary) deceased father; posthumous name for male relations


而

Characters in the same phonetic series (而) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a beard. Original form of 耏 (OC *nɯːs, *njɯ) or 髵 (OC *njɯ). See also 冄.
; "you; your"
; "then", "and"

Han etyl

to fail to understand (literally, "to be unable to enter by finding the gate")

不得其門而入

不得其门而入

[I would] bathe in the Yi, enjoy the breeze among the rain altars, and return home singing.

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

浴乎沂，風乎舞雩，詠而歸。

浴乎沂，风乎舞雩，咏而归。

If there were one who did not find pleasure in killing men, all the people in the nation would look towards him with outstretched necks.

Mencius, c. 4ᵗʰ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Rú yǒu bùshì shārén zhě, zé tiānxià zhī mín jiē yǐnlǐng ér wàng zhī yǐ.

如有不嗜殺人者，則天下之民皆引領而望之矣。

如有不嗜杀人者，则天下之民皆引领而望之矣。

particle between adverbial element and verb to indicate cause, purpose, or manner

particle between two verbs or verb phrases indicating that the first is used adverbially

If a man observe no rules of propriety,
Why does he not quickly die?

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

人而無禮，胡不遄死？

人而无礼，胡不遄死？

Were Yan Ying alive, even if I were to be a coachman for him, there shall be where my joy and admiration lie.

Jiǎlìng Yànzǐ ér zài, yú suī wèizhī zhíbiān, suǒ xīnmù yān.

假令晏子而在，余雖爲之執鞭，所忻慕焉。

假令晏子而在，余虽为之执鞭，所忻慕焉。

modal particle indicating hypothetical condition

All of those three worthy men were heroes among humble commoners who, having not even released their wrath, saw omens auspicious to their heroic deeds and ruinous to their opponents dispatched by Heaven. Now, with me, there is about to be a fourth.

Zhanguo Ce, circa 5ᵗʰ – 3ʳᵈ centuries BCE

Cǐ sān zǐ zhě, jiē bùyī zhī shì yě; huái nù wèi fā, xiū jìn jiàng yú tiān, yǔ chén ér jiāng sì yǐ.

此三子者，皆布衣之士也；懷怒未發，休祲降於天，與臣而將四矣。

此三子者，皆布衣之士也；怀怒未发，休祲降于天，与臣而将四矣。

modal particle indicating tendency or immediate action


聊

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *m·rɯːw): semantic 耳 (“ear”) + phonetic 卯 (OC *mruːʔ).

Han compound

你和他聊了些什麼？

你和他聊了些什么？

Let's stop chatting, I'm going to sleep.

不聊了，我要睡覺了。

不聊了，我要睡觉了。


聞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *mɯn, *mɯns): phonetic 門 (OC *mɯːn) + semantic 耳 (“ear”). Compare 問 (OC *mɯns).
Probably derived from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/s-nam (“to smell”), whence Tibetan མནམ་པ (mnam pa, “to smell of”), Tibetan སྣོམ་པ (snom pa, “to smell”), Jingpho manam (mə³¹ nam⁵⁵, “smell”), Burmese နမ် (nam, “to smell”), Burmese နံ (nam, “to stink”) (Schuessler, 2007). The inversion of n and m in Chinese is the result of labial dissimilation or prefix-preemption.
In almost all major Tibeto-Burman languages, this etymon means only "to smell". One or other factors may
help explain the application of "to hear" in Chinese. The semantic affinities of hear ~ smell have a parallel in Tibeto-Burman *na "ear ~ nose" and hence perhaps in Sino-Tibetan (see *r/g-na (“ear”)). The Chinese stem may have converged with a Mon-Khmer etymon (cf. Proto-Monic *smaaɲ (“to inquire”) (ibid.). Also note Tibetan མཉན་པ (mnyan pa, “to listen to; to hear”) which is phonologically quite close to Chinese.
Pronunciation 2 ("be heard about; renowned; fame") is a derivation of pronunciation 1, with passive suffix *-s (ibid.).
問 (OC *mɯns, “to ask”) is the exoactive derivation of pronunciation 1 with suffix *-s, literally "let (me) hear" (ibid.).

cog

百聞不如一見／百闻不如一见

seeing is believing (literally, “hearing something one hundred times is not as good as seeing it once”)

I have seen such men, as I have heard such words.

吾見其人矣，吾聞其語矣。

吾见其人矣，吾闻其语矣。

The loom’s sound could not be heard over the girl’s sighs.

不聞機杼聲，惟聞女嘆息。

不闻机杼声，惟闻女叹息。

1949, “男燒衣”, in 廣東大戲考, 廣東播音界聯誼社, page 2:

man⁴ dak¹ mui⁶⁻² nei⁵ waa⁶ si² lo³, ngo⁵ sat⁶ zoi⁶ gin³ bei¹ soeng¹.

聞得妹你話死咯，我實在見悲傷。

闻得妹你话死咯，我实在见悲伤。

(literary or Jiangyong Tuhua) to hear; to listen

聞味道／闻味道

我乜嘢都聞唔到嘅？

我乜嘢都闻唔到嘅？

Thereupon King Kung rode in a carriage and went to make a personal call. As soon as he entered the tent of the Commissioner, he smelt wine and turned back right away.

Gòng Wáng jià ér zì wǎng, rù qí wò zhōng, wén jiǔ chòu ér huán.

共王駕而自往，入其幄中，聞酒臭而還。

共王驾而自往，入其幄中，闻酒臭而还。

新聞／新闻

奇聞／奇闻

聞一多

闻一多


肝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kaːn): semantic ⺼ (“flesh”) + phonetic 干 (OC *kaːn) – a body part.
Probably from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-ka-(n/m/ŋ) (“bitter; salty; bile; liver”), in which case it would be related to 苦 (OC *kʰaːʔ, *kʰaːs, “bitter”); also compare Proto-Bodo-Garo *bi-ka (“liver”), whence Bodo (India) [script needed] (bi-ka, “liver”), Garo bika (“liver”).
Alternatively, Schuessler (2007) compares it with Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-kal ~ *s-gal (“lower back; kidney”), whence Tibetan མཁལ་མ (mkhal ma, “kidney”), Mizo kal (“kidney”), Chepang गल् (“kidney”), Burmese ခါး (hka:, “waist”).

cog

This game is attractive, but I really can't grind anymore. It's too grindy.

Zhè yóuxì hěn xīyǐn rén, dàn wǒ shízài gān bù dòng le. Tā tài gān le.

這遊戲很吸引人，但我實在肝不動了。它太肝了。

这游戏很吸引人，但我实在肝不动了。它太肝了。

(video games, neologism) to grind; to repeat a task day and night, which may exhaust the liver, in order to achieve a specific goal


肥

→ Proto-Tai: *bwiːᴬ (“fat”)

Thai: พี (pii)

Zhuang: biz

→ Thai: ปุ๋ย (bpǔi, “fertilizer”)

Shuowen Jiezi: Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 肉 (“meat”) + 卪 (“person kneeling”).
Ji Xusheng (2004) posits that its actually a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *bɯl): semantic 肉 + abbreviated phonetic 妃 (OC *pʰɯːls, *pʰɯl).
STEDT provisionally assigns this to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *bu ~ bur.

Han compound

The pigs in the farm are quite plump, very cute.

Nóngchǎng lǐ de xiǎozhū zhǎng de féiféi de, hǎo kě'ài.

農場裡的小豬長得肥肥的，好可愛。

农场里的小猪长得肥肥的，好可爱。

Sometimes, I'm criticized for being fat, while other times, I'm criticized for being skinny. I don't know what to do.

jat¹ si⁴ jim⁴ jan⁴ fei⁴, jat¹ si⁴ jim⁴ jan⁴ sau³, dou¹ m⁴ zi¹ dim² hou².

一時嫌人肥，一時嫌人瘦，都唔知點好。

一时嫌人肥，一时嫌人瘦，都唔知点好。

化肥

氮肥

施肥

2000s, 美国·圣地亚戈, an advertisement of the product 金氮丹

zhǐyào tǔ zài féi jiù zài / yī dài néng dǐng liǎng dài

只要土在肥就在 / 一袋能頂兩袋

只要土在肥就在 / 一袋能顶两袋


肩

Cognate with Proto-Kam-Sui *k-xiːn¹ (“arm”), Proto-Tai *qeːnᴬ (“arm”) (whence Thai แขน (kɛ̌ɛn, “arm”)) (Schuessler, 2007).
Alternatively, possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k(w/y)an (“shoulder”).


肯

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): abbreviated 冎 (“bone”) + 肉 (“meat”) – meat attached to the bone. Originally written more like 肎 or 𦘫, the top component is now written 止.

meat attached to the bone; tendon; sinew


肺

→ Proto-Tai: *pwɤtᴰ

Lao: ປອດ (pǭt)

Phake: ပွတ် (pot)

Shan: ပွတ်ႇ (pàut)

Thai: ปอด (bpɔ̀ɔt)

Zhuang: bwt

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pʰobs): semantic 肉 (“meat; flesh”) + phonetic 巿 (OC *pub).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *p-wap (“lung”).


胃

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (胃):
* → Japanese: 胃(い) (i)
* → Korean: 위(胃) (wi)

According to Shuowen Jiezi, the 𡇒 character (note that this Unicode character has undergone libian simplification) atop 𦞅 is a pictogram (象形) of a stomach. While the bronze script form merely consisted of two concentric circles, an inner portion of the character was later added, namely a mutated form of the seal script character of 米 ("rice"), representing grains within the stomach (see also 鬯).
A 肉 component (modern radical form ⺼, not to be confused with the unrelated 月, a moon) was added to specialise the character. Upon transition to the clerical script form, the upper component was simplified to the unrelated 田, which however has a reference to rice and food.
The ancient form of the character can be seen within the lower component of 𦳊.

Twenty-Eight Mansions
w:Twenty-Eight Mansions

(～宿) (Chinese astronomy) Stomach Mansion (one of Twenty-Eight Mansions)


背

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pɯːɡs, *bɯːɡs): phonetic 北 (OC *pɯːɡ) + semantic 月 (“meat”). Originally written as 北, semantic 肉 was added to be distinguished from the derived meaning of 北 (“north”).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ba (“to carry (on back), shoulder”).
Two pronunciations were distinguished in Middle Chinese: puʌiᴴ (“back”), buʌiᴴ (“to turn one's back to; to betray”).


胸

Originally written 匈. Now ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *qʰoŋ): semantic 肉 (“meat”) + phonetic 匈 (OC *qʰoŋ, “chest”).
Unclear. Noting that Middle Chinese *x- could have arisen from voiceless *r̥-, Schuessler (2007) considers it either connected to Chepang रुङः (ruŋʔ, “breastbone, center of chest”) or from Austroasiatic (compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *-ruŋ (“to shield, to protect”) > Proto-Mon-Khmer *truŋ (“stable, sty, cage”) > Old Khmer [script needed] (drooŋ, “ribcage, chest, breast”) > Khmer ទ្រុង (trung, “cage”); related to 籠 (OC *roːŋ, “cage, coop”)).


腰

→ Proto-Tai: *ˀjeːwᴬ (“waist”)

Lao: ແອວ (ʼǣu)

Northern Thai: ᩋᩯ᩠ᩅ

Tai Dam: ꪵꪮꪫ

Thai: เอว (eeo)

Shan: ဢႅဝ် (ʼěao)

Zhuang: yiu

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *qew): semantic ⺼ (“flesh”) + phonetic 要 (OC *qew, *qews).

Han compound

(anatomy) waist; lower back; small of the back (Classifier: 條／条 c)


臨

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *b·rɯm, *b·rɯms): semantic 臣 (“eye”) + semantic 人 (“person”) + phonetic 品 (OC *pʰrɯmʔ, “objects”) – a person looking down at some objects.
Alternatively analyzed as a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *b·rɯm, *b·rɯms): semantic 臥 + phonetic 品 (OC *pʰrɯmʔ).

Han compound

临
𦣲
𦣷
瀶
临
凜
斂


自

Sino-Xenic (自):
* → Vietnamese: tự (自)

→ Vietnamese: từ

/d̥͡z̥z̩²¹³/

/d̥͡z̥z̩²¹³/

Characters in the same phonetic series (自) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Originally a pictogram (象形) of a nose; in China (and East Asia) one points at one’s nose to indicate oneself, hence an ideogram (指事) of “self”. Unrelated to 面.
The original meaning of “nose” has been replaced by 鼻.

Han etyl

each minding his own business; each for himself

自顧自

自顾自


臭

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 犬 (“dog”) + 自 (“nose”), referring to the dog's strong sense of smell.
Schuessler (2007) considers it to be cognate with 犨 (OC *kʰju, “sound of an ox breathing”) and connects it to Burmese ဟိုက် (huik, “to pant”).
Also compare 朽 (OC *qʰluʔ, “to rot; to decay”) (Baxter and Sagart, 2014).

och-l

體臭

体臭

There is a fragrant herb, and a noisome one; And ten years hence the noisomeness will continue.

Yī xūn yī yóu, shínián shàng yóu yǒu chòu.

一薰一蕕，十年尚猶有臭。

一薰一莸，十年尚犹有臭。

臭豆腐

Some people think durian is stinky, while others think it smells good.

Yǒurén juéde liúlián hěn chòu, yě yǒurén juéde hěn xiāng.

有人覺得榴槤很臭，也有人覺得很香。

有人觉得榴梿很臭，也有人觉得很香。

臭架子


臭

無色無臭

无色无臭

羴：羊臭也。

But when two men are one in heart, not iron bolts keep them apart. The words they in their union use, fragrance like orchid plants diffuse.

Èrrén tóngxīn, qí lì duàn jīn. Tóngxīn zhī yán, qí chòu rú lán.

二人同心，其利斷金。同心之言，其臭如蘭。

二人同心，其利断金。同心之言，其臭如兰。


至

Ideogram (指事): an arrow stuck into the ground. Some folk etymologies interpret the whole pictogram as an eagle catching a prey.
Compare 畀 and 矢. See also the bottom component of 睪, the original versions of 弗 and the top component of 𢦏.

(literary, or in compounds) extreme point; limit


與

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *la, *laʔ, *las): phonetic 舁 (OC *la, “raised hands”) + phonetic 牙 (OC *ŋraː). Both components are phonetic. The closest version to the original is 𦥸.
; "to be with; to associate with"
; "to give"

Han compound

与
𠔔
𠔜
𦥸
𦦲
𫝌
𫟋
𫤰
𭁇
𭁈
𭁉
𭁕
𮍫
𮍬
𮍭
𮍰

Zi Qin asked Zi Gong, saying, "When our master comes to any country, he does not fail to learn all about its government. Does he ask his information? or is it given to him?"

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

Zǐqín wèn yú Zǐgòng yuē: “Fūzǐ zhìyú shì bāng yě, bì wén qí zhèng, qiú zhī yú? Yì yǔ zhī yú?”

子禽問於子貢曰：「夫子至於是邦也，必聞其政，求之與？抑與之與？」

子禽问于子贡曰：「夫子至于是邦也，必闻其政，求之与？抑与之与？」

(Classical, alt. form 歟／欤) Sentence-final particle used to express an exclamatory, doubtful or questioning tone


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

顏色

颜色

顏色兒

颜色儿

紅色

红色

四色定理

color; tint; hue; shade (Classifier: 隻／只 c)

臉色

脸色

The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue."

子曰：「巧言令色，鮮矣仁。」

子曰：「巧言令色，鲜矣仁。」

色子

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

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

cyproterone acetate
cyproterone acetate#English

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


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)

1991, Fight Back to School, spoken by Police Commissioner (Scissor Legs) (Barry Wong):

Tomboy, call everyone who has pips on their shoulder to here!

naam⁴ jan⁴ po⁴, tung⁴ ngo⁵ giu³ saai³ di¹ bok³ tau⁴ jau⁵ faa¹ ge³ zik¹ kaak¹ soeng⁵ lei⁴!

男人婆，同我叫嗮啲膊頭有花嘅即刻上嚟！

男人婆，同我叫嗮啲膊头有花嘅即刻上嚟！

(Hong Kong) pip (insignia) (Classifier: 粒 c)

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”).


落

→ Ai-Cham: lau⁵

→ Thai: โละ (ló) (via Teochew loh⁸)

→ Vietnamese: lạc

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡ·raːɡ): semantic 艹 + phonetic 洛 (OC *ɡ·raːɡ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(k/g)la-k/y/t (“to fall”) (STEDT, Schuessler, 2007):
:within Sinitic, cognate to 露 (OC *ɡ·raːɡs) "dew", 下 (OC *ɡraːʔ, *ɡraːs, “down, below, to descend, to fall down”) , 陊 (OC *l'aːlʔ, *l'alʔ) "to collapse" and 阤 (OC *l'alʔ, *hljalʔ) "hillside, slope";
:outsides Sinitic, cognate to Mizo tla ~ tlâk (“to fall”) and thla ~ thlâk (“to drop”), Burmese ကျ (kya., “to fall”) and ချ (hkya., “to drop”).
Schuessler attributes OC *r-, instead of expected **l-, to possible Austroasiatic influence: compare Khmer [script needed] (gra'ka, “be low, debased”) < [script needed] (-ra'ka, “to fall, below, cover from above”). However, Matisoff (2003) identifies several ST etyma which display TB *(C‑)l- vs. OC *(C‑)r‑ correspondence (e.g. *l(j)a(k/ŋ) (“good, beautiful”) → 良 (OC *raŋ), *g/m-liŋ (“neck”) → 領 (OC *reŋʔ), etc.) and TB *(C‑)r- vs. OC *(C‑)l‑ (e.g. *g-rjum (“salt”) → 鹽 (OC *ɡ·lam)); so irregularities in correspondence do not necessarily indicate foreign influences.
Contemporary southern usage possibly reinforced by a Kra-Dai term. The term has been associated with Zhuang loengx (“to fall”).
Zhengzhang suggested that Pronunciation 2 was a result of loss of final consonant of the retained Old Chinese Pronunciation 1.

cog

日落

潮水落了。

鳥兒落在樹枝上。

鸟儿落在树枝上。

(intransitive) (to go to a lower place)
to go down; to descend; to set

落樓梯

落楼梯

我落一落樓下。

我落一落楼下。

(Cantonese, Southern Min) to go down; to descend (of a person, animal, etc.)


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

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

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.)

He falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.

他頭一沾枕頭就著。

他头一沾枕头就着。

(dialectal Mandarin, Xiang) all right; OK; that's exactly what I was thinking


蓋

→ Japanese: 蓋し (kedashi) (calque)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kaːbs, *kaːb, *ɡaːb): semantic 艸 (“grass”) + phonetic 盍 (OC *ɡaːb) — a thatch.
盍 is the original character for the “cover” sense. However, because this original character was borrowed to mean “why not”, the scope of senses for 蓋 expanded to include the “cover” sense (and its extended meanings).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(g/k)wap (“to cover, incubate, hatch”). Within Chinese, compare:
* 盍 (OC *ɡaːb, “to join, unite; door leaf”)
* 閤 (OC *kuːb, “small gate”)
* 蛤 (OC *kuːb, “oyster, mussel”)
* 合 (OC *kuːb, *ɡuːb, “to join, unite; harmony; to close, shut”)
* 洽 (OC *ɡruːb, “to unite, assemble; to accord with”)
* 翕 (OC *qʰrub, “united, harmonious”)
Outside of Sinitic, cognate with Mizo [Term?] (hûap, “to include, to take in, to cover, to embrace, to apply to”). The Sino-Tibetan root is likely allofamic with Proto-Tibeto-Burman *ʔup (“idem”), the latter whence Burmese အုပ် (up, “to cover”) (STEDT).


蓋

Duke Xian of Jin, intending to put to death his heir-son Shen-sheng, another son, Chong-er, said to the latter, "Why do you not tell what is in your mind to the duke?"

Jìn Xiàn Gōng jiāng shā qí shì zǐ Shēnshēng, gōngzǐ Chóng'ěr wèi zhī yuē: “Zǐ hé yán zǐ zhī zhì yú gōng hū?”

晉獻公將殺其世子申生，公子重耳謂之曰：「子蓋言子之志於公乎？」

晋献公将杀其世子申生，公子重耳谓之曰：「子盖言子之志于公乎？」

Zigong said, "Master, your philosophy is the greatest, and thus no one in the world can accept you. Why do you, Master, not slightly lower your standards?"

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

Zǐgòng yuē: “Fūzǐ zhī dào zhì dà yě, gù tiānxià mò néng róng fūzǐ. Fūzǐ hé shǎo biǎn yān?”

子貢曰：「夫子之道至大也，故天下莫能容夫子。夫子蓋少貶焉？」

子贡曰：「夫子之道至大也，故天下莫能容夫子。夫子盖少贬焉？」

(obsolete) Alternative form of 盍 (hé, “why not”)


薄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *baːɡ): semantic 艹 + phonetic 溥 (OC *pʰaːʔ, *paːɡ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ba (“thin; flat”) (STEDT). Cognate with Burmese ပါး (pa:, “thin”), Jingpho pha (pha³¹, “thin”).

Han compound

薄酬

Virtue small and office high; wisdom small and plans great; strength small and burden heavy: - where such conditions exist, it is seldom that they do not end (in evil).

Dé bó ér wèi zūn, zhī xiǎo ér móu dà, lì xiǎo ér rèn zhòng, xiān bùjí yǐ.

德薄而位尊，知小而謀大，力小而任重，鮮不及矣。

德薄而位尊，知小而谋大，力小而任重，鲜不及矣。

酒味很薄。

'When the lips are gone the teeth are cold;' 'The poor wine of Lu gave occasion to the siege of Han-dan;' 'When sages are born great robbers arise.'

Chún jié zé chǐ hán, Lǔ jiǔ bó ér Hándān wéi, shèngrén shēng ér dàdào qǐ.

脣竭則齒寒，魯酒薄而邯鄲圍，聖人生而大盜起。

唇竭则齿寒，鲁酒薄而邯郸围，圣人生而大盗起。

If Your Majesty will indeed dispense a benevolent government to the people, being sparing in the use of punishments and fines, and making the taxes and levies light, so causing that the fields shall be ploughed deep, and the weeding of them be carefully attended to…

wáng rú shī rénzhèng yú mín, xǐng xíngfá, bó shuìliǎn, shēngēngyìnòu,......

王如施仁政於民，省刑罰，薄稅斂，深耕易耨，……

王如施仁政于民，省刑罚，薄税敛，深耕易耨，……

薄一波


藏

蔵
匨
𢧿
蔵
匨
𢧿
蔵
茺
潛
汆
葱


處

Sino-Xenic (處):
* → Vietnamese: xử (處)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰljaʔ, *kʰljas): phonetic 虍 (OC *qʰaː) + semantic 夂 + semantic 几 (“table”).
In Starostin, this is reconstructed as *thaʔ in Old Chinese and subsumed under Proto-Sino-Tibetan *dhăH (/*thăH) (“to put; to place”), whence also 署 (OC *djas, “to place; to position”), Tibetan གདའ (gda', “to be; to be there”), གདན (gdan, “seat; residence”) and Burmese ထား (hta:, “to put; to place”).
With the original *–l– initial, compare Proto-Tamangic *ᴮglaː/ᴬglaː (“place”), Mizo tla, tlat (“to be; to exist; to live; to remain”) (Schuessler, 2007).
居 (OC *kɯ, *kas) may be related (Schuessler, 2007).

cog

处
処
䖏
𠙚
𧇤
𩂭
𩂫
𠁅


蛋

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'aːns): phonetic 延 (OC *lan, *lans) + semantic 虫 (“snake, insect”). Hence, the non-contracted form is 蜑. It means "egg", with a reference to snake eggs. In the current version, 延 is abbreviated to 疋.
This character was coined at a late stage in Chinese, since it is unattested on oracle bones, bronzes, Shuowen Jiezi and Guangyun.
From 彈 (MC danH, “pellet”) (Zhengzhang, 2003).

Han compound

雞蛋

鸡蛋

蛋殼

蛋壳

egg (Classifier: 個／个 m; 顆／颗 m; 枚 m; 隻／只 c h)

傻蛋

笨蛋

suffix denoting “person of certain characteristics”, usually with a pejorative tone

零蛋


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.


行

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (行):
* → Japanese: 行(ぎょう) (gyō)
* → Korean: 항(行) (hang)
* → Vietnamese: hàng (行)

→ Khmer: ហាង (haang)

→ Thai: ห้าง (hâang)

→ Zhuang: hangz

Characters in the same phonetic series (行) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a street intersection.
Originally symmetric, it has been simplified asymmetrically; the left half 彳 (chì) is widely used as a radical, while the right half 亍 (chù) finds occasional use, and the character can be broken up as 彳 + 亍, though originally it was not a compound.

Han etyl

(Cantonese) coarse; of poor quality; too general


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？


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”).


角

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (角):
* → Japanese: 角(かく) (kaku)
* → Korean: 각(角) (gak)
* → Vietnamese: giác (角)

→ Khmer: កាក់ (kak)
→ English: kak

→ Thai: กั๊ก (gák)

→ Vietnamese: góc

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

Characters in the same phonetic series (角) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a horn. A conservative version is 𧢲. Similar but unrelated to 甬, 用, and the bottom part of 備.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *krəw (“horn; angle; corner”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan རྭ (rwa, “horn”), Garo grong (“horn”), Jingpho nrung (“horn”), Chepang रोङः (roŋʔ, “horn”), 觡 (OC *kraːɡ, “antler”). The Tibeto-Burman *-ŋ final variant is reflected in 觥 (OC *kʷraːŋ, “drinking vessel made from animal horn”) (Schuessler, 2007). Possibly also related to 鹿 (OC *b·roːɡ, “deer”) (Sagart, 1999).
A derivative is 餃 (“stuffed dumpling”), named for its horn-like shape (Norman, 1988).
It is probably unrelated with Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥h₂nós (“horn”) ( < *ḱerh₂- (“horn”)) and Proto-Semitic *ḳarn- (“horn”) despite the phonological and semantic resemblance between the three.

och-l

(numismatics) Classifier for money: one tenth of a yuan or dollar


角

Only used in 角里 (former placename, located in Jiangsu province, now Zhūjiājiǎo).


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”).


訂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *teːŋs, *tʰeːŋ, *deːŋʔ): semantic 言 + phonetic 丁 (OC *rteːŋ, *teːŋ).


許

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


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

poem; verse; ode; poetry (Classifier: 首 m c h)

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


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。


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”).


調

/ti̯aʊ̯ɻʷ⁵¹/

/ti̯aʊ̯ɻʷ⁵¹/

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


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

They met the cats, because they devoured the rats and mice of the fields, and the tigers, because they devoured the wild boars. They met them and made offerings to them.

The Book of Rites, c. 4ᵗʰ – 2ⁿᵈ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Yíng māo, wèi qí shí tiánshǔ yě; yíng hǔ, wèi qí shí tián shǐ yě, yíng ér jì zhī yě.

迎貓，為其食田鼠也；迎虎，為其食田豕也，迎而祭之也。

迎猫，为其食田鼠也；迎虎，为其食田豕也，迎而祭之也。

According to a report by the British Daily Mail on May 9, Italian customs recently found a small orange cat in a container shipped from China.

2019, “中国小猫被困在集装箱 “漂流”40多天到意大利”, in sina:

Jù Yīngguó “Měirì Yóubào” 5 yuè 9 rì bàodǎo, bùjiǔqián, Yìdàlì hǎiguān zài cóng zhōngguó yùnguòlái de jízhuāngxiānglǐ fāxiàn yī zhī xiǎo júmāo.

據英國《每日郵報》5月9日報導，不久前，意大利海關在從中國運過來的集裝箱裡發現一隻小橘貓。

据英国《每日邮报》5月9日报导，不久前，意大利海关在从中国运过来的集装箱里发现一只小橘猫。

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


貓

猫
猫
猫
毛
猫
猫
猫
媌

貓腰

猫腰


貓

猫
猫
猫
毛
猫
猫
猫
媌


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).


費

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

Han compound

loquacious; garrulous; verbose; (of words) superfluous

(historical) placename in the southwest of modern-day Yutai County, Shandong

Fei Xiaotong (Chinese anthropologist and sociologist)

費孝通

费孝通


費

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


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


趁

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

Han compound

趁錢

趁钱


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


超

/t͡sʰiːu̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰiːu̯⁵⁵/

2023, 麥世龍, 隱形戰隊 [The Invisibles], episode 4, spoken by 邢風 (劉穎鏇 [Tiffany Lau]):

你副超咪喺度囉！

你副超咪喺度啰！

(Cantonese, colloquial) sunglasses; shades (Classifier: 副 c)


趕

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kaːnʔ): semantic 走 + phonetic 旱 (OC *ɡaːnʔ).

Han compound

Let's put off our wedding till the Spring Festival.

Zánmen de hūnshì gǎn chūnjié zài bàn ba.

咱們的婚事趕春節再辦吧。

咱们的婚事赶春节再办吧。


趟

→ Zhuang: dangq (“time (frequency)”)

Considered a 後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì). Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tʰaːŋs, *rtaːŋ, *rtaːŋs): semantic 走 (“run”) + phonetic 尚 (OC *djaŋ, *djaŋs).

zh-l

後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì)

Han compound

Classifier for sets of martial arts sequences.


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”).

Han compound

to fall (from the sky); to crash; to drop


跨

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

Han compound

(transitive) to cross over (a wall, river, etc.)


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


身

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (身):
* → Vietnamese: thân (身)

Characters in the same phonetic series (身) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形): from a pictograph of a pregnant woman. See also the reversed version 㐆. Unrelated to 射.
STEDT relates it to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sja-n ~ *sin (“flesh; animal; body”), but recent Old Chinese reconstructions would not support this etymology.
Because 身 is used as a phonetic for 仁 (OC *niŋ) in excavated texts, Baxter and Sagart (2012, 2014) reconstruct the initial as nasal. This would allow for a comparison to Tibetan སྙིང (snying, “heart”), Japhug tɯsni (“heart”) (Baxter and Sagart, 2012; Zhang, Jacques and Lai, 2019), which are from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s/k-n(j)i-k/ŋ (“heart; mind; brain”).


躲

2011, Chan Ya-wen (lyrics and music), “欠情歌”, in 山伯英台, performed by Chan Ya-wen:

[I] leave for a very faraway place, rushing towards prospects; [I] feel aggrieved, want to hide, but there's no way to hide

oán-cháu-ko-hui kóaⁿ hiòng chiân-tô͘, úi-khut beh bih bih bô-lō͘

遠走高飛趕向前途 委屈要躲躲無路

远走高飞赶向前途 委屈要躲躲无路

(Hokkien) Alternative form of 覕 /𰴕 (bih, “to hide”)


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)


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。


較

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kreːwɢs, *kreːwɢ): semantic 車 (“vehicle”) + phonetic 交 (OC *kreːw).
The original phonetic component was 爻 (OC *ɢraːw), later corrupted to 交 (OC *kreːw)

Han compound

較量

较量

(Hokkien) no matter how ... (often followed by 嘛 (mā) or 也 (iā))


較

horizontal beam on both sides of a carriage; (by extension) carriage


轉

/ʈ͡ʂu̯än²¹⁴/

/ʈ͡ʂu̯än²¹⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tonʔ, *tons): semantic 車 (“carriage”) + phonetic 專 (OC *tjon).
Possibly related to:
* Old Tibetan འདྲུལ ('drul, “to transmit; to communicate”) (Schuessler, 2007), or
* Tibetan སྲུལ (srul, “to move to and fro; to stir”), Burmese ရွေ့ (rwe., “to move; to be displaced”), ရွှေ့ (hrwe., “to move or shift something”) (Starostin).
An allofam is perhaps *don (“round”). Compare Vietnamese tròn (“round; circle; entire; whole”), trọn (“fully; completely; all”), as well as the following Chinese words:
* 團 (OC *doːn, “ball; circle; lump”),
* 摶 (OC *doːn, *doːn, *donʔ, “to roll up into a ball”).
Derivative: 傳 (OC *tons, *don, *dons, “to relay; to pass on; to transfer; relay station; biography; record”).

och-l

转
返
转
转
转
撙
捘

(dialectal Mandarin, Cantonese) Classifier for times or round trips.


追

(literary) Synonym of 雕 (diāo, “to carve jade”)


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" (𝌶)


透

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l̥ʰoːs, *hljuɡ): semantic 辵 (“walking”) + phonetic 秀 (OC *slus).
This character is not attested in the oracle bone script or bronze inscriptions.

Han compound

(～母) (Chinese linguistics) the Middle Chinese initial of 透 (MC thuwH)


逗

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *doːs, *dos): semantic 辶 + phonetic 豆 (OC *doːs).
; “to stay; to remain; to stop”