犬

Bai: *qʰuaŋ²

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕʰyɵn²¹³/

/t͡ɕʰy̯e̞⁴¹/

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕʰyɵn²¹³/

/t͡ɕʰy̯e̞⁴¹/

Characters in the same phonetic series (犬) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – the side view of a dog.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *d-kʷəj-n (“dog”); cognate with Tibetan ཁྱི (khyi, “dog”), Burmese ခွေး (hkwe:, “dog”).
This common Sino-Tibetan word has been replaced by 狗 (OC *koːʔ) in most topolects except Eastern Min, such as Fuzhou kēng. In other topolects, this word is mainly found in compounds and not used alone.

Han etyl

警犬

He who is presenting a horse or a sheep should lead it with his right hand. He who is presenting a dog should lead it with his left hand.

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

Xiào mǎ xiào yáng zhě yòu qiān zhī; xiào quǎn zhě zuǒ qiān zhī.

效馬效羊者右牽之；效犬者左牽之。

效马效羊者右牵之；效犬者左牵之。

(formal or in compounds or Eastern Min, Waxiang, dialectal Wu) dog


佘

→ English: She, Sheh, Seah

Derived from 余 (yú) and 舍 (shè). The character was differentiated from these two characters around the time of the Han dynasty, possibly a Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɦlja): semantic 人 (“person”) + phonetic 示 (OC *ɡle, *ɢljils).
From 余. (Kangxi Dictionary).

Han compound

She Saihua (a legendary heroine from ancient China's Northern Song Dynasty)

佘賽花

佘赛花

佘詩曼

佘诗曼


佣

commission (amount of money paid to a middleman)


侕

侕侕: a big mess. In Mandarin it would be 亂


併

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *breːŋʔ, *breːŋs, *peŋʔ, *peŋs, *beːŋʔ): semantic 人 (“man”) + phonetic 并 (OC *peŋ, *peŋs).


侮

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 人 (“person”) + phonetic 每 (OC *mɯːʔ).

Your Majesty is arrogant and insults others; Xiang Yu was benevolent and loved others. But when Your Majesty sent people to attack fortresses and seize lands, Your Majesty granted them what they had conquered. Your Majesty shared your profits with the world.

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

Bìxià màn ér wǔ rén, Xiàng Yǔ rén ér ài rén. Rán bìxià shǐ rén gōng chéng lüè dì, suǒ jiàngxià zhě yīn yǐ yǔ zhī, yǔ tiānxià tóng lì yě.

陛下慢而侮人，項羽仁而愛人。然陛下使人攻城略地，所降下者因以予之，與天下同利也。

陛下慢而侮人，项羽仁而爱人。然陛下使人攻城略地，所降下者因以予之，与天下同利也。


伓

n̂g-gōng / [^((ŋ̍-))ŋ̍²⁴²⁻⁵³ ⁽ᵏ⁻⁾ŋouŋ³³]

伓講

伓讲

n̂g-siàng / [^((ŋ̍-))n̩²⁴²⁻⁵⁵ ⁽ˢ⁻⁾niaŋ⁵³]

伓成

n̂g-báik / [^((ŋ̍-))m̩²⁴²⁻⁵³ ⁽ᵖ⁻⁾maiʔ²⁴]

伓捌

kó̤-n̂g-kó̤ / [kʰo²¹³⁻²¹ ^((ŋ̍-))ŋ̍²⁴²⁻⁵³ ^((kʰ-))ŋɔ²¹³]

去伓去？


倦

In the Chu form, a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡrons): semantic 人 (“person”) + phonetic 龹 (). In the Small Seal Script form, a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡrons): semantic 人 (“person”) + phonetic 卷 (OC *ɡron, *kronʔ, *krons, *ɡonʔ).
Compare Tibetan ཀྱོར་ཀྱོར (kyor kyor, “weak; feeble”), Tibetan ཁྱོར་བ (khyor ba, “to stumble; to move totteringly”), Tibetan འཁྱོར་བ ('khyor ba, “to stagger, to reel”) (Bodman, 1980). Cognate with 痯 (OC *koːnʔ, *koːns, “exhausted”) (Schuessler, 2007).

cog

疲倦

厭倦

厌倦

The Master said, "The silent treasuring up of knowledge; learning without satiety; and instructing others without being wearied - which one of these things belongs to me?"

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

Zǐ yuē: “Mò ér shí zhī, xué ér bù yàn, huì rén bù juàn, hé yǒu yú wǒ zāi?”

子曰：「默而識之，學而不厭，誨人不倦，何有於我哉？」

子曰：「默而识之，学而不厌，诲人不倦，何有于我哉？」


僉

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 亼 + 吅 + 从.


儅

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *taːŋ, *taːŋs): semantic 亻 (“human”) + phonetic 當 (OC *taːŋ, *taːŋs).


儡

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ruːl, *ruːlʔ, *ruːls): semantic 人 (“man”) + phonetic 畾 (OC *ruːl)


兢

Possibly the vocalic variant of 驚 (OC *kreŋ, “to be afraid; to alarm”) (Schuessler, 2007). Cognate with 謹 (OC *kɯnʔ, “to be careful; to be attentive”).


偉

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

Han compound

extraordinary; magnificent; great; robust


准

/ʈ͡ʂu̯ən²¹⁴/

/ʈ͡ʂu̯ən²¹⁴/

For pronunciation and definitions of 准 – see 準 (“water-level; flat; level; water level; etc.”).
(This character is the simplified and variant form of 準).
 Notes:
Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

zh-see

Only thirty kilos are allowed for personal luggage

只准攜帶30公斤行李。

只准携带30公斤行李。

Lǚguǎn zhǔn bù zhǔn zhù xiǎo hái hé yǎng xiǎo dòngwù?

旅館准不准住小孩和養小動物？

旅馆准不准住小孩和养小动物？


凰

Originally 皇. A spurious 𠘨 was added by the assimilation with 鳳.

(Chinese mythology) female fenghuang (a mythological bird)


冑

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'ɯwɢs): semantic 冃 + phonetic 由 (OC *lɯw).

Han compound

(historical) helmet worn by warriors in ancient times


刖

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋroːd, *ŋod, *ŋuːd): phonetic 月 (OC *ŋod) + semantic 刂.
Related to 兀 (OC *ŋuːd, “to cut the feet”) (Wang, 1982; Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

See also: 剕

(historical) to cut off one or both feet as a form of punishment, one of the 五刑 (wǔxíng, “Five Punishments”)


刳

(literary) to cut out; to dig; to rip up; to scoop out; to cut open


剄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *keːŋʔ): phonetic 巠 (OC *keːŋ) + semantic 刂 (“knife”)

Han compound

(literary) to cut one's throat (Chinese ritual suicide, like seppuku in Japan)


剃

Possibly a post-Han variant of 剔 (OC *l̥ʰeːɡ) (Schuessler, 2007).

剃鬚／剃须 [Cantonese] ― tai³ sou¹ [Jyutping] ― to shave off facial hair


剜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qoːn): phonetic 宛 (OC *qon, *qonʔ) + semantic 刂.


劓

(historical) punishment by cutting off the nose, one of the 五刑 (wǔxíng, “Five Punishments”)


勮

(Zhangzhou Hokkien) shrill; piercing (sound)


剪

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

Originally 𣦃 or 前, a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔslenʔ): phonetic 歬 (OC *zleːn) + semantic 刀 (“knife”). Since 前 has replaced 歬, an additional 刀 has been added.

Han compound

剪草機

剪草机

剪刀

剪指甲


勱

Characters in the same phonetic series (萬) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

Han etyl

(literary) to exert oneself; to make an effort


卅

/saː⁵⁵ aː²²/

/saː⁵⁵ aː²²/


叽

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɒu̯⁴⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɒu̯⁴⁵/


助

→ Thai: ช่วย (chûai)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zras): phonetic 且 (OC *sʰjaːʔ, *ʔsa) + semantic 力 (“strong arm”) – to help with one’s strength.


呧

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 氐


哎

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 艾 (OC *ŋaːds, *ŋads).


唍

For pronunciation and definitions of 唍 – see 莞 (“smiling”).
(This character is an ancient form of 莞).

zh-see

(Zhangzhou Hokkien) to embezzle; to misappropriate


唁

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋrans): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 言 (OC *ŋan).


哭

→ Vietnamese: khóc (哭, 泣)

In oracle bone inscriptions, ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 吅 (“loudly”) + person with long hair (Similar to 老 without the cane) – "cry; weep". The pictogram of the person with long hair corrupted into 犬. Evidence suggests 吅 could be an abbreviation of the sound component 咢 (OC *ŋaːɡ), making the character phono-semantic (形聲／形声).
Shuowen Jiezi interprets it as a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋ̊ʰoːɡ): semantic 吅 (“to speak loudly”) + abbreviated phonetic 獄 (OC *ŋoɡ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kuːk (“to weep; to wail”); cognate with Mizo kûk (“to shriek”) (STEDT).
This seems to be an area word; compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *kuk ~ kuuk ~ kuək ~ kək (“to call”), Proto-Austronesian *-kuk (“sound of a sob”) (Schuessler, 2007).


啥

Probably a fusion of 什麼／什么 (shénme) (Lü, 1985).

煞
𠍽
什
甚
省
薩
撒

這是啥物件？

这是啥物件？

儂辣做啥？

侬辣做啥？

吃啥飯？

吃啥饭？

你說啥來著？

你说啥来着？

(colloquial, dialectal Mandarin, Southern Min, Wu) what


嗤

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰjɯ): semantic 口 + phonetic 蚩 (OC *tʰjɯ).


嗚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qaː): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 烏 (OC *qaː).

Han compound

(onomatopoeia) Sound of sobbing or crying.


嗅

Simplified from 齅 (鼻 → 口); in current form: Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰlus, *qʰluŋs): semantic 口 + phonetic 臭 (OC *kʰljus).


喚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰʷaːns): semantic 口 + phonetic 奐 (OC *qʰʷaːns).


嘹

嘹亮


噗

Considered a 後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì). Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 菐 (pú).

zh-l

後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì)

Han compound

(onomatopoeia) the sound of sudden laughter, outgassing, the release of liquid or gas generally, etc.


噩

The same character as 咢, both ultimately derived from or identical to 喪, see there for more.

frightening; startling; shocking; ill-omened


噬

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djads): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 筮 (OC *djads).
Sagart (2021c) revises the Old Chinese reconstruction as *m-tet-s, from volitional prefix *m- + a root *tet-s (“to bite”), from which 瘈 (OC *k(ə)-tet-s, “mad; rabid (dog)”) also derives.


嚏

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tiːɡs): semantic 口 + phonetic 疐 (OC *tiːɡs, *tiɡs).

Han compound

嚔
㖒
啑
㗣
䶍
䶑
⿰口⿳十冖疋


嚨

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *roːŋ): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 龍 (OC *b·roŋ, *mroːŋ).


囍

/ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sœːŋ⁵⁵ hei̯³⁵/

/søyŋ⁵⁵⁻⁵³ ⁽ʰ⁻⁾ŋi³³/

/siaŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hi⁴¹/

/siaŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hi⁵³/

/saŋ³³ hi⁵⁵⁴/

/ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sœːŋ⁵⁵ hei̯³⁵/

/søyŋ⁵⁵⁻⁵³ ⁽ʰ⁻⁾ŋi³³/

/siaŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hi⁴¹/

/siaŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ hi⁵³/

/saŋ³³ hi⁵⁵⁴/

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 喜 + 喜 (“happiness”). Duplication of 喜, the two characters representing the bride and groom.


囿

Related to 國 (OC *kʷɯːɡ, “country, nation”); see there for more.

皇囿 [Cantonese] ― wong⁴ jau⁶ [Jyutping] ― old name of King's Park, Hong Kong

The king was in the numinous park, where the does were lying down; The does, so sleek and fat; with the white birds glistening. The king was by the numinous pond; - how full was it of fishes leaping about!

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

Wáng zài língyòu, yōulù yōu fú. Yōulù zhuózhuó, bái niǎo hèhè. Wáng zài líng zhǎo, yú rèn yú yuè.

王在靈囿，麀鹿攸伏。麀鹿濯濯、白鳥翯翯。王在靈沼，於牣魚躍。

王在灵囿，麀鹿攸伏。麀鹿濯濯、白鸟翯翯。王在灵沼，于牣鱼跃。


坸

For pronunciation and definitions of 坸 – see 垢 (“filth; dirt; filthy; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 垢).


嗽

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sloːɡs, *sroːɡ, *sloːɡ): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 欶 (OC *sloːɡs, *sroːɡ).


垵

For pronunciation and definitions of 垵 – see 埯 (“a hole to dibble seeds; to dibble into holes; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 埯).


墣

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰroːɡ, *pʰoːɡ): semantic 土 (“earth”) + phonetic 菐 (OC *boːɡ, *puɡ)


奐

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰʷaːns): abbreviated phonetic 夐 (OC *qʰʷeːns, *qʰʷeŋs) + semantic 廾. Alternatively ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 穴 (“yurt”) + 廾 (“hands”) a pair of hands opening a yurt door to let in sunlight, hence brilliant. Originally used to represent 換 (OC *ɢʷaːns, “to change; to swap”).


妞

/ni̯ɤʊ̯ɻʷ⁵⁵/

/ni̯ɤʊ̯ɻʷ⁵⁵/


妤

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *la): semantic 女 (“woman”) + phonetic 予 (OC *la, *laʔ).


塾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djɯwɢ): phonetic 孰 (OC *djɯwɢ) + semantic 土 (“soil”).


妊

Cognate with 任 (OC *njɯm, *njɯms, “to be burdened; to be loaded”). See there for more.


姘

extramarital sex, illicit sexual relations


娟

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʷen): semantic 女 (“woman”) + phonetic 肙 (OC *qʷeːns).


塚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *toŋʔ): semantic 土 (“earth”) + phonetic 冢 (OC *toŋʔ) – an earthen mound, a tomb of earth.


娠

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tjɯns, *hljɯn): semantic 女 (“female”) + phonetic 辰 (OC *djɯn)
From 震 (OC *tjɯn, “to shake; to rouse”) (Schuessler, 2007). See there for more.


媳

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *slɯɡ): semantic 女 (“woman”) + phonetic 息 (OC *slɯɡ).


娶

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰloʔ, *sʰlos, *slo): phonetic 取 (OC *sʰloːʔ, *sʰloʔ) + semantic 女.
Exoactive of 取 (OC *sʰloːʔ, *sʰloʔ, “to take; to obtain; to collect; to fetch”) (Schuessler, 2007). Compare the etymology of 嫁.
In Min Nan, the vernacular reading is instead from 𤆬 (chhōa, “to lead; to guide”).

och-l

娶老婆

"If you marry her, you must love her. If you do not love her, why marry her? Marrying her and not loving her—this is something I cannot permit!"

“nei⁵ cou² zo² keoi⁵ zau⁶ jat¹ ding⁶ jiu³ oi³ keoi⁵. nei⁵ m⁴ oi³ keoi⁵ jau⁶ ho⁴ bit¹ cou² keoi⁵ ne¹? nei⁵ cou² zo² keoi⁵ ji⁴ m⁴ oi³ keoi⁵; ci² si⁶ sai⁶ naan⁴ wan⁵ heoi²!”

「你娶咗佢就一定要愛佢。你唔愛佢又何必娶佢呢？你娶咗佢而唔愛佢；此事誓難允許！」

「你娶咗佢就一定要爱佢。你唔爱佢又何必娶佢呢？你娶咗佢而唔爱佢；此事誓难允许！」


嬋

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djan): semantic 女 (“woman”) + phonetic 單 (OC *taːn, *djan, *djanʔ, *djans).


她

她去了。

我認識她。

我认识她。

How can I stop missing her! (lit., "how can one make me not think of her!")

教我如何不想她！

And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

新標點和合本 (Chinese Union Version with New Punctuation), 創世記 (Genesis) 3:12

Nà rén shuō: “Nǐ suǒ cì gěi wǒ, yǔ wǒ tóngjū de nǚrén, tā bǎ nà shù shàng de guǒzi gěi wǒ, wǒ jiù chī le.”

那人說：「你所賜給我、與我同居的女人，她把那樹上的果子給我，我就吃了。」

那人说：「你所赐给我、与我同居的女人，她把那树上的果子给我，我就吃了。」


嫠

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rɯ): phonetic 𠩺 () + semantic 女 (“woman”).


孳

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsɯ, *zɯs): phonetic 兹 (OC *ʔsɯ, *zɯ) + semantic 子 (“child”).


孜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔslɯ): phonetic 子 (OC *ʔslɯʔ) + semantic 攵 (“action”)


孵

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰuw): semantic 卵 (“egg”) + phonetic 孚 (OC *pʰuw).


宄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʷrɯwʔ): semantic 宀 + phonetic 九 (OC *kuʔ).

Han compound

(literary) bad person; scoundrel; evildoer; malefactor


媠

→ English: swee (Singlish)

媠啦！

(Southern Min) good-looking; pretty; beautiful


孿

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *run. Cognate with Jingpho marun (“to have twins”) (from run (“to be in pairs”)). (Schuessler, 2007).


孀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sraŋ): semantic 女 (“woman”) + phonetic 霜 (OC *sraŋ).
Zhang (2000) relates it to 喪 (OC *smaːŋ, “mourning; funeral”), 喪 (OC *smaːŋs, “to lose”) and 霜 (OC *sraŋ, “frost (which causes loss)”). However, Schuessler (2007) considers these three words etymologically unrelated.


尃

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰa) and ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): phonetic 甫 (OC *paʔ, “garden”) + 寸 (“hand”) – to distribute crops.

Han compound

Alternative form of 敷 (fū, “to scatter; to diffuse”)


嬸

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hljɯmʔ): semantic 女 (“woman”) + phonetic 審 (OC *hljɯmʔ).
Monosyllabic fusion of 叔母 (MC syuwk muwX, “father's younger brother + wife”).

ltc-l

paternal aunt (wife of father's younger brother)


寰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡʷraːn, *ɡʷeːns): semantic 宀 (“roof”) + phonetic 睘 (OC *ɡʷeŋ)


屺

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰɯʔ): semantic 山 (“mountain; hill”) + phonetic 己 (OC *kɯʔ).

Han compound

I ascend that bare hill,
And look towards [the residence of] my mother.

陟彼屺兮，瞻望母兮。


岜

Orthographic borrowing from Zhuang 岜 (bya, “hill; mountain”).
From Zhuang bya (“hill; mountain”).


夕

Characters in the same phonetic series (夕) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) — moon crescent. Compare 月.
Related to 汐 (OC *ljaːɡ, “evening tide”).
Schuessler (2007) suggests it is from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-r(j)ak (“day; full day; to spend the night”); cognate with Tibetan ཞག (zhag, “day (24 hours)”), Mizo riak (“to pass the night”), Jingpho [script needed] (jaʔ⁵⁵, “day (24 hours)”), Burmese ရက် (rak, “day (24 hours)”), Lahu há (“night; to pass the night”); may also be cognate with 宿 (OC *suɡs, *suɡ, “to spend the night”) and 昔 (OC *sjaːɡ, “former times”). It is noted that in the oracle bone script, the 24 hour day started and ended some time in the evening or night. Since 日 (rì, “sun”) has acquired the meaning of "day (24 hours)", 夕 was then restricted to the time of the day's end.
On the other hand, STEDT suggests 夕 (OC *ljaːɡ, “evening; night”) was derived from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ja-n (“night”), from which 夜 (OC *laːɡs, “night”) was also derived. However, 夕 was also compared to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-r(j)ak (“day; full day; to spend the night”). Schuessler (2007) assigns Chinese 夜 (yè) to *ja (“night”) instead, and notes *ja (“night”) and *ryak (“day (24 hours)”) were kept strictly separate in Tibeto-Burman.

och-l

Woe to us soldiers on these expeditions! Morning and evening we have no rest.

哀我征夫、朝夕不暇。

What night is tonight, that I take a boat into the stream? What day is today, that I get to share a boat with a prince?

Jīnxī hé xī xī, qiān zhōu zhōngliú. Jīnrì hérì xī, dé yǔ wángzǐ tóng zhōu.

今夕何夕兮，搴舟中流。今日何日兮，得與王子同舟。

今夕何夕兮，搴舟中流。今日何日兮，得与王子同舟。

GT - General Taiwanese (no particular region identified)


屢

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ros): semantic 尸 + phonetic 婁 (OC *ɡ·roː, *ɡ·ro).


崢

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zraːŋ, *zreːŋ): semantic 山 + phonetic 爭 (OC *ʔsreːŋ).


屐

→ Thai: เกี๊ยะ (gía)

Shuowen: Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡreɡ): abbreviated semantic 履 (“shoe”) + phonetic 支 (OC *kje).

Han compound

𡰸
𡰵
跂
𰍸
⿸尸𢪊
𭕞
𡲆

(Classical, Cantonese, Hakka or Min) clogs; wooden shoes


峽

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡreːb): semantic 山 (“mountain”) + phonetic 夾 (OC *kreːb).


崙

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


嶝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tɯːŋs): semantic 山 (“mountain”) + phonetic 登 (OC *tɯːŋ).


巍

Vocalic variant of 危 (OC *ŋoi) (Schuessler 2007); see there for etymology.


幡

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰan): semantic 巾 (“cloth”) + phonetic 番 (OC *paːl, *paːls, *pʰaːn, *pʰan, *ban).


帚

Characters in the same phonetic series (帚) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a broom with bristles on top and tied handle on the bottom.
In modern form, top now resembles 聿 (“hand”), 肀 (“brush”), 彐, and overall graphically decomposes roughly as 肀 + 冖 + 巾.


庾

Harlem Yu (Taiwanese variety show host and singer)

庾澄慶

庾澄庆


廡

A roofed promenade, especially one extending along the wall of a yard and supported by columns on the other (inner) side


廴

Pictogram (象形) – a man (人) with one leg behind him, implying a stride/step.


嶼

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ljaʔ): semantic 山 + phonetic 與 (OC *la, *laʔ, *las).
This character was affected by misreadings, or Youbian dubian.

Han compound

基隆嶼／基隆屿

Xiandai Hanyu Guifan Cidian
Youbian dubian


彐

A variant of 彑 ("pig snout"). But in many characters, such as 事, 尹, 雪, and 康 it depicts a hand holding something, while in 录 it represents a cloth filter for water.


弒

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hljɯɡs): abbreviated semantic 殺 (“to kill”) + phonetic 式 (OC *hljɯɡ).

Han compound

Again the world fell into decay, and principles faded away. Perverse speakings and oppressive deeds waxed rife again. There were instances of ministers who murdered their sovereigns, and of sons who murdered their fathers.

Shìshuāidàowēi, xiéshuō bàoxìng yǒu zuò, chén shì qí jūn zhě yǒu zhī, zǐ shì qí fù zhě yǒu zhī.

世衰道微，邪說暴行有作，臣弒其君者有之，子弒其父者有之。

世衰道微，邪说暴行有作，臣弑其君者有之，子弑其父者有之。

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers

新標點和合本 (Chinese Union Version with New Punctuation), 提摩太前書 (1 Timothy) 1:9

yīnwèi lǜfǎ bùshì wèi yìrén shèlì de, nǎishì wèi bùfǎ hé bùfú de, bù qiánchéng hé fànzuì de, bù shèngjié hé liàn shìsú de, shì fùmǔ hé shārén de

因為律法不是為義人設立的，乃是為不法和不服的，不虔誠和犯罪的，不聖潔和戀世俗的，弒父母和殺人的

因为律法不是为义人设立的，乃是为不法和不服的，不虔诚和犯罪的，不圣洁和恋世俗的，弑父母和杀人的


弩

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *naːʔ): phonetic 奴 (OC *naː) + semantic 弓 (“bow”).
Compare Proto-Tibeto-Burman *s-na (“crossbow”), whence Drung tana, Naxi daqna.
Unger (1990) suggests a derivation from 努 (OC *naːʔ, “to tense; to exert”), as the crossbow shoots arrows by releasing elastic potential energy stored in its limbs. Ferlus (1999) cites Gernet's opinion that 砮 (OC *naː, *naːʔ, “stone arrow-tip”) had been semantically extended to mean the whole crossbow.
More likely, 弩 (OC *naːʔ) and Proto-Tibeto-Burman *s-na were Sinitic and Tibeto-Burman renditions of a Mainland Southeast Asian Wanderwort (Ratliff, 2010), possibly of Austroasiatic origin (Norman and Mei, 1976; Benedict, 1990; Schuessler, 2007). Compare other MSEA lexical items meaning "crossbow":
* Proto-Mon-Khmer *snaʔ, whence Vietnamese ná, Khmer ស្នា (snaa);
* Proto-Hmong-Mien *nhaᴮ, whence White Hmong hneev, Iu Mien hnaav;
* Proto-Tai *ʰnwɯəꟲ, whence Thai หน้าไม้ (nâa-máai), Lao ໜ້າໄມ້ (nā mai), Lü ᦐᦱᧉᦺᦙᧉ (ṅaa²may²).
Also compare Proto-Austronesian *panaq (“to shoot (an arrow)”) (cf. Proto-Mon-Khmer *paɲʔ) whence Malay panah, Tagalog panà, Hawaiian pana.

cog

Lü ᦐᦱᧉᦺᦙᧉ (ṅaa²may²)


廿

Two 十 ("ten") written side by side, with a horizontal stroke at the bottom that fuses them.
In characters such as 漢 and 黄, it represents an open mouth 口, while in 度 and 席 it actually represents a stylized rock 石.
The pronunciation in most dialects is a contraction of 二十 (èrshí) (Early Middle Chinese: *nyijH dzyip). The irregular pronunciation (e.g. /nVm/) dates back to the Song dynasty, to avoid homophony with a vulgar word; see 入 (rù) (now commonly written as 日 (rì) in dialects).


徘

Only used in 徘徊 (páihuái, “walk back and forth, hesitate”).


徇

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sɢʷins): semantic 彳 + phonetic 旬 (OC *sɢʷin).


廟

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (廟):
* → Japanese: 廟(びょう) (byō)
* → Korean: 묘(廟) (myo)
* → Vietnamese: miếu (廟)

→ Proto-Be: *miːwᴮꟲ²

Lingao: miu⁴

desc

→ Lü: ᦶᦖᧁᧈ (ṁaew¹)

→ Lü: ᦶᦖᧁᧈ (ṁaew¹)

/miːu̯²²⁻³⁵/

/ᵐbiau³²⁻³²⁵/

/miːu̯²²⁻³⁵/

/ᵐbiau³²⁻³²⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mrews): semantic 广 + phonetic 朝 (OC *ʔr'ew, *r'ew).
Possibly related to Proto-Hmong-Mien *prəuX (“house”), whence White Hmong tsev (“idem”) (Schuessler, 2007). Note also Burmese မြို့ (mrui., “town, city”).

Han compound

(architecture, religion) temple (Classifier: 座; 間／间)

廟小妖風大，池淺王八多／庙小妖风大，池浅王八多

miào xiǎo yāofēng dà, chí qiǎn wángbā duō


循

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ljun): semantic 彳 (“movement”) + phonetic 盾 (OC *l'uːnʔ, *ɦljunʔ) – to follow (movement).

Han compound

循著老師的指示

循着老师的指示


巷

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡroːŋs): phonetic 共 (OC *kloŋ, *ɡloŋs) + semantic 己 (“oneself”)
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *grwaŋ (“village; crossroads”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan གྲོང (grong, “house; village; town”). Old Khmer កុរុង (kuruṅ, “to rule; ruler; king”) (whence Khmer ក្រុង (krong) and Thai กรุง (grung)) is probably unrelated (Schuessler, 2007).
Wu 弄 (lon, “alley”) and Jin 黑浪 (heh4 lon2, “hutong”) are dialectal variants which support the Old Chinese *gr- initial cluster of 巷 (OC *ɡroːŋs) (Schuessler, 2007). Compare also 衚衕／胡同 (hútòng, “hutong”).


怦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰreːŋ): semantic 心 (“heart”) + phonetic 平 (OC *ben, *beŋ).


惘

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *maŋʔ): semantic 心 (“heart”) + phonetic 罔 (OC *mlaŋʔ).

Han compound

disappointed; disconcerted; dejected; discouraged


惚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hmɯːd): semantic 忄 + phonetic 忽 (OC *hmɯːd).


愜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰeːb): semantic 忄 (“heart”) + phonetic 匧 (OC *kʰeːb).


憔

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡sʰiːu̯²¹/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡sʰiːu̯²¹/


慚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zaːm): phonetic 斬 (OC *ʔsreːmʔ) + semantic 心 (“heart”)


憭

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rewʔ, *reːw, *reːwʔ): semantic 心 (“heart”) + phonetic 尞 ().


慾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *loɡ): phonetic 欲 (OC *loɡ) + semantic 心 – to lust with one’s heart.


慍

Is he not a man of complete virtue, who feels no discomposure though men may take no note of him?

人不知而不慍，不亦君子乎？

人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎？


懈

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

Han compound

(literary, or in compounds) lazy; slack; idle


慷

Originally written as 忼. Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰlaːŋʔ): semantic 心 (“heart”) + phonetic 康 (OC *kʰlaːŋ).


懍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *b·rɯmʔ): phonetic 稟 (OC *prɯmʔ) + semantic 忄 (“heart, emotions”).


憤

→ Thai: ฟุน (fun)

→ Isan: ฟุน

→ Lao: ຟຸນ (fun)


悔

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hmɯːʔ, *hmɯːs): semantic 忄 + phonetic 每 (OC *mɯːʔ).

Han compound

(literary, or in compounds) to repent; to show remorse; to regret


憚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *daːns): semantic 心 (“heart”) + phonetic 單 (OC *taːn, *djan, *djanʔ, *djans).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *dar ~ d(u/i)r (“to shiver, to tremble”) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007).

inh

My heart is terrified with the heat; - my sorrowing heart is as if on fire.

我心憚暑、憂心如熏。

我心惮暑、忧心如熏。

All along, I do not fear to think the worst of Chinese people.

1926, Lu Xun, “In Memory of Miss Liu Hezhen”

Wǒ xiànglái shì bù dàn yǐ zuì huài de èyì, lái tuīcè zhōngguórén de.

我向來是不憚以最壞的惡意，來推測中國人的。

我向来是不惮以最坏的恶意，来推测中国人的。


慎

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djins): semantic 忄 (“heart”) + phonetic 真 (OC *ʔljin) – a behavior trait (heart), care, caution. Note that 真 means “truth, genuine, sincerity”, hence connotations of “acting sincerely, with care”.

Han compound

愼
㥲
昚
眘
𡴜
𦚉
𡸱


憩

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): abbreviated 恬 (“tranquil”) + 息 (“rest”). There is also the possibility that 憩 is phono-semantic (形聲／形声, OC *kʰrads), with 𠯑 (OC *ɡroːd) as the phonetic component.
Possibly related to 歇 (OC *qʰad) (Wang, 1982).

小憩

When one their wish and one their prayer And one their heav'nly rest.

1982 [1986], translation by 羅炳良 [Daniel P.L. Law] and 王培英, 樂哉家庭 [Happy the Home When God Is There], in 《生命聖詩》 [Hymns of Life]

Yīxīn yǎngwàng, tóngxīn dǎoqí, xiāng'ài gòngxiǎng tiān qì.

一心仰望，同心禱祈，相愛共享天憩。

一心仰望，同心祷祈，相爱共享天憩。


懿

(literary) virtuous; admirable; esteemed


憎

→ Thai: ชัง (chang)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsɯːŋ): semantic 忄 (“heart”) + phonetic 曾 (OC *ʔsɯːŋ, *zɯːŋ).
Possibly the same word as 增 (OC *ʔsɯːŋ, “to increase”), as in emotional accumulation (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

(literary or Cantonese) to hate; to detest; to abhor

GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified)


戊

→ Zhuang: fouh


懵

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mɯːŋs, *mɯːŋʔ): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 瞢 (OC *mɯːŋ, *mɯŋ, *mɯŋs).


拑

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵/

拑牆𬦰壁

拑墙𬦰壁

to grab on for dear life, have a firm hold on

拑牢牢

(Hokkien) to grab; to pinch; to cling; to grip tightly


捁

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

(Xiamen Hokkien) to roast; to bake; to toast


捀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *boŋ, *boŋs): semantic 手 (“hand”) + phonetic 夆 (OC *pʰoŋ, *boŋ, *ɡaːds).

Han compound

(archaic or Southern Min) Serve with both hands, offer respectfully.


捫

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mɯːn): semantic 手 (“hand”) + phonetic 門 (OC *mɯːn).


挪

把桌子挪到那邊去。

把桌子挪到那边去。


揪

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

Jiūzhe cǎo, pānzhe luànshí, xiǎoxīn tànshēn xiàqù, yòu jūgōng guòle yī ge shíqióngmén, biàn dàole wāngwāng yī bì de tán biān le

揪著草，攀著亂石，小心探身下去，又鞠躬過了一個石穹門，便到了汪汪一碧的潭邊了

揪着草，攀着乱石，小心探身下去，又鞠躬过了一个石穹门，便到了汪汪一碧的潭边了


摠

For pronunciation and definitions of 摠 – see 總 (“to collect; overall; altogether; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 總).


捕

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *baːs): semantic 扌 (“hand”) + phonetic 甫 (OC *paʔ).

Han compound

捕魚

捕鱼


搽

From 塗 (OC *rlaː, “to daub”) (Liu, 1984).

搽藥膏

搽药膏


揕

(Hokkien) to throw; to toss; to hurl; to fling


擵

撰匙閣予伊擵去。

撰匙阁予伊擵去。

(Xiamen and Zhangzhou Hokkien) to secretly take away


搔

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *suː): semantic 手 (“hand”) + phonetic 蚤 (OC *ʔsuːʔ, “flea, louse”).
Schuessler (2007) considers 掃 (OC *suːʔ, *suːs, “to brush”) to be cognate and suggests a Sino-Tibetan etymology, relating it to Chepang साव्सा (saw-, “to itch”), सोस्सा (sos‑, “to itch”), Bodo (India) [script needed] (su-, “to itch”).
Baxter and Sagart (2014) relates it to 爪 (OC *ʔsruːʔ, “claw”).

cog

搔癢

搔痒


摧

/t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/


擀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kaːnʔ): semantic 手 (“hand”) + phonetic 幹 (OC *kaːns).

Han compound

to roll (dough, nuts, etc. in order to flatten or crush)


擤

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 扌 (“hand”) + 鼻 (“nose”).

to blow one's nose (with the finger or not)


攴

Originally a pictogram (象形) or ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): a hand (又) holding a tool of some sort (possibly a weapon or whip), meaning “to hit”. Also
phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰoːɡ, *pʰroːɡ): phonetic 卜 (OC *poːɡ) + semantic 又 (“hand”).
Similar but unrelated to 支, 伊, and 父.


擴

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡʷlaːŋs, *kʰʷaːɡ): semantic 扌 (“hand”) + phonetic 廣 (OC *kʷaːŋʔ) – to stretch or enlarge with hands.

Han compound

擴充

扩充


斠

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/


斝

(historical) jia (a kind of ritual wine vessel, usually bronze with a round mouth, three legs, and two protruding pillars)


旖

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qral, *qralʔ): semantic 㫃 + phonetic 奇 (OC *kral, *ɡral).


斫

Perhaps related to 觸 (OC *tʰjoɡ, “to butt, knock against”); see there for more (STEDT).

Suì mìng púrén guò Xiāngjiāng, yuán Rǎnxī, zhuó zhēnmǎng, fén máo pèi, qióng shān zhī gāo ér zhǐ.

遂命僕人過湘江，緣染溪，斫榛莽，焚茅茷，窮山之高而止。

遂命仆人过湘江，缘染溪，斫榛莽，焚茅茷，穷山之高而止。


晟

For pronunciation and definitions of 晟 – see 盛 (“to put in container; to hold; to contain; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 盛).

For pronunciation and definitions of 晟 – see 晶 (“brilliant; glittering; crystal; quartz; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 晶).


暾

(literary) new-risen sun; morning sun; sun above the horizon


晬

/t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

/t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

(literary or Min, Waxiang) first birthday of a child


曙

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djas): semantic 日 (“sun”) + phonetic 暑 (OC *hjaʔ).


昴

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (昴):
* → Japanese: 昴(ぼう) (Bō)

Twenty-Eight Mansions
w:Twenty-Eight Mansions

(～宿) (Chinese astronomy) Hairy Head Mansion (Pleiades) (one of Twenty-Eight Mansions)


斧

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *paʔ): phonetic 父 (OC *paʔ, *baʔ) + semantic 斤 (“axe”)
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-pʷa (“axe”) (STEDT). Cognate with Garo rua (“axe”), Jingpho nwa, ningwa (“axe”), Tangut 𘟬 (*wjị¹, “axe”), Japhug tɯrpa (“axe”).


桸

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hral, *hlɯl): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 希 (OC *hlɯl).

Han compound

(dialectal, Northern Min, Southern Min) a ladle


曆

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *reːɡ): phonetic 厤 (OC *reːɡ) + semantic 日 (“sun; day”).
Derivative, meaning "calendar" < "calendrical calculations" (Shu), of 歷 (OC *rêk) "to calculate". See there for more.


栓

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sroːn, *sron): semantic 木 (“wood”) + phonetic 全 (OC *zlon) – a wooden peg.


杏

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 木 (“wood”) + 口 (“mouth”) – perhaps referring to the tastiness of its fruit.
Shuowen considers it to be a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡraːŋʔ): semantic 木 (“wood”) + abbreviated phonetic 可 (OC *kʰaːlʔ), but this is unlikely.


梧

Firmiana platanifolia
Wikispecies:Firmiana platanifolia

Chinese parasol tree (Firmiana platanifolia), also known as Sterculia platanifolia


曷

Shuowen Jiezi: Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡaːd): phonetic 匃 () + semantic 曰
Cognate with 何 (OC *ɡaːl, “what; where; why; how”). See there for more.

Han compound

When [will] this sun die? I [shall] die with you.

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

時日曷喪，予及汝皆亡。

时日曷丧，予及汝皆亡。

Why do you not report (their words) to me, but go about to excite one another by empty speeches, frightening and involving the multitudes in misery?

Rǔ hé fú gào zhèn, ér xū dòng yǐ fúyán, kǒng shěn yú zhòng?

汝曷弗告朕，而胥動以浮言，恐沈于眾？

汝曷弗告朕，而胥动以浮言，恐沈于众？

If [foolishly] you do not study, how can you become men?

Three Character Classic, circa 13ᵗʰ century CE

苟不學，曷為人。

苟不学，曷为人。

I think of them. Which month shall I return by?

Huái zāi huái zāi, hé yuè yǔ huán guī zāi.

懷哉懷哉、曷月予還歸哉。

怀哉怀哉、曷月予还归哉。


楗

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡanʔ): semantic 木 (“wood”) + phonetic 建 (OC *kans).


朧

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *roːŋ, *roŋs): semantic 月 (“moon”) + phonetic 龍 (OC *b·roŋ, *mroːŋ).
Unlike most other characters with a 月 (yuè)-like component on the left, this character's 月 (yuè) is not the cursive form of 肉; 朦朧／朦胧 (ménglóng) was originally used in reference to the moon.

Han compound

朦朧

朦胧


榆

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *lo): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 俞 (OC *l̥ʰus, *lo).


榧

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pɯlʔ): semantic 木 (“wood; tree”) + phonetic 匪 (OC *pɯlʔ).

Han compound

Torreya grandis
Torreya grandis#Translingual


槳

/t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴/

《讓我們蕩起雙槳》

《让我们荡起双桨》


楝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡ·reːns): 木 + 柬.

Han compound

Melia azedarach
Melia azedarach#Translingual

bead tree (Melia azedarach, formerly known as Melia japonica), a tree in the mahogany family


橄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *klaːmʔ): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 敢 (OC *klaːmʔ).


檄

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡleːwɢ): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 敫 (OC *kleːwɢs, *ɢlewɢ, *kleːwɢ).


檎

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡrɯm): semantic 木 + phonetic 禽 (OC *ɡrɯm).


樟

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kjaŋ): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 章 (OC *kjaŋ).

Han compound

Cinnamomum camphora
Cinnamomum camphora#Translingual


櫥

→ Thai: ตู้ (dtûu)


櫧

a tree of species Quercus glauca or of genus Castanopsis, in family Fagaceae.


歟

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *la, *laʔ, *las): phonetic 與 (OC *la, *laʔ, *las) + semantic 欠.
; question particle

Han compound

1046 October 17, 范仲淹 [Fan Zhongyan], 岳陽樓記 [Memorial to Yueyang Tower]:

Sentence-final particle used to express an exclamatory, doubtful or questioning tone


檨

→ Tsou: suai

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 羨.
An Austroasiatic substrate loanword; compare Khmer ស្វាយ (svaay, “mango”), Vietnamese xoài (“mango”).


欖

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡ·raːmʔ): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 覽 (OC *ɡ·raːmʔ).
See 橄欖／橄榄 (gǎnlǎn).


櫻

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qreːŋ): semantic 木 + phonetic 嬰 (OC *qeŋ).


氖

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 气 (“gas”) + phonetic 乃.


殲

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsem): semantic 歹 + phonetic 韱 (OC *sem).

Han compound

The Song forces were decisively defeated. The Duke was wounded in the thigh, and all of his guards were killed in the battle.

Sòng shī bàijì, gōng shāng gǔ, ménguān jiān yān.

宋師敗績，公傷股，門官殲焉。

宋师败绩，公伤股，门官歼焉。

to annihilate; to wipe out; to kill off; to destroy


氡

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 气 (“gas”) + phonetic 冬.
Borrowed from English radon.


樺

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *grwa (“birch”) (STEDT); cognate with Tibetan གྲོ་ག (gro ga, “bark of birch tree”).


毗

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *bi): semantic 囟 + phonetic 比 (OC *piʔ, *pis, *bi, *bis, *biɡ).


氦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 气 (“gas”) + phonetic 亥 (hài).
Borrowed from New Latin helium.


氙

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 气 (“gas”) + phonetic 山 (“mountain”). The phonetic component is abbreviated from 仙 (“celestial being”).
Borrowed from English xenon.


氨

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 气 (“gas”) + phonetic 安 (ān).
Borrowed from English ammonia. Related to 銨／铵 (ǎn, “ammonium”) and 胺 (àn, “amine”).


柿

→ Proto-Mien: *djəiᴮ

/t͡sʰiː¹³⁻³⁵/

/t͡sʰiː¹³⁻³⁵/

Originally written as 柹: Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zrɯʔ): semantic 木 + phonetic 𠂔 ().
The current form is phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zrɯʔ): semantic 木 + phonetic 市 (OC *djɯʔ).


氟

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 气 (“gas”) + phonetic 弗.
From earlier 弗氣／弗气, 弗素, which is probably an orthographic borrowing from Japanese 弗素, where 弗(ふつ) (futsu) was used phonetically.


沂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋɡɯl): semantic 水 (“river”) + phonetic 斤 (OC *kɯn, *kɯns).


汾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *bɯn): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 分 (OC *pɯn, *bɯns).


毯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l̥ʰaːmʔ): semantic 毛 + phonetic 炎 (OC *ɦlam).


氛

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰɯn, *bɯn): semantic 气 + phonetic 分 (OC *pɯn, *bɯns).


殖

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djɯɡ): semantic 歹 + phonetic 直 (OC *dɯɡ).

Han compound

to breed; to reproduce; to spawn; to increase


楓

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *plum): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 風 (OC *plum, *plums)


沁

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (沁):
* → Vietnamese: thấm (沁)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰlɯms): semantic 氵 + phonetic 心 (OC *slɯm).


汐

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ljaːɡ): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 夕 (OC *ljaːɡ).
From 夕 (OC *ljaːɡ, “evening”). Compare 潮 (OC *r'ew, “morning tide; tide”).

Han compound

潮汐


泯

to destroy; to obliterate; to extinguish; to vanish


沼

The king went and stood with him by a pond, and, looking round at the large geese and deer, said, 'Do wise and good princes also find pleasure in these things?'

Wáng lì yú zhǎo shàng, gù hóngyàn mílù, yuē: “Xián zhě yì yuè cǐ hū?”

王立於沼上，顧鴻雁麋鹿，曰：「賢者亦樂此乎？」

王立于沼上，顾鸿雁麋鹿，曰：「贤者亦乐此乎？」


涇

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡeŋʔ, *keːŋ): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 巠 (OC *keːŋ)


橘

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (橘):
* → Japanese: 橘(きつ) (kitsu)
* → Korean: 귤(橘) (gyul)
* → Vietnamese: quất (橘)

→ Vietnamese: quít

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʷid): semantic 木 + phonetic 矞 (OC *ɢʷid).
Unknown. Schuessler (2007) connected 橘 (OC kwit) to Khmer ឃ្វិច (khvɨc, “tangerine”) and also deemed as "less likely" connections to ក្រូច (krouc, “citrus”) and Proto-Hre-Sedang *kruč (Bodman, 1980). However, Alves (2018) considered this Old Chinese word's Austroasiatic origin likely, and compared it to Proto-Mon-Khmer *kruuc ~ kruəc.

Han compound

Citrus reticulata
Citrus reticulata#Translingual

mandarin orange, Citrus reticulata, tangerine, orange


淤

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qa, *qas): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 於 (OC *qaː, *qa).


淙

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zuːŋ, *sruːŋs, *zuːŋ): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 宗 (OC *ʔsuːŋ).


渭

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


湄

The man of whom I think,
Is on the margin of the water.

所謂伊人，在水之湄。

所谓伊人，在水之湄。


湍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰoːn, *tjon): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 耑 (OC *toːn).


湜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *dɯɡ): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 是 (OC *djeʔ).


溽

/d͡ziɔk̚¹²¹/

/d͡ziɔk̚¹²¹/


漘

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɦljun): semantic 水 (“river”) + phonetic 脣 (OC *ɦljun).


滓

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsrɯʔ): semantic 氵 + phonetic 宰 (OC *ʔsɯːʔ).


潁

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢʷeŋʔ): semantic 水 (“river”) + phonetic 頃 (OC *kʰʷeŋ, *kʰʷeŋʔ).

Han compound

(～河, ～水) Ying River (a river in Henan and Anhui, China; the largest tributary of the Huai River)


滲

→ Tangut: 𗊿 (*śiẽ¹)


溟

Thought by classical commentators to be the same word as 冥 (OC *meːŋ, “dark, black(of water)”) (likely in light of the parallelism with the unrelated 海 (OC *hmlɯːʔ, “sea, ocean”) < 晦 (OC *hmɯːs, “dark”)). If so, see 冥 (OC *meːŋ) for etymology.
Schuessler (2007) proposes that there's an outside chance this can be instead connected with Proto-Tibeto-Burman *mlik, whence Old Burmese မ္လစ် (“river”), Burmese မြစ် (mrac), Rakhine [script needed] (mreik, “sea”), Daai Chin [Term?] (mlik (tui), “big water, river, sea”)

cog

In the northern ocean there is a fish; its name is Kun.

北冥有魚，其名為鯤。

北冥有鱼，其名为鲲。


濿

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *rap (“to cross (river), to ford, to wade”) (provisional) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan རབ (rab, “ford”) & Jingpho [script needed] (rap⁵⁵); possibly unrelated to 瀨 (OC *raːds) (Schuessler, 2007).

der

(literary) to cross over a stream using stepping stones; to ford


灇

For pronunciation and definitions of 灇 – see 潨 (“to flow into a larger river; confluence; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 潨).

zh-see

(Hokkien) to pour water on; to rinse; to wash


濾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ras): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 慮 (OC *ras).


瀚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡaːns): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 翰 (OC *ɡaːn, *ɡaːns)


濠

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡaːw): semantic 氵 + phonetic 豪 (OC *ɡaːw).


煍

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰiːu̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰiːu̯³⁵/


煁

Characters in the same phonetic series (甚) (Zhengzhang, 2003)


煓

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰoːn): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 耑 (OC *toːn).


焙

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *bɯːs): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 咅 (OC *pʰɯʔ, *pʰl'oːs)

Han compound

to bake; to torrefy; to heat over a slow fire


煑

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

Han compound

Original form of 煮 (zhǔ, “to boil; to cook”).


煌

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡʷaːŋ): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 皇 (OC *ɡʷaːŋ).
Probably Sino-Tibetan; compare Burmese လွင် (lwang, “vivid”) (Schuessler, 2007).
皇 (OC *ɡʷaːŋ, “royal”) may be the same word (ibid.).
It may be related to 光 (OC *kʷaːŋ, *kʷaːŋs, “light; bright”) (Wang, 1982; Schuessler, 2007). Wang (1982) additionally relates it to 景 (OC *kraŋʔ, “bright; sunlight”), 鏡 (OC *kraŋs, “mirror”), 晃 (OC *ɡʷaːŋʔ, “bright”), 曠 (OC *kʰʷaːŋs, “bright”).


焚

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 火 (“fire”) + 林 (“trees”).

Whoever kills his parents, have him burnt [to death].

凡殺其親者，焚之。

凡杀其亲者，焚之。


熵

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 商 (shāng, “quotient”)
Coined by Chinese physical scientist Hu Gangfu in 1923 to translate the concept of entropy in thermodynamics, where 商 (shāng, “quotient”) represents the quotient of heat and temperature, and 火 (huǒ, “fire”) represents its relation to thermodynamics.

coinage

(physics, information theory, etc.) entropy


熔

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *loŋ): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 容 (OC *loŋ)

Han compound

to melt by heat; to turn solid into liquid by heat


燁

(literary, of a flame) bright; magnificent; glorious


焰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *loms): phonetic 臽 (OC *kʰloːmʔ, *ɡroːms) + semantic 火 (“fire”)


燖

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵/


爐

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *raː): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 盧 (OC *b·raː). Originally written 盧, see there for more.


猞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 犭 (“dog”) + phonetic 舍.


狙

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰa, *sʰas): semantic 犭 + phonetic 且 (OC *sʰjaːʔ, *ʔsa).

Han compound

In Song there is an ape-keeper; he loves apes, raises them in troops, and can understand the apes' intents

Sòng yǒu jūgōng zhě, ài jū, yǎng zhī chéngqún, néng jiě jū zhī yì.

宋有狙公者，愛狙，養之成群，能解狙之意。

宋有狙公者，爱狙，养之成群，能解狙之意。


狡

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

Lü Bu possessed a roaring tiger's valor, yet no strategy of talented and extraordinary people's; he was frivolous, treacherous, and shifty, only looking out for his own gain. From antiquity till now, there was none like this who was not destroyed.

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

Lǚ Bù yǒu xiāohǔ zhī yǒng, ér wú yīngqí zhī lüè, qīng jiǎo fǎnfù, wéilìshìshì. Zìgǔ jíjīn, wèiyǒu ruòcǐ bù yímiè yě.

呂布有虓虎之勇，而無英奇之略，輕狡反覆，唯利是視。自古及今，未有若此不夷滅也。

吕布有虓虎之勇，而无英奇之略，轻狡反覆，唯利是视。自古及今，未有若此不夷灭也。


獰

猙獰

狰狞


玨

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 玉 (“jade”) + 玉 (“jade”). Duplication of 玉.

(archaic) two pieces of jade joined together


爸

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *praːs, *baʔ): semantic 父 (“father”) + phonetic 巴 (OC *praː).
Colloquial form of 父 (OC *baʔ, “father”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *p/ba (“male; father”).

inh

我爸是李剛！

我爸是李刚！


珓

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kreːws): semantic 𤣩 (“jade”) + phonetic 交 (OC *kreːw).

Han compound

(divination) moon blocks (divination device)


珩

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡraːŋ): semantic 玉 (“jade”) + phonetic 行 (OC *ɡaːŋ, *ɡaːŋs, *ɡraːŋ, *ɡraːŋs).

Han compound

As for the "White Heng", it is nothing but one of the late king's trifles. Is there anything about it that we should treasure?

Ruòfú bái héng, xiānwáng zhī wán yě, hé bǎo yān?

若夫白珩，先王之玩也，何寶焉？

若夫白珩，先王之玩也，何宝焉？

(historical) top, horizontal component of a jade pendant


玲

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *reːŋ): semantic 玉 (“jade”) + phonetic 令 (OC *ren, *reŋ, *reŋs, *reːŋ, *reːŋs).


琛

(literary) treasure; gem; precious stone


琲

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *buːlʔ): semantic 玉 (“jade”) + phonetic 非 (OC *pɯl).


玳

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

Han compound

Only used in 玳瑁 (dàimào); also used as its short form.


琥

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰlaːʔ): semantic 玉 (“jade”) + phonetic 虎 (OC *qʰlaːʔ).


獺

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *r̥ʰaːd, *hr'aːd): phonetic 賴 (OC *raːds) + semantic 犬 (“dog”)

Han compound

Yang Xiong, The Canon of Supreme Mystery, 2 BCE

獺入于淵

獭入于渊


琳

Among the "Tribute of Yǔ" are mentioned jade and white corals. These were the produce of earth and genuine precious stones and pearls.

Wang Chong, Lun Heng (Discussive Weighing), 80 CE

“Yǔgòng” yuē: “Qiúlín lánggān” zhě, cǐ zé tǔdì suǒ shēng zhēn yùzhū yě.

《禹貢》曰：「璆琳琅玕」者，此則土地所生真玉珠也。

《禹贡》曰：「璆琳琅玕」者，此则土地所生真玉珠也。


獅

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (獅):
* → Japanese: 獅(し) (shi)
* → Korean: 사(獅) (sa)
* → Vietnamese: sư (獅)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sri): semantic 犭 (“dog; beast”) + phonetic 師 (OC *sri).
Originally written as 師. Earliest written attestations in the Eastern Han era include the Book of Han [before 111], the surviving portion of the Dongguan Hanji [c. 150], and Lokakṣema's translation of the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā [179]. The term is possibly of Iranian origin. In the Book of Han, the lion was described as indigenous to the historical 烏弋山離 (OC *qaː lɯɡ sreːn rel, “Alexandria”), possibly Alexandria Prophthasia (Yu, 1998), which was part of the Parthian Empire at the time. The Dongguan mentions a lion as a gift from the Shule Kingdom in the year 133, where a Saka language was spoken then. Earlier definite dates associated with the lion mentioned in the Book of the Later Han include the year 87, when a gift lion from the Yuezhi was recorded.
Compare Proto-Iranian *cárguš (“lion”). Possibly related to 狻猊 (OC *sloːn ŋeː).
Meanwhile, Adams (2013) postulates possible Tocharian connections; cf. Tocharian B ṣecake and etymologies.

och-l

Alexandria Prophthasia
Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā
Book of Han
Book of the Later Han
Eastern Han
Lokaksema (Buddhist monk)
Parthian Empire
Saka language
Shule Kingdom
zh:東觀漢記


璀

/t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴/


琉

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ru): semantic 𤣩 (“jade”) + phonetic 㐬 ().


瓢

Cognate with 匏 (OC *bruː, “gourd”), as well as Proto-Lolo-Burmese *pu (“pumpkin, gourd”), whence Burmese ဘူး (bhu:, “gourd”) (STEDT).


瓏

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *roːŋ) and ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): semantic 玉 (“jade”) + phonetic 龍 (OC *b·roŋ, *mroːŋ, “dragon”)

Han compound

a kind of jade that is for requesting rain and has the figure of a Chinese dragon on it


甓

(Hokkien) a type of tile or brick used for covering the roof


璃

Sino-Xenic (璃):
* → Vietnamese: li (璃)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *reːl, *rel): semantic 王 (“jade”) + phonetic 离 (OC *rel, *r̥ʰel).


璧

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *peɡ): phonetic 辟 (OC *peɡ, *pʰeɡ, *beɡ) + semantic 玉 – a type of jade.


甶

Pictogram (象形) – face/head of a ghost/spirit/demon. [According to the Shuowen]


甦

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): from 更生 (“to be reborn”).
From *s- (“causative prefix”) + a root **ŋˤa, the latter found in 寤 (OC *ŋˤa-s, “to awake”), 悟 (OC *ŋˤa-s, “to awake; to realize”) (Baxter and Sagart, 2014; Schuessler, 2007).
Alternatively, Zhang, Jacques, and Lai (2019) compare it to Japhug sŋa (“to come to oneself”), Cogtse Situ [Term?] (kə-mə-sŋâr, “to feel cold”), Brag-bar Situ [Term?] (kə-mə-sŋiɛ̂r, “to come to oneself”).

cog

(literary) to revive; to resuscitate; to regain consciousness


瑕

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡraː): semantic 𤣩 + phonetic 叚 (OC *kraːʔ).


疶

(Southern Min) to be unable to control intermittent defecation or urination (due to illness, shock, etc.)


疝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sreːn, *sraːns): semantic 疒 (“illness”) + phonetic 山 (OC *sreːn).


畿

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡɯl): semantic 田 + abbreviated phonetic 幾 (OC *kɯl, *kɯlʔ, *ɡɯl, *ɡɯls).


痀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ko): semantic 疒 (“illness”) + phonetic 句 (OC *koː, *koːs, *kos, *ɡo).


痢

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rids): semantic 疒 (“illness”) + phonetic 利 (OC *rids) – a kind of illness.


疫

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢʷeɡ): semantic 疒 (“sickness”) + abbreviated phonetic 役 (OC *ɢʷeɡ).


痠

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sloːn): semantic 疒 (“illness; disease”) + phonetic 夋 (OC *sʰlun).


猿

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢʷan): semantic 犭 + phonetic 袁 (OC *ɢʷan).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b/g-woj-n (“monkey”).
Alternatively, the root may be Austroasiatic; compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *swaaʔ (“monkey”) (Schuessler, 2007); compare also Proto-Mon-Khmer *kwaɲ ~ kwaaɲʔ.


痿

traditional Chinese medicine
traditional Chinese medicine

(traditional Chinese medicine) to be lacking in sexual energies


瘓

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tqʰʷaːnʔ): semantic 疒 + phonetic 奐 (OC *qʰʷaːns).


癗

(dermatology) swelling, weal, or pustule on the skin


瘴

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kjaŋs): semantic 疒 (“illness”) + phonetic 章 (OC *kjaŋ)

Han compound

miasma; noxious vapours arising from a swamp


疋

Pictogram (象形) – a foot 止 with a leg/thigh on top; the pictogram is similar to 足. Unrelated with the bottom part of 是, which is 止 on oracle bones.


瘸

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡʷal): semantic 疒 (“sickness”) + phonetic 加 (OC *kraːl) + semantic 肉 (“flesh”).

Han compound

瘸著走

瘸着走


癉

Proto-Sino-Tibetan *dar, cognate with Tibetan ལྡར་བ་ (ldar ba, “weary, tired, faint”) and Chepang द्याह्र्सा (dyarh-ma, “discomfit, sudden pain”)


疳

(traditional Chinese medicine) infantile malnutrition due to digestive disturbances or intestinal parasites


痧

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 疒 (“illness; disease”) + phonetic 沙 (OC *sraːl, *sraːls).

Han compound

(traditional Chinese medicine or dialectal) acute illness, such as heatstroke, cholera, and measles


癇

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡreːn): semantic 疒 (“illness”) + phonetic 閒 (OC *ɡreːn).


痔

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *dɯʔ): semantic 疒 (“sickness”) + phonetic 寺 (OC *ljɯs)


痰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'aːm): semantic 疒 (“illness”) + phonetic 炎 (OC *ɦlam).

Han compound

phlegm; sputum (Classifier: 口 m; 篤／笃 c; 啖 c)


皚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋɯːl): semantic 白 (“white”) + phonetic 豈 (OC *ŋ̊ʰɯːlʔ, *ŋ̊ʰɯlʔ).


癶

A right and a left foot (止), hence in divergent direction; by contrast, 舛 depicts two feet in convergent direction.


癬

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *senʔ): semantic 疒 + phonetic 鮮 (OC *sen, *senʔ, *sens).

Han compound

(dermatology, pathology) ringworm; tinea


癱

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *n̥ʰaːn): semantic 疒 + phonetic 難 (OC *n̥ʰaːn, *naːns).


璽

From 壐／𱖚. Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *smlelʔ): phonetic 爾 (OC *njelʔ) + semantic 玉 (“jade”).


癰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qoŋ): semantic 疒 (“disease”) + phonetic 雝 (OC *qoŋ).


盯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rteŋʔ, *rdeŋ): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 丁 (OC *rteːŋ, *teːŋ).

Han compound

to gaze upon; to keep eyes on; to stare at


瞟

/pʰi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/pʰi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/


疣

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢʷɯ): semantic 疒 (“disease”) + phonetic 尤 (OC *ɢʷɯ).


睎

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hlɯl): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 希 (OC *hlɯl)


睦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mluɡ): semantic 目 (“eyes”) + phonetic 坴 (OC *m·ruɡ).


睬

/t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰɔːi̯³⁵/

/t͡sʰaɪ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰɔːi̯³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰɯːʔ): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 采 (OC *sʰɯːʔ).

Han compound

You are being unreasonable; I'm not talking to you anymore. [girl, cute-sounding]

儂勿講道理，阿拉勿睬儂！

侬勿讲道理，阿拉勿睬侬！

唔好睬佢。


瞠

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rtʰaːŋ): semantic 目 + phonetic 堂 (OC *daːŋ).
Also occurs in Thai ถลึง (tlʉ̌ng, “to stare fiercely”) (Schuessler, 2007).


瞍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sɯːw, *suːʔ): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 叟 (OC *suːʔ)。


瞵

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rin, *rins): semantic 目 (“eyes”) + phonetic 粦 (OC *rins)


矍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声) and ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): phonetic and semantic 瞿 (OC *kʷas, *ɡʷa, “started; vigilant”) + 又 (a hand catching a bird 隹).


睫

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔseb): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 疌 (OC *zeb)


瞥

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰed, *pʰeːd): phonetic 敝 (OC *beds, *bed) + semantic 目 (“eye”).


矗

/t͡sʰiɔk̚³²/

/t͡sʰiɔk̚³²/


癌

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 疒 + phonetic 嵒 (OC *ŋrɯːm, *ŋjab); 嵒／岩 (yán) is a variant of 岩 (yán).
From 岩 (yán, “cliff; rock, stone”), since some cancers present as lumps or outgrowths on the body.
In Mandarin, this character used to be pronounced identically as 岩 (yán). Its pronunciation was changed to ái in December 1962 to avoid the homophony between 癌 (yán, “cancer”) and 炎 (yán, “inflammation”) (compare 肺炎 (fèiyán, “pneumonia”) and 肺癌 (fèi'ái, “lung cancer”)). The new pronunciation ái stems from dialectal pronunciations of 岩 (“rock; cliff”) /ŋai/, influenced by 崖 (yá, yái, “cliff”).

癌症

致癌

肺癌

直男癌


砼

Coined by Chinese architect Cai Fangyin in 1953.
The glyph is a compound of 人工石 (“man-made stone”). Pronunciation is from 仝 (tóng), treated as the phonetic component of the glyph. Serendipitously, the pronunciation also resembles the word for “concrete” in some European languages; cf. French béton, German Beton, Russian бето́н (betón).


矽

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 夕 (xī).
From English silicon. Coined by Chinese scientist Xu Shou in 1871. The term is dated in Mainland China as it is homophonous to 硒 (xī) "selenium" and 錫／锡 (xī) "tin".

coinage

(chemistry, chiefly Taiwan and Hong Kong, dated in Mainland China) silicon


睞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rɯːs): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 來 (OC *m·rɯːɡ).

Han compound

(literary or Hakka) to glance at; to look sideways at; to squint at


瞅

/ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯²¹⁴/

/ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯²¹⁴/

Considered a 後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì). Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 目 (“eye”) + phonetic 秋 (qiū).

zh-l

後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì)

Han compound

你瞅啥呀？


砷

Earlier 鉮／𬬹 in 化學鑑原, a translated version of Wells's Principles and Applications of Chemistry. Probably a loan from English arsenic.


硇

䃩
𥗰
𥗸
𠬦
𣲿
𣳦
𥑩
𥑨
𥐼
𥐻
碙
𥓁
𥑚
𥑪

Only used in 硇砂 (náoshā, “sal ammoniac”) and 硇洲 (Náozhōu, “Naozhou”).


硒

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 西 (OC *sɯːl).


砰

(onomatopoeia) sound of something striking against something or bursting; bang; thump


碏

/t͡sʰiɔk̚³²/

/t͡sʰiɔk̚³²/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰaɡ): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 昔 (OC *sjaːɡ)

Han compound

In the name of justice, Shi Que executed his son.

大義滅石碏親

大义灭石碏亲


碘

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 石 + phonetic 典 (diǎn).
Borrowed from English iodine.


磏

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-rjam (“sharp, pointed”) (Schuessler, 2007).


磈

/kʰu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴/

/kʰu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴/


磒

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢunʔ): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 員 (OC *ɢon, *ɢun).


碲

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 帝.
From New Latin tellurium.


硫

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ru): semantic 石 (“stone”) + abbreviated phonetic 流 (OC *ru).
Derivative: 鋶／锍 (liǔ, “sulfonium”).


礓

(literary or dialectal) small stone; pebble


矛

Characters in the same phonetic series (矛) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
The pictogram of a bamboo spear with a ring in the middle.


礬

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


礵

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 霜 (OC *sraŋ).


祉

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰlɯʔ): semantic 示 (“sign”) + phonetic 止 (OC *kjɯʔ).

Han compound

happiness; blessings; good luck; felicity


祆

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰliːn): semantic 礻 + phonetic 天 (OC *qʰl'iːn, “heaven”).
Cognate with 天 (OC *qʰl'iːn).

Han compound

祆：胡神也。


禘

(historical) imperial ancestral worship in ancient China


祜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡaːʔ): semantic 礻 (“divine”) + phonetic 古 (OC *kaːʔ).


禡

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mraːs): semantic 衣 (“clothing”) + phonetic 馬 (OC *mraːʔ).

Han compound

a sacrifice at the beginning of a military campaign (or on the 2nd and 16th days of the lunar month)


礁

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 石 (“rock”) + phonetic 焦 (OC *ʔsew).


瞼

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/


祼

Characters in the same phonetic series (果) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡluːlʔ): semantic 示 (“altar; sacrifice; deity”) + phonetic 果 (OC *kloːlʔ). In early writing, the form was more readily seen as ideogrammic (會意／会意), showing components resembling 酉 (“libation container”) or 畐 (“libation container”) variously combined with radicals depicting the hand.

Han compound

(historical, religion) to pour libation; to libate


禫

(historical) rite of taking off one's mourning garments at the end of the three-year mourning period for the death of a parent


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


祢

For pronunciation and definitions of 祢 – see 禰 (“one's deceased father; ancestral temple for one's deceased father; etc.”).
(This character is the simplified form of 禰).
 Notes:
Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

zh-see

As we worship You, O Lord, may Your glory fill this place!

天匙敬拜赞美团 (Keys Of Worship), 合一宣教 (Oneness in Mission)

Dāng wǒmen tóngxīn jìngbài, Nǐ róngyào chōngmǎn zhè dì.

當我們同心敬拜，祢榮耀充滿這地。

当我们同心敬拜，祢荣耀充满这地。

May my whole life be given back to You, offered on the altar, to shine for You.

jyun⁶ ngo⁵ jat¹ sang¹ cyun⁴ jin⁴ gwai¹ nei⁵, hin³ zoi⁶ taan⁴ soeng⁶, loi⁴ wai⁶ nei⁵ faat³ loeng⁶.

願我一生全然歸祢，獻在壇上，來為祢發亮。

愿我一生全然归祢，献在坛上，来为祢发亮。

Lord, it's Your love, guides me on my way with Your light.

讚美之泉 (Stream of Praise), 主祢的疼 (Lord, It's Your Love)

Chú Lí ê thiàⁿ ín-chhōa góa ê lō͘, pó-hō͘ góa.

主祢的疼引導我的路，保護我。

主祢的疼引导我的路，保护我。

Your power is so big that the enemies surrender to You.

客家聖樂團, 全世界大家愛敬拜祢

Ngì ke nèn-li̍t thai to lièn sù-thi̍t ya hòng-fu̍k Ngì.

祢个能力大到連仇敵也降服祢。

客家聖樂團, 全世界大家愛敬拜祢

祢个能力大到连仇敌也降服祢。


禦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋaʔ, *ŋas): phonetic 御 (OC *ŋas) + semantic 示.

Han compound

防禦

防御

抵禦

抵御

The love and protection of the people; with this there is no power which can prevent a ruler from attaining to it.

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

保民而王，莫之能禦也。

保民而王，莫之能御也。

to defend, to resist, to hold out against


种

种輯／种辑 ― Chóng Jí ― Chong Ji (politician in the Han Dynasty)


秬

Cenchrus americanus
Cenchrus americanus#Translingual

Pennisetum glaucum
Pennisetum glaucum#Translingual

black millet (Cenchrus americanus, syn. Pennisetum glaucum; pearl millet)


禧

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰlɯ, *qʰlɯʔ): semantic 示 + phonetic 喜 (OC *qʰlɯʔ).

Han compound

favourable luck; good fortune; auspiciousness; blessings


禱

默禱／默祷

A lucky day was wù, and we sacrificed on it to the Ruler of horses, and prayed.

吉日維戊，既伯既禱。

吉日维戊，既伯既祷。

1999, 西伯 (lyrics and music), “上帝聽禱告”performed by 鄧婉玲 [Mimi Tang] and 蘇如紅 [Ivy So]:

san⁴ aa³, ho² fau² teng¹ teng¹ ngo⁵ tou²

神啊 可否聽聽我禱

神啊 可否听听我祷


穸

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ljaːɡ): semantic 穴 + phonetic 夕 (OC *ljaːɡ)

Han compound

(Hokkien) a vault or recess in a sepulchre meant to store a coffin


笆

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *praː, *braːʔ): semantic 𥫗 (“bamboo”) + phonetic 巴 (OC *praː).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r/g/s-pʷa (“bamboo”) (STEDT). Cognate with Mizo rua (“bamboo”), Tibetan སྤ (spa, “cane; bamboo”), Burmese ဝါး (wa:, “bamboo”).


筪

(Southern Min) Alternative form of 箬 (“bamboo skin”)


筰

(Zhangzhou Hokkien) to box someone's ears; to slap someone on the face


筐

The organ is blown till its tongues are all moving. The baskets of offerings [also] are presented to them.

Chuī shēng gǔ huáng, chéng kuāng shì jiāng.

吹笙鼓簧，承筐是將。

吹笙鼓簧，承筐是将。


筧

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *keːnʔ): semantic 𥫗 (“bamboo”) + phonetic 見 (OC *keːns, *ɡeːns).


窗

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (窗):
* → Korean: 창(窓) (chang)
* → Vietnamese: song (窗)

→ Zhuang: cueng

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/tʰɔŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰy̯æn³³/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/tʰɔŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰy̯æn³³/

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 穴 (“hole”) + 囱 (“window”).
From circumstantial noun prefix *s- + 通 (OC l̥ˤoŋ, “to penetrate”), literally "where light penetrates" (Baxter and Sagart, 2014).

Han compound

窻
䆫
窓
牕
*囪
囱
牎
𤗄
𪺠
𤗉
𮈾
𡆧

窗簾

窗帘

打開個窗

打开个窗


禊

(historical) purification ceremony held in spring and autumn


籗

(obsolete or Southern Min) basket for catching fish


笙

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (笙):
* → Japanese: 笙(しょう) (shō); 笙(そう) (sō)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sreŋ): semantic 竹 (“bamboo”) + phonetic 生 (OC *sʰleːŋ, *sreŋs).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mriŋ (“sound; noise; animal cry”); cognate with 鳴 (OC *mreŋ, “to make a sound”), 鈴 (OC *reːŋ, “bell”), Burmese မြည် (mrany, “to make a sound”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).

inh

(music) sheng (a Chinese mouth-blown free reed instrument consisting of vertical pipes)


籩

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mpeːn): semantic 𥫗 (“bamboo”) + phonetic 邊 (OC *mpeːn).

Han compound

(historical) bamboo container for dried fruits and meat, used in ancient ritual sacrifices or banquets


粭

(Zhangzhou Hokkien) sticky; glutinous; viscous


籮

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *raːl): semantic 竹 (“bamboo”) + phonetic 羅 (OC *raːl).
Compare Mizo hrai (“basket for measuring rice”) (Schuessler, 2007).


籲

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *los): phonetic 籥 (OC *lowɢ) + semantic 頁 (“head”).

Han compound

2020 May 2, 甘瑜, “「龍門」又嗌告急「黃絲」籲咪盲撐”, in 《文匯報》 [Wen Wei Po], page A9:

m⁴ siu² “wong⁴ si¹” dou¹ jyu⁶ tung⁴ lou⁶ m⁴ hou² maang⁴ caang³.

唔少「黃絲」都籲同路唔好盲撐。

唔少「黄丝」都吁同路唔好盲撑。


簾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡ·rem): semantic 竹 + phonetic 廉 (OC *ɡ·rem).


籽

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔslɯʔ): semantic 米 (“rice; grain”) + phonetic 子 (OC *ʔslɯʔ).


糰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 米 (“rice”) + phonetic 團 (OC *doːn, “ball”).
From 團 (OC *doːn, “ball; lump”).


粿

→ English: kuih, kueh

→ Malay: kuih

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kloːlʔ): semantic 米 (“rice”) + phonetic 果 (OC *kloːlʔ)
Probably the same word as 果 (OC *kloːlʔ, “fruit”) (Jerry Norman apud Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

rice cake, typically steamed and made from glutinous rice; kuih


粙

Probably a variant of 稻 (OC *l'uːʔ) (Schuessler, 2007, apud Norman, p.c.).


絳

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kruːŋs): semantic 糸 (“silk”) + phonetic 夅 (OC *ɡruːŋ)


紊

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mɯns): phonetic 文 (OC *mɯn) + semantic 糸 (“silk”)

Han compound

disorderly; chaotic; dysfunctional; confused


綁

綁鞋帶

绑鞋带


箏

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (箏):
* → Japanese: 箏(そう) (sō)
* → Korean: 쟁(箏) (jaeng)
* → Vietnamese: tranh (箏)

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

Han compound

古箏

古筝


綾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rɯŋ): semantic 糸 + phonetic 夌 (OC *rɯŋ).

Han compound

The fine ones are used for making silk and damask, and also woven into brocade and thin, tough silk.

Tang Dynasty, Fan Chuo, Manshu, chapter 7, part 2

Jīng zhě wéi fǎng sī líng, yì zhī wéi jǐn jí juàn.

精者為紡絲綾，亦織為錦及絹。

精者为纺丝绫，亦织为锦及绢。

a thin type of silk fabric resembling satin; damask


絹

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (絹):
* → Korean: 견(絹) (gyeon)
* → Vietnamese: quyến (絹)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʷens): semantic 糸 (“thread”) + phonetic 肙 (OC *qʷeːns). The character conveys the meaning of "silk."

Han compound

fine silk tabby; thin, tough silk fabric.


縋

/ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

/ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *dols): semantic 糸 (“silk”) + phonetic 追 (OC *tul).

Han compound

That night, being sent down with a rope, he got out.

夜縋而出

夜缒而出


緋

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pɯl): semantic 糸 (“silk”) + phonetic 非 (OC *pɯl).


縝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰin, *ʔljinʔ, *tʰjin): semantic 糸 + phonetic 真 (OC *ʔljin).


繽

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰin): semantic 糸 (“silk”) + phonetic 賓 (OC *mpin).


縊

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qleːɡs, *qleɡs): semantic 糸 + phonetic 益 (OC *qleɡ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan. Compare Tibetan འཁྱིག་ ('khyig, “tie, fasten”), Burmese အစ် (ac, “throttle”) (Hill, 2017).


粽

→ Thai: จ้าง (jâang)

/t͡sʊŋ³³⁻³⁵/

/t͡sʊŋ³³⁻³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔsoːŋs): semantic 米 (“rice”) + phonetic 宗 (OC *ʔsuːŋ).
First attested in Fengsu Tongyi (195). Bencao Gangmu claimed it was derived from 棕 (zōng, “palm tree”) due to similar shapes of zongzi and palm tree leaves.

Han compound

zongzi (dumpling made of glutinous rice, wrapped in leaves) (Classifier: 隻／只 c)


罈

罎
坛
壜
埮
墰
𡐧
墵
𤮦


耩

/t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴/

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


羆

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pral): phonetic 罷 (OC *breːlʔ, *bral, *bralʔ) + semantic 熊 (“bear”); the common part 能 is shared.
Observing that the young of some brown bear subspecies sport white stripes, which fade with age, around their chests, Zhang (2019) proposes that 羆 (OC *praj) is cognate to 斑 (OC *prân) "stripe, striped", both being from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *pral. As 斑 (OC *prân) is possibly the same word as 班 (OC *prân) (Schuessler, 2007), see 班 (OC *prân) for more etymology.

Han compound

What dreams are lucky?
They have been about black bears and brown bears,
They have been about asps and adders.

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

Jí mèng wéi hé,
Wéi xióng wéi pí,
Wéi huǐ wéi shé.

吉夢維何、
維熊維羆、
維虺維蛇。

吉梦维何、
维熊维罴、
维虺维蛇。


耘

Related to Tibetan ཡུར་མ (yur ma, “weeding”), Kurtöp [script needed] (wer, “to weed”) (Schuessler, 2007, 2024).


肄

The gentry of the capital are tired of discussing their studies, and they are fed up with listening to qingtan; when faced with these they sleep. When they see my dear elder brother, [money,] not one of them is not startled and looking at him.

Jīngyì yīguàn, píláo jiǎng yì, yàn wén qīngtán, duì zhī shuì mèi; jiàn wǒ jiāxiōng, mòbù jīng shì.

京邑衣冠，疲勞講肄，厭聞清談，對之睡寐；見我家兄，莫不驚視。

京邑衣冠，疲劳讲肄，厌闻清谈，对之睡寐；见我家兄，莫不惊视。


肢

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kje): semantic 肉 (“flesh”) + phonetic 支 (OC *kje).


胿

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡeː, *kʷeː): semantic 月 (“meat”) + phonetic 圭 (OC *kʷeː).


縹

/pʰi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/pʰi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/


聾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *roːŋ): phonetic 龍 (OC *b·roŋ, *mroːŋ) + semantic 耳 (“ear”) – deaf.
Perhaps related to 聳 (OC *sloŋʔ, “deaf”) (Schuessler, 2007).


胯

Uncertain. Compare with Burmese ခွ (hkwa., “crotch, fork, groin”).


脞

/t͡sʰu̯ɔ²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰu̯ɔ²¹⁴/


腠

the tissue between the skin and the flesh


腡

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡ·roːl, *kʷroːl): semantic 肉 (“body”) + phonetic 咼 (OC *kʰʷroːl).


膛

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): phonetic 肉 (OC *njuɡ, “flesh, meat”) + semantic 堂.


腱

Originally 䇟. Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kan, *ɡans): semantic 肉 (“meat; flesh”) + phonetic 建 (OC *kans).


臃

Used in 臃腫／臃肿 (yōngzhǒng, “obese; swollen; overstaffed”).


膵

/t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

/t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 膵.
Spelling pronunciation, as 萃 (cuì).


舁

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 臼 (“a pair of hands”) + 廾 (“a pair of hands”). The upper component in the original version is 𦥑, so the mortar is a false friend.


脰

→ Proto-Vietic: *k-ɗɔːk (“nape”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *doːs): semantic ⺼ (“meat; flesh”) + phonetic 豆 (OC *doːs).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tuk ~ *twak (“head; skull; neck”); cognate with Jingpho du (“neck”), Burmese လည်တိုင် (lanytuing), Nuosu ꆽꄿ (lie dda).


舺

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 舟 (“boat”) + phonetic 甲 (kah)


腺

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 腺(せん) (sen).
Spelling pronunciation, as 線／线 (xiàn).


舀

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 爪 (“hand”) + 臼 (“mortar, vessel”).
Related to 揄 (OC *l'oː, *l'oːʔ, *lu, *lo, “to scoop out”) (Schuessler, 2007). Compare Mizo lâwk, lawh (“to scoop up; to shovel up”), Mon ဂၠံက် (“to scoop up; to scoop out”) (Schuessler, 2007).

och-l

𦥝
𤔘
抌
抭
㧒
𦥟
𦥞
𦥨
𥦶
𦥵
𦦌

With an arbitrary swing of a club, a roe deer may get knocked down; fish can be ladled straight from the river. Frightened pheasants even sometimes fly into the wok while scurrying away. (a proverb depicting superior and plentiful natural resources)

bàng dǎ páozi piáo yǎo yú, yějī fēijìn fànguō lǐ

棒打麅子瓢舀魚，野雞飛進飯鍋裏

棒打狍子瓢舀鱼，野鸡飞进饭锅里


腫

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tjoŋʔ): semantic 肉 (“meat, flesh”) + phonetic 重 (OC *doŋ, *doŋʔ, *doŋs).


艙

Considered a 後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì). Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰaːŋ): semantic 舟 (“boat”) + phonetic 倉 (OC *sʰaːŋ).

zh-l

後起字／后起字 (hòuqǐzì)


臀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *duːn): phonetic 殿 (OC *tɯːns, *dɯːns) + semantic 肉 (“flesh”).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-t(u/i)l (“buttocks; heel; dull; blunt; rounded part”). Compare Manipuri ꯊꯨꯟ (thoon, “buttocks”).


芎

/t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ʊŋ³⁵/


芷

Angelica dahurica
Angelica dahurica#Translingual


臂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *peɡs): phonetic 辟 (OC *peɡ, *pʰeɡ, *beɡ) + semantic 肉 (“meat; flesh”).
Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *p-jak (“arm”), whence Lepcha [script needed] (pek), Limbu [script needed] (phuk-bek), Tibetan ཕྱག (phyag, “hand; arm”) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007).


茉

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 艸 (“grass”) + phonetic 末 (OC *maːd).


荖

betel pepper; a type of leaf associated with the betel nut found in southeast and south China


膝

/t͡sʰiɪk̚³²/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚³²/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *siɡ): semantic ⺼ (“meat, body”) + phonetic 桼 (OC *sʰiɡ) – the knee.
Originally 厀, a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *siɡ): phonetic 桼 (OC *sʰiɡ) + semantic 卩 (“kneeling person”).

Han compound

膝蓋

膝盖


艦

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (艦):
* → Japanese: 艦(かん) (kan)
* → Korean: 함(艦) (ham)
* → Vietnamese: hạm (艦)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡraːmʔ): semantic 舟 + phonetic 監 (OC *kraːm, *kraːms).
"Warship (with boards installed on its four sides to defend against arrow attacks)" (Shiming) > "warship" > "ship" (Guangya). A specialised character derived from 檻 (OC *ɡraːmʔ, *ɡraːms, “fence, railing, board”); see there for more on the external etymology.
This character is a classic example of historical misreadings of unfamiliar characters. The l- initial in southern dialects is probably due to confusion with 濫 (MC lamH, “to overflow”), not due to divergent evolutions of the Old Chinese cluster initial *gr- as this character is often cited as an example of. Likewise, the readings in other Chinese are misreadings, although this is more subtle. Expected Mandarin reflex is xiàn, and jiàn is due to confusion with 鑑 (MC kaemH, “mirror; to reflect”). Wu and Eastern Min readings are results of confusion with 檻 (MC haemX, “doorsill”). Despite these irregularities, all the Sinoxenic readings are regular.


荸

Chinese water chestnut
Chinese water chestnut

Only used in 荸薺／荸荠 (bíqi, “Chinese water chestnut”).


膿

→ Proto-Katuic: *pnuŋ (“pus”)

→ Proto-Tai: *ʰnoːŋᴬ (“pus”)

Thai: หนอง (nɔ̌ɔng)

Watch for signs of infection, which are fever, redness, swelling, warmth, increasing pain, pus, or red streaks around the cut area etc.

急救基本知识, Qingdao United Family Hospital (青岛和睦家医院)

Liúyì gǎnrǎn de zhēngzhào, bǐrú fāshāo, fāhóng, zhǒngzhàng, zhuórè, téngtòng jiājù, liú nóng huò gēshāng bùwèi zhōuwéi yǒu hóngsè tiáowén děng.

留意感染的徵兆，比如發燒、發紅、腫脹、灼熱、疼痛加劇、流膿或割傷部位周圍有紅色條紋等。

留意感染的征兆，比如发烧、发红、肿胀、灼热、疼痛加剧、流脓或割伤部位周围有红色条纹等。


莉

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *riːl, *r'il, *r'i): semantic 艹 + phonetic 利 (OC *rids).


菏

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kaːl, *ɡaːl): semantic 艸 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 河 (OC *ɡaːl).

Han compound

name of a river in Shandong province, China


萣

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 艹 (“grass”) + phonetic 定 (OC *teːŋs, *deːŋs).

Only used in 茄萣 (Jiādìng, “a district in Kaohsiung, Taiwan”).


菇

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 艸 + phonetic 姑 (OC *kaː).


臍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zliːl): semantic 肉 (“meat; flesh”) + phonetic 齊 (OC *zliːl, *zliːls).
Probably from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-taj (“navel; abdomen; centre; self”) (Weidert, 1987; Schuessler, 2007), with metathesis of *s-t- > *dz- (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan ལྟེ (lte, “navel”), Chepang तोय् (“navel”), and more distantly, Burmese လယ် (lai, “center, middle”).

inh

露臍裝／露脐装


萵

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qloːl): semantic 艹 (“herbage”) + phonetic 咼 (OC *kʰʷroːl).


莧

Amaranthus tricolor
Amaranthus tricolor#Translingual


菱

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *rɯŋ): semantic 艸 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 夌 (OC *rɯŋ).

Han compound

water caltrop; water chestnut (Trapa natans)


蒂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *teːds): semantic 艸 (“grass”) + phonetic 帝 (OC *teːɡs)


蓆

/t͡sʰioʔ¹²¹/

/t͡sʰioʔ¹²¹/

woven mat made of bamboo strips or grass


蓊

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qloːŋ, *qloːŋʔ): semantic 艹 (“grass”) + phonetic 翁 (OC *qloːŋ).

Han compound

(of vegetation) lush; luxuriant; flourishing


蓖

Only used in 蓖麻 (bìmá, “castor oil plant”).


葚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɦljumʔ): semantic 艸 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 甚 (OC *ɡljumʔ, *ɡljums).
Area word; compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *ɗum ~ *ɗuum (“ripe; ripe-coloured”) (> Khmer ទុំ (tum, “to be ripe”)), Proto-Kuki-Chin *ɗum (“black; blue”), *thim (“dark”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT). Also compare 黮 (OC *l̥ʰuːmʔ, *l'uːmʔ, “dark (as a mulberry)”).


蔔

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *bɯːɡ): semantic 艸 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 匐 (OC *bɯːɡ, *bɯɡ).


蕘

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋjew): semantic 艸 (“grass”) + phonetic 堯 (OC *ŋeːw).


蔗

/t͡siɛ²¹⁻²¹⁵/

/t͡siɛ²¹⁻²¹⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tjaːɡs): semantic 艹 + phonetic 庶 (OC *hljaɡs).
See 藷蔗／薯蔗 (zhūzhè).

zh-l

藷蔗／薯蔗 (zhūzhè)


虍

Pictogram (象形) – tiger's head.
Compare 虎 which includes the body.


薸

Possibly related to 漂 (OC *pʰew, “to float; to drift”) (Liu, 1999).
Norman and Mei (1976) suggest instead that this word is of Austroasiatic origin, comparing it to Vietnamese bèo (“duckweed”), which they further relate to Mon ဗေဝ် (“to ride low in the water”) (< Proto-Mon-Khmer *ber (“to float”)). However, Sagart (2008) counts it among "either East Asian areal words if not Chinese words in disguise".


蚯

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/


蚶

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢaːm, *ɢaːm): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 甘 (OC *kaːm)


蜅

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *baː, *paʔ): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 甫 (OC *paʔ)


蛞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰoːd): semantic 虫 + phonetic 𠯑 (OC *ɡroːd).


蜢

Only used in 蚱蜢 (zhàměng), 草蜢 (cǎoměng) etc.


蜊

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ril): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 利 (OC *rids)


蜈

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋʷaː): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 吳 (OC *ŋʷaː).


薑

desc

→ Lisu: ꓚꓬꓺ (tʃɑ̱), ꓚꓬꓮꓥꓺ (tʃɑ̱ŋ)

→ Lisu: ꓚꓬꓺ (tʃɑ̱), ꓚꓬꓮꓥꓺ (tʃɑ̱ŋ)

→ Spanish: kion, kión

→ Zhuang: gieng

/kiaŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

/kiaŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

Originally 䕬, a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kaŋ): semantic 艸 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 彊 (OC *kaŋs, *ɡaŋ, *ɡaŋʔ).
Note that the simplified form 姜 (OC *klaŋ) is also a traditional character on its own.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kjaŋ (“ginger”). Compare Burmese ချင်း (hkyang:).

Han compound

The Mengshe Barbarians use pepper, ginger, and cinnamon to boil as a drink.

Tang Dynasty, Fan Chuo, Manshu, chapter 7, part 7

Méngshè Mán yǐ jiāo, jiāng, guì hé pēng ér yǐn zhī.

蒙舍蠻以椒、薑、桂和烹而飲之。

蒙舍蛮以椒、姜、桂和烹而饮之。


蜘

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *te): semantic 虫 (“insect; insect-like creature”) + phonetic 知 (OC *ʔl'e). Originally 鼅 (OC *te), which was originally 䵹.


蘿

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *raːl): semantic 艸 + phonetic 羅 (OC *raːl).


蛛

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *to): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 朱 (OC *tjo). Originally a pictogram (象形) of a spider. Later, 朱 was added to the pictograph to indicate sound. In small seal script, the character became written as the characters 鼄／𬹣 and 蛛.

Used in 蜘蛛 (zhīzhū, “spider”); also used as its short form.


蝴

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡaː): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 胡 (OC *ɡaː).


蚓

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *linʔ): semantic 虫 (“insect; worm”) + phonetic 引 (OC *linʔ, *lins).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *zril (“worm”); cognate with Tibetan སྲིལ (sril, “silkworm”), Japhug qandʐe (“earthworm”), Burmese တီ (ti, “earthworm”) (STEDT; Paul, 1972; Schuessler, 2007; Zhang, Jacques and Lai, 2019). See also 螾 (OC *lin, *linʔ), 蟺 (OC *djanʔ).

Han compound

(biology or in fossilized compounds or dialectal) earthworm


螽

Schuessler (2007) proposes Sino-Tibetan origin; he reconstructs 螽 (OC *C-juŋ) (though with uncertainty) and compares it to Burmese ကျိုင်း (kyuing:, “locust”).

Autumn, it rained locusts in Song; they fell down and then died.

秋，雨螽于宋，隊而死也。

秋，雨螽于宋，队而死也。


螳

螳螂


蜷

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡron): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 卷 (OC *ɡron, *kronʔ, *krons, *ɡonʔ)

Han compound

(of the body) to curl; to coil; to huddle; to wriggle


蝸

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kroːl, *kʷroːl): semantic 虫 + phonetic 咼 (OC *kʰʷroːl).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kroj (“shellfish, shell”). From the same root derives 螺 (OC *roːl, “aquatic snail”).
Perhaps related to Proto-Mon-Khmer *kloʔ (“snail, shellfish”) (Schuessler, 2007).


螢

From 虫 "worm", 熒 "fluorescent" sound, indicating fireflies.

och-l

熒 (OC *ɡʷeːŋ, “luminous, fluorescent; to shine, to shimmer, to dazzle”)


蟶

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l̥ʰeŋ): semantic 虫 + phonetic 聖 (OC *hljeŋs).

Han compound

a razor clam, in particular a Chinese razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta) (Classifier: 敉 mn)


蠐

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zliːl, *zlil): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 齊 (OC *zliːl, *zliːls)

Han compound

Used in 蝤蠐／蝤蛴 (qiúqí) and 蠐螬／蛴螬 (qícáo).


蠼

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 矍 (OC *kʷaɡ).


蟀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *srud): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 率 (OC *sruds, *rud, *srud).


衚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 行 + phonetic 胡 (OC *ɡaː).


蝮

Possibly related to 伏 (OC *bɯɡ, “to lie down”) (Schuessler, 2007). Alternatively, it may be related to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *bəw (“insect; snake”) (Schuessler, 2007).


蠔

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 虫 + phonetic 豪 (OC *ɡaːw).


衁

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hmaːŋ): phonetic 亡 (OC *maŋ) + semantic 血 (“blood”).
Borrowed from Austroasiatic. Compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *ɟhaam ~ *ɟhiim (“blood”), whence Khmer ឈាម (chiəm, “blood”), Mon ဆီ (chim, “blood”), Proto-Bahnaric *bhaːm (“blood”), Proto-Katuic *ʔahaam (“blood”), Proto-Khmuic *maː₁m (“blood”). Chinese has final -ŋ because initial and final m are mutually exclusive (Schuessler, 2003; Schuessler, 2007).
This word's rare occurrence in a traditional saying indicates that it is not part of the active vocabulary of OC, but a
survival from a substrate language.

cog

The hexagram's divination reads: "A man slaughters a sheep, yet there is no blood; a woman bears a basket, yet there is no gift."

Qí yáo yuē: shì kuī yáng, yì wú huāng yě; nǚ chéng kuāng, yì wú kuàng yě.

其繇曰：士刲羊，亦無衁也；女承筐，亦無貺也。

其繇曰：士刲羊，亦无衁也；女承筐，亦无贶也。

Surrounded by red curtains and vermillion drapes they spread out the raw and cooked sacrificial meat; in a pool of blood, there were waves and winds, and the flesh piled up in a mound.

韓愈 (Han Yu), 陸渾山火和皇甫湜用其韻 "Mountain Fire of Luhun, in Response to Huangfu Shi and Using his Rhymes"; translated by Alex Yang (2007).

Hóng wéi chì mù luó shèn pán, huāng chí bō fēng ròu líng tún.

紅帷赤幕羅脤膰，衁池波風肉陵屯。

红帷赤幕罗脤膰，衁池波风肉陵屯。


蠣

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *m·rads): semantic 虫 (“insect; bug; creature”) + phonetic 厲 (OC *m·rads).


袱

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 衣 (“clothes”) + phonetic 伏 (OC *bɯɡs, *bɯɡ)


袞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kluːnʔ): semantic 衣 (“clothes”) + phonetic 㕣 (OC *kloːŋ)


蠍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰad): semantic 虫 + phonetic 歇 (OC *qʰad).

Han compound

蠍子

蝎子


褂

/kʷʰaː³³⁻³⁵/

/kʷʰaː³³⁻³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 衣 (“clothes”) + phonetic 卦.


蒜

→ Lisu: ꓢꓪꓮꓠꓸ (swɑ́n)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sloːns): semantic 艸 + phonetic 祘 (OC *sloːns).
Matisoff considers this to be derived from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *swa-n (“garlic”), but more likely this may be a plant imported from the Western Regions in the Qin–Han era. The relatively late attestation and the earlier form of 卵蒜 (luǎnsuàn) attest to the latter theory.
Compare Sanskrit लशुन (laśuna), Pali lasuṇa, lasuna. The Old Chinese reconstruction was revised to a *-or rhyme in the Baxter–Sagart system, akin to its homophone 算 (“to calculate”). Hence compare Persian سیر (sir, “garlic”), Khotanese sārmā- (“the plant Basella cordifolia or B. lucida or B. rubra”), Hungarian sárma (“Ornithogalum sp.”), as well as Turkish sarımsak, Mongolian саримс (sarims).
Either way this word is cognate with the second syllable of Burmese ကြက်သွန် (krakswan, “onion”), ကြက်သွန်ဖြူ (krakswanhpru, “garlic”).


袍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *buː): semantic 衣 (“clothing”) + phonetic 包 (OC *pruː).

Han compound

(Chinese-style) long gown, robe, or cloak


襾

Characters in the same phonetic series (襾) (Zhengzhang, 2003)


蠶

Bodman (1980) relates this to Tibetan སྡོམ (sdom, “spider”). Perhaps cognate to 蔪 (OC *zamʔ, “to entwine”) (Schuessler, 2007), as well as 縶 (OC *tib, “to rope, tether, bind”), with these terms deriving from a Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tip ~ *tu(p/m) (“to wrap up”), whence Burmese ထုပ် (htup, “to wrap, bundle”) (STEDT). The silkworm would thus be seen as a "wrapping (bug)", which is particularly apt when considering the process of sericulture.

der

蚕
𧉏
蝅
𧑯
𧌩
䗝
䗞
䘉
𧕽
𧖟
蠺


裾

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ka): semantic 衣 (“clothes”) + phonetic 居 (OC *kɯ, *kas).


覲

to have an audience (with the Emperor, leader, president, etc.)


蠅

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *b·lɯŋ): semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 黽 (OC *mlenʔ, *mliŋʔ, *mreːŋʔ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-b-(r/j)aŋ (“fly; bee”). Compare 虻 (OC mˁraŋ, “"horsefly"”), Tibetan སྦྲང་བུ (sbrang bu, “bee”), Burmese ယင် (yang, “fly”), Chepang याङ् (“insect; fly”), Japhug ɣʑo (“bee”) (STEDT; Coblin, 1986; Benedict, 1972; Schuessler, 2007; Zhang, Jacques, and Lai, 2019).


裙

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (裙):
* → Vietnamese: quần (裙)

/t͡ɕʰyə̯ɻ³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰyə̯ɻ³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡlun): semantic 衤 (“clothing”) + phonetic 君 (OC *klun).

Han compound

skirt; apron; dress; petticoat (Classifier: 條／条 c)


診

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l'ɯns, *kljɯnʔ): semantic 言 + phonetic 㐱 ().

Han compound

(medicine) to examine (a patient); to diagnose


襖

→? Proto-Bahnaric: *ʔaːw (“shirt”)

Bahnar: ao (“shirt”)

→? Khmer: អាវ (ʼaaw)

desc

→? Proto-Vietic: *ʔaːwʔ (“upper garment”)

Vietnamese: áo

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *quːʔ, *quːʔ): semantic 衣 (“clothing”) + phonetic 奧 (OC *quːɡs).


褲

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʰʷaːs): semantic 衣 (“clothing”) + phonetic 庫 (OC *kʰaːs).

Han compound

pants; trousers (Classifier: 條／条 c; 領／领 mn)


詢

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sqʰʷin): semantic 言 + phonetic 旬 (OC *sɢʷin).

Han compound

to inquire into; to ask about; to consult with


襪

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mad): semantic 衣 (“clothing”) + phonetic 蔑 (OC *meːd, *meːd).

Han compound

袜
韤
韈
𥀯
韎
𤿗
𥿉
帓
𤿖
靺

sock; stocking (Classifier: 隻／只 c; 對／对 c)


詈

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 网 (“net”) + 言 (“speech; word”).

(literary or Northern Min, Hokkien) to curse; to scold; to abuse verbally


詮

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰlon): semantic 言 + phonetic 全 (OC *zlon).


諄

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


譟

(Zhangzhou Hokkien) to nag; to chatter; to prattle; to go on and on; to talk on and on


証

For pronunciation and definitions of 証 – see 證 (“to prove; to testify; to verify; proof; evidence; etc.”).
(This character is the former (1969–1976) Singaporean simplified and variant form of 證).
 Notes:
Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

zh-see

When the lord errs, (his advisors) compete against each other in admonishing and correcting him.

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

主有失，皆交爭証諫。

主有失，皆交争証谏。


謄

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


諫

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kraːns): semantic 言 (“say”) + phonetic 柬 (OC *kreːnʔ).


豌

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qoːn): semantic 豆 (“bean; pea”) + phonetic 宛 (OC *qon, *qonʔ).


謹

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kɯnʔ): semantic 言 (“speech”) + phonetic 堇 (OC *ɡrɯn, *kɯnʔ) – to speak caution.
Cognate with 兢 (OC *kɯŋ, “to be cautious”), which is possibly the vocalic variant of 驚 (OC *kreŋ, “to be afraid; to alarm”) (Schuessler, 2007).


貅

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qʰu): semantic 豸 + phonetic 休 (OC *qʰu).

Han compound

The pixiu: they look like tigers; some say they look like bears; their furs are colored ashen white. People in Liaodong call them white brown bears. The male is called pí, and the female xiū; that was why ancient people many times mentioned them together.

1917, 徐珂 (Xu Ke), 《清稗類鈔》 (Categorized anthology of petty matters from the Qing period).

Píxiū, xíng sì hǔ, huò yuē sì xióng, máo sè huībái. Liáodōng rén wèi zhī báipí. Xióngzhě yuē pí, cízhě yuē xiū, gù gǔrén duō lián jǔ zhī.

貔貅，形似虎，或曰似熊，毛色灰白。遼東人謂之白羆。雄者曰貔，雌者曰貅，故古人多連舉之。

貔貅，形似虎，或曰似熊，毛色灰白。辽东人谓之白罴。雄者曰貔，雌者曰貅，故古人多连举之。

(Chinese mythology) female panther-like feline; female counterpart of 貔 (pí)


貔

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *bi): semantic 豸 + phonetic 𣬉 ().
Probably Sino-Tibetan; compare Tibetan དབྱི (dbyi, “lynx”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Schuessler also sees possible cognacy with pi ~ byi in Tibetan པི་ཤི (pi shi) and བྱི་ལ (byi la), though pi ~ byi might be derived from Indic (cf. Hindi बिल्ला (billā) < Sanskrit बिडाल (biḍāla); see the Sanskrit word for ultimate non-Indic etymology); even so, pi ~ byi is still possibly native Tibetan if པི་ཤི (pi shi)'s shi was from earlier *zhi and cognate with 狸 (OC *rɯ), see there for more (ibid.).

Making strong his walls, and deep his moats,
Laying out his fields, regulating his revenues,
Presenting his skins of the panthers,
With those of the red leopards and the yellow brown bears.

Shí yōng shí hè, shí mǔ shí jí, xiàn qí pí pí, chì bào huáng pí.

實墉實壑，實畝實籍，獻其貔皮，赤豹黃羆。

实墉实壑，实亩实籍，献其貔皮，赤豹黄罴。

Exert yourselves, officers — you shall be martial and imposing! Be like tigers, like panthers, like black bears, like brown bears!

The Book of Documents, circa 7ᵗʰ – 4ᵗʰ centuries BCE

Xù zāi fūzǐ! Shàng huánhuán rú hǔ, rú pí, rú xióng, rú pí!

勖哉夫子！尚桓桓如虎、如貔、如熊、如羆！

勖哉夫子！尚桓桓如虎、如貔、如熊、如罴！


豺

/t͡sʰaːi̯²¹/

/t͡sʰaːi̯²¹/

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

Han compound

When the dhole sacrificed its prey, the hunting commenced.

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

豺祭獸，然後田獵。

豺祭兽，然后田猎。

豺狼

豺狗


賲

having the feeling of eating half-cooked cereal after finishing eating

食了賲賲

食了𲃄𲃄

(Zhangzhou Hokkien) having the feeling of eating half-cooked cereal


豨

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

Han compound

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


豕

Pictogram (象形) – a pig. Compare 亥.
Possibly from Austroasiatic (Schuessler, 2007). Compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *liik ~ *lik (“pig”) and Mon ကၠိက် (kloik, “pig”). Also occurs in the Cai-Long languages, from which Hölzl (2021) derives the name Ta-Li for the aforementioned language subgroup.

There are many swine, with their trotters white, wading through the waves.

有豕白蹢、烝涉波矣。


賑

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tjɯnʔ, *tjɯns): semantic 貝 (“money”) + phonetic 辰 (OC *djɯn) – having money, giving money (support).


趒

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l̥ʰeːw, *l̥ʰeːws, *l'eːw): semantic 走 (“walk”) + phonetic 兆 (OC *l'ewʔ).


贈

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


跙

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zaʔ): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 且 (OC *sʰjaːʔ, *ʔsa)


趼

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/


財

/t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/

/t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹/

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

Han compound

A nobleman makes fortune in a noble way.

君子愛財，取之有道。

君子爱财，取之有道。


跺

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 朵 (OC *toːlʔ).


踔

/t͡sʰiɪk̚²⁴/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚¹²¹/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚²⁴/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚¹²¹/

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


蹜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sruɡ): semantic 足 (“foot”) + phonetic 宿 (OC *suɡs, *suɡ)

Han compound

(Xiamen and Zhangzhou Hokkien) to climb upwards following a certain body


蹦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 𧾷 + phonetic 崩 (OC *pɯːŋ).


蹌

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵/


躘

(Taishanese) to scurry; to go hither and thither


蹤

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


躕

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

Used in 踟躕／踟蹰 (chíchú) and 躕躇／蹰躇 (chúchú).


躼

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 身 (“body”) + 長 (“long”)

𲄚
軂
䠷
髝
𨱵
𨲮
𠈭
菿
𡰌
㢃


躺

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *tʰaːŋʔ): semantic 身 (“body”) + phonetic 尚 (OC *djaŋ, *djaŋs).

Han compound

躺在床上


轅

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


迺

For pronunciation and definitions of 迺 – see 乃 (“you, your; be; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 乃).


輛

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *raŋs): semantic 車 (“vehicle”) + phonetic 兩 (OC *raŋʔ, *raŋs).

Han compound

一輛車

一辆车

一輛跑車

一辆跑车

Classifier for wheeled vehicles. ⇒ all nouns using this classifier


迢

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *deːw): semantic 辵 (“to walk”) + phonetic 召 (OC *dews, *djews).


辵

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 彳 (“walk”) + 止 (“foot” or “to stop”). A more conservative and obsolete version is 𣥆.

^‡ to walk for a while and be still for a while


遒

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/


遙

1908, Zhang Zhidong, Couplet written for tower constructed near the site of the Yellow Crane Tower

jīnrì jiāotōng wénguǐ, dēnglín bùjué Yà Ōu yáo

今日交通文軌，登臨不覺亞歐遙

今日交通文轨，登临不觉亚欧遥


郊

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

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


鄺

(Mandarin) English: Kuang

(Cantonese) English: Kwong, Fong

(Hokkien) Tagalog: Kong

zh:海峽兩岸漢語發音差異列表


鄴

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋab): phonetic 業 (OC *ŋab) + semantic 邑


醅

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *pʰɯ, *pʰɯː): semantic 酉 (“alcohol”) + phonetic 咅 (OC *pʰɯʔ, *pʰl'oːs)

Han compound

綠螘新醅酒，紅泥小火爐。

绿蚁新醅酒，红泥小火炉。

(literary) unstrained liquor or rice wine (see: 酒 (jiǔ)); mash


酯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 酉 (“oxygenated functional group”) + phonetic 旨 (OC *kjiʔ). Modelled after 脂 (zhī, “lipid”) with a radical input from other oxygenated organic compounds such as 醇 (chún, “alcohol”) and 酸 (suān, “acid”), referring to ester linkages in lipids like glycerides.
From 脂 (zhī, “lipid”), referring to ester linkages in lipids like glycerides.

任何汽車生化柴油供應商明知而供應或分發任何酯含量高於或低於汽車生化柴油標籤上所顯示的酯含量百分率超過1%的汽車生化柴油，即屬犯罪，一經定罪，可處第5級罰款。 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
任何汽车生化柴油供应商明知而供应或分发任何酯含量高于或低于汽车生化柴油标签上所显示的酯含量百分率超过1%的汽车生化柴油，即属犯罪，一经定罪，可处第5级罚款。 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]
jam⁶ ho⁴ hei³ ce¹ sang¹ faa³ caai⁴ jau⁴ gung¹ jing³ soeng¹ ming⁴ zi¹ ji⁴ gung¹ jing³ waak⁶ fan¹ faat³ jam⁶ ho⁴ zi² ham⁴ loeng⁶ gou¹ jyu¹ waak⁶ dai¹ jyu¹ hei³ ce¹ sang¹ faa³ caai⁴ jau⁴ biu¹ cim¹ soeng⁶ so² hin² si⁶ dik¹ zi² ham⁴ loeng⁶ baak³ fan⁶ leot⁶⁻² ciu¹ gwo³ 1% dik¹ hei³ ce¹ sang¹ faa³ caai⁴ jau⁴, zik¹ suk⁶ faan⁶ zeoi⁶, jat¹ ging¹ ding⁶ zeoi⁶, ho² cyu² dai⁶ ng⁵ kap¹ fat⁶ fun². [Jyutping]

Section 12(1), Air Pollution Control (Motor Vehicle Fuel) Regulation (Cap. 311L)

Any motor vehicle biodiesel supplier who knowingly supplies or distributes any motor vehicle biodiesel containing an ester content that is more than 1% higher or lower than the percentage of ester content as indicated on the motor vehicle biodiesel label commits an offence and is liable to a fine at level 5.


醮

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/


釉

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *lɯwɢs): semantic 采 (“color”) + phonetic 由 (OC *lɯw).


釆

Pictogram (象形). An animal paw feeling for something.
Exopassive of 辨 (OC *brenʔ, “to divide, distinguish, discriminate”); possibly in the same word-family as another exopassive 瓣 (OC *breːns, “what is divided”). These three thus may be related to either 班 (OC *praːn, “to distribute → to arrange, classify → class, group”) or Mizo pʰel (“to split, cut in halves”) (with medial *-r- dropped after labial initials according to Mizo phonotactics) (Schuessler, 2007).


鈦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 太 (tài).
Borrowed from New Latin titanium.


銼

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰoːls, *zoːl, *zoːɡ): semantic 金 + phonetic 坐 (OC *zoːlʔ, *zoːls).


鋰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 里.
Borrowed from New Latin lithium.


錙

(Classical) A unit of weight, with variant written accounts; it is six 銖／铢 according to Shuo Wen


錳

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 孟.
From New Latin manganum.


鍍

to plate; to cover (a metal object) with a thin coating of a different metal


釵

/t͡sʰaːi̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰaːi̯⁵⁵/


鍥

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *keːd, *kʰeːd): semantic 金 (“metal; gold”) + phonetic 契 (OC *kʰeːds, *kʰeːd, *kʰeːd, *kʰɯd).


鐐

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


鐮

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡ·rem): semantic 金 (“gold; metal”) + phonetic 廉 (OC *ɡ·rem).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-rjam (“sharp”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

鐮刀

镰刀


鍬

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰiːu̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰiːu̯⁵⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 秋 (OC *sʰɯw) – a metal shovel.

锹
鍫
喿
鐰
銚
橾
𣂁


錨

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 苗 (OC *mrew).


閆

From the cursive script form of 閻. 闫 was adopted as the simplified form of 閻 in the second round of simplified Chinese characters.
From 閻. After the retraction of the second round of simplification in Mainland China, some people have continued to use 闫 as their surname, but others have changed it to 阎, separating the two variants of the same surname into two different surnames.


闡

/t͡sʰiɛn⁵⁵⁴/

/t͡sʰiɛn⁵⁵⁴/


阱

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sɡeŋʔ, *sɡeŋs) and ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): semantic 阝 (“mound”) + phonetic 井 (OC *skeŋʔ, “well”).


陛

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *biːʔ): semantic 阝 + phonetic 坒 (OC *bis, *biɡ).

Han compound

陛下

(archaic) flight of steps; (specifically) steps leading to the throne in a palace


雯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mɯn): semantic 雨 + phonetic 文 (OC *mɯn).
From 文 (OC *mɯn, “mark; design; pattern”).


靂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *reːɡ): semantic 雨 + phonetic 歷 (OC *reːɡ).


韆

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/


鞦

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/

(in compounds or dialectal) swing (hanging seat)


靴

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hʷa): semantic 革 (“leather”) + phonetic 化 (OC *hŋʷraːls).

Han compound

鞾
𩎁
韡
𩍇
𡲲
㞜
𩋖
𩋾
𩍍


韱

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sem): semantic 韭 + phonetic 㦰 ().


霰

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sjar (“hail; sleet”); compare Tibetan སེར (ser, “hail”), Western Tamang सेर (“hail”) (STEDT; Hill, 2014; Schuessler, 2024).

inh

䨘
䨷
𩄧
𩆥
𩅤
𩃝
𩃂
𩆵


霖

(literary) long spell of rain; continuous rain


靨

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qeb): phonetic 厭 (OC *qemʔ, *qems, *qeb) + semantic 面 (“face”).


鞍

→ Proto-Tai: *ʔaːnᴬ

Thai: อาน (aan)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qaːn) and ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): semantic 革 (“leather”) + 安 (“secure”).


韭

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

Pictogram (象形) – leek in the ground (一).

Allium tuberosum
Allium tuberosum#Translingual

garlic chives; Chinese chives; Chinese leek (Allium tuberosum)


頰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *keːb): phonetic 夾 (OC *kreːb) + semantic 頁 (“head”) – part of the head.


顥

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 景 (“daylight”) + 頁 (“head (hair)”). According to the Shuowen Jiezi Zhu, it represents bright sunlight and the white hair in someone's head, signifying whiteness.


雹

⇒ Zhuang: lwgbag

/tʰɔk̚³²⁻²¹/

/tʰɔk̚³²⁻²¹/

Characters in the same phonetic series (勹) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *bruːɡ): semantic 雨 (“rain”) + phonetic 包 (OC *pruː).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-bru(ŋ/k) (“dragon; thunder”), whence also 龍 (OC *b·roŋ, *mroːŋ, “dragon”) (STEDT).


頦

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kɯːʔ, *ɡɯː): phonetic 亥 (OC *ɡɯːʔ) + semantic 頁.

liushu

OC *kɯːʔ, *ɡɯː


餖

Used in 飣餖／饤饾 (dìngdòu); also used as its short form.


饅

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *moːn): semantic 食 + phonetic 曼 (OC *moːn, *mons).
Possibly related to Burmese မုန့် (mun., “snack”).


顎

Proto-Tai: *ʰŋɯəkᴰ (“gum; gill”)

desc

Proto-Southwestern Tai: *ʰŋɯəkᴰ (“gum; gill”)

Thai: เหงือก (“gum; gill”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋaːɡ): phonetic 咢 (OC *ŋaːɡ) + semantic 頁.


顆

一顆珠子

一颗珠子

In the sky of history blink a few stars; in the human world gallops a heroic spirit hither and thither.

1994, 王健 Wang Jian (lyricist), 谷建芬 Gu Jianfen (composer), "The Sky of History"《歷史的天空》

Lìshǐ de tiānkōng shǎnshuò jǐ kē xīng; rénjiān yī gǔ yīngxióng qì zài chíchěng zònghéng.

歷史的天空閃爍幾顆星；人間一股英雄氣在馳騁縱橫。

历史的天空闪烁几颗星；人间一股英雄气在驰骋纵横。

Classifier for small round objects. ⇒ all nouns using this classifier


馞

(literary) richly fragrant; strong smell


飪

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *njɯmʔ): semantic 食 (“food”) + phonetic 壬 (OC *l̥ʰeːŋʔ, *njɯm).

Han compound

饪
餁
䏕
恁
㶵
𤇲
𤏼
𦜙
䭃


駏

offspring of a stallion and a female mule


駬

Only used in 騄駬／𫘧𱅋 (Lù'ěr). (Name of a legendary swift horse.)


驖

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *l̥ʰiːɡ, *l'iːɡ): semantic 馬 + phonetic 𢧜 ().
Perhaps related to 鐵 (OC *l̥ʰiːɡ, “iron”) as both may be derived from the etymon "black".

Han compound

His four iron-black horses are burly; The six reins are in the hand (of the charioteer).

駟驖孔阜、六轡在手。

驷𬴋孔阜、六辔在手。


騖

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *moɡs): phonetic 敄 (OC *moʔ, *mos) + semantic 馬 (“horse”).


騫

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/


髆

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *paːɡ): semantic 骨 (“bone”) + phonetic 尃 (OC *pʰa).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *p(r)ak ~ r-pak (“shoulder”). Cognate with Tibetan ཕྲག་པ (phrag pa).


駿

On the guiyou day, the Son of Heaven ordered the eight steeds to be harnessed to his chariots.

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

Guǐyǒu, tiānzǐ mìng jià bājùn zhī chéng.

癸酉，天子命駕八駿之乘。

癸酉，天子命驾八骏之乘。