SARS

(medicine, pathology, virology) SARS (“severe acute respiratory syndrome”) (a disease)

severe acute respiratory syndrome#English

(medicine, pathology, virology, informal) SARS-CoV-1 (the virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS)

(medicine, pathology, virology, informal) SARSr-CoV (the virus species that contains the SARS virus)


mouse

/mɐu̯⁵⁵ siː³⁵/

/maːu̯⁵⁵ siː³⁵/

/mɐu̯⁵⁵ siː³⁵/

/maːu̯⁵⁵ siː³⁵/

(Hong Kong Cantonese, computing) mouse (Classifier: 隻／只 c; 個／个 c)


AC

/ei̯⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵/

/ei̯⁵⁵ siː⁵⁵/

Borrowed from English account. Doublet of account.

冇AC都可以

(Hong Kong Cantonese, computing) account


down

From English down (“inoperable; out of service”, adjective).

bor

(Hong Kong Cantonese, chiefly computing) to be out of service


引力

/in²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹/

/jɐn¹³ lɪk̚²/

/in⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ liak̚²⁴/

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚¹²¹/

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚⁴/

/in⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚⁴/

/in⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lat̚⁴/

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lat̚¹²¹/

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lat̚⁴/

/iŋ⁵²⁻³⁵ lak̚⁴/

/in²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹/

/jɐn¹³ lɪk̚²/

/in⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ liak̚²⁴/

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚¹²¹/

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚⁴/

/in⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ liɪk̚⁴/

/in⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lat̚⁴/

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lat̚¹²¹/

/in⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lat̚⁴/

/iŋ⁵²⁻³⁵ lak̚⁴/


倉庫

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (倉庫):
* → Japanese: 倉(そう)庫(こ) (sōko)
* → Korean: 창고(倉庫) (changgo)

/t͡sʰɑŋ⁵⁵ kʰu⁵¹/

/t͡sʰɔːŋ⁵⁵ fuː³³/

/t͡sʰoŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ kʰu⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰoŋ⁵³ kʰu¹¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍⁴⁴⁻²² kʰɔ²¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍³³ kʰɔ⁴¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍⁴⁴⁻²² kʰɔ²¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰɔ¹¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰɔ²¹/

/t͡sʰaŋ³³⁻²³ kʰou²¹³/

/t͡sʰɑ̃⁵⁵ kʰu²¹/

/t͡sʰɑŋ⁵⁵ kʰu⁵¹/

/t͡sʰɔːŋ⁵⁵ fuː³³/

/t͡sʰoŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ kʰu⁵⁵/

/t͡sʰoŋ⁵³ kʰu¹¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍⁴⁴⁻²² kʰɔ²¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍³³ kʰɔ⁴¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍⁴⁴⁻²² kʰɔ²¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰɔ¹¹/

/t͡sʰŋ̍⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰɔ²¹/

/t͡sʰaŋ³³⁻²³ kʰou²¹³/

/t͡sʰɑ̃⁵⁵ kʰu²¹/

(computing) repository (Classifier: 個／个 m)


bug

(Hong Kong Cantonese, computing) bug (Classifier: 個／个 c; 隻／只 c)


乙

→ Zhuang: iet

Unknown. Different ancient texts propose different origins.
* Pictogram (象形) – a developing plant (Shuowen).
* Pictogram (象形) – the intestine of a fish (Erya).
* Pictogram (象形) – the gill bone of a fish (Liji Zhengyi (《禮記正義》)
The character should not be confused with 𠃉 > 鳦.

乙烷


入

Ideogram (指事) - an arrowhead indicating "to enter".
Compare 人 (rén).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *nup ~ nip. Cognate with Tibetan ནུབ (nub, “to fall (gradually), sink, to set; to decay, to decline”) and Burmese နိပ် (nip, “to decline (e.g. price); to be suppressed, to settle, to be quelled”).
Chinese characters belonging to the same word family include:
* 納 (OC *nuːb, “to make enter”)
* 內 (OC *nuːbs, “inside”)
* 軜 (OC *nuːb, “reins on the inside of the horse”)
* 妠 (OC *nuːms, *nuːb, *rnoːd, “to marry (a girl)”)
* 躡 (OC *neb, “to tiptoe, tread”)
* 攝 (OC *neːb, *ʔnjeb, “to take in, photograph, grasp”)
* 鑷 (OC *neb, “tweezers, forceps”)
* and potentially Cantonese 擸 (laap3, “to bring together, to collect”)
The regular Mandarin pronunciation as predicted from Middle Chinese is rì. The irregular sound change is for taboo reasons - to avoid homophony with its derived vulgar meaning "to enter > to have sexual intercourse", nowadays represented by 日 (rì).


short

From English short, in the sense of a short circuit. Cognate with Taiwanese Hokkien 秀逗.

electrical engineering
electrical engineering

(Cantonese, electrical engineering) to short-circuit


界

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kreːds): semantic 田 (“field”) + phonetic 介 (OC *kreːds).
Compare perhaps Burmese ခြား (hkra:, “to keep separated”).


章

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (章):
* → Japanese: 章(しょう) (shō)
* → Korean: 장(章) (jang)
* → Vietnamese: chương (章)

desc

→ English: Chang, Zhang, Cheung, Chiang, Cheang, Cheong

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): A chisel 辛 piercing a piece of untreated jade in the middle of the character (now 日). Originally meaning "to treat jade", likely the original character of 璋 or 彰.
STEDT compares the word to Proto-Kuki-Chin *klaaŋ-I, *klaan-II (“to shine; light; bright”); see 陽 (OC *laŋ, “sunshine”) for more.

章動

章动

[The cycle of] nineteen years constitute one zhang. Four zhang make one bu, which is seventy-six years.

c. early 3rd century, Zhao Shuang (趙爽), editor. Zhoubi Suanjing (《周髀算經》)

Shíjiǔ suì wéi yī zhāng. Sì zhāng wèi yī bù, qīshíliù suì.

十九歲為一章。四章為一蔀，七十六歲。

十九岁为一章。四章为一蔀，七十六岁。

(Chinese astronomy) the cycle of 19 years (approximate common multiple for the synodic month and tropical year, similar to the Metonic cycle)


九

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (九):
* → Japanese: 九(く) (ku); 九(きゅう) (kyū)
* → Korean: 구(九) (gu)
* → Vietnamese: cửu (九)

desctree

→ Proto-Tai: *kɤwꟲ (“nine”)
Northern Tai:
Bouyei: guz
Zhuang: gouj
Saek: กู̂
Tai Do: cau
Central Tai:
Caolan: cáu
Nùng: càu
Tày: cẩu
Wenma-Southwestern Tai:
Sapa-Southwestern Tai:
Proto-Southwestern Tai:
Thai: เก้า (gâao)
Northern Thai: ᨠᩮᩢ᩶ᩣ
Lao: ເກົ້າ (kao)
Lü: ᦂᧁᧉ (k̇aw²)
Tai Dam: ꪹꪀ꫁ꪱ (cảu)
Shan: ၵဝ်ႈ (kāo)
Tai Laing: ကႍဝ်
Tai Nüa: ᥐᥝᥲ (kàw)
Ahom: 𑜀𑜧 (kaw)

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

Characters in the same phonetic series (九) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – a stylized hand, with bent wrist/forearm (hence the hook stroke at lower right). Earlier forms resemble 手 (shǒu), 寸 (cùn). The original meaning of the glyph was “elbow”, which is now written 肘 (OC *tkuʔ).
After the meaning “elbow” was forgotten, 九 was taken to symbolize a fist tightening to bump up against something; thus, there is a metaphorical bumping up of nine against ten, which is the last number when counting on one's fingers.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *d/s-kəw. Compare Tibetan དགུ (dgu).

Han etyl

In the first and the second nine-day period, one should not take out one's hand; / In the third and the fourth nine-day period, the ice is thick enough to stand.

“The Nine Nine-Day Periods Song”, a folk song

Yī jiǔ èr jiǔ bù chū shǒu, sān jiǔ sì jiǔ bīng shàng zǒu.

一九二九不出手，三九四九冰上走。

(weather) each of the nine nine-day periods from the winter solstice


日

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (日):
* → Japanese: 日(にち) (nichi); 日(じつ) (jitsu)
* → Okinawan: 日(なち) (nachi); 日(にち) (nichi)
* → Korean: 일(日) (il)
* → Vietnamese: nhật (日)

/ᵑɡit̚²¹⁻²¹⁵/

/ᵑɡit̚²¹⁻²¹⁵/

Characters in the same phonetic series (日) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – the Sun. A dot or line was added in the centre to distinguish it from visually similar characters, e.g. 囗 (early form of 丁). Compare earlier forms of the character with the astronomical and astrological symbol for the Sun (☉) and the Egyptian hieroglyph 𓇳.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ku-ni(k). Cognate to Tibetan ཉི་མ (nyi ma, “sun, day”), Burmese နေ (ne, “sun”) or Burmese နေ့ (ne., “day”), S'gaw Karen နံၤ (nĩ, “day”), and Nuosu ꑍ (nyip, “day, daytime”).

Han etyl

囸
𡆠
𡇁
𡆸
𡇗
𡈎
入
㒲
肏


世

* Pictogram (象形) – three leaves on a branch. The derivative 葉 (OC *hljeb, *leb) refers to the original word.
* Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): Triplication of 十 (“ten”) - thirty, such as a variant form 丗. Thirty years make one generation (thirty times twelve months gives 360 months). Compare 廿 (OC *njɯb, “twenty”).
世 (OC *hljebs) is derived from iterative devoicing of 葉 (OC *leb, “leaf”) + *-s suffix, meaning successive foliages of a tree > generations. Compare Tibetan ལོ་མ (lo ma, “leaf”), Western Tibetan ལོབ་མ (lob ma, “leaf”) and Tibetan ལོ (lo, “year”).

全新世 ― quánxīnshì ― holocene


丙

→ Zhuang: bingj

Various theories:
* Pictogram (象形) – shoulders (Shuowen).
* Pictogram (象形) – the tail of a fish (Erya). See also 再.
* Pictogram (象形) - part of a chariot, as seen in the original form of 更.
* Pictogram (象形) – pedestal.
* Pictogram (象形) – small table.
* Original form of 柄 (OC *praŋʔ, *praŋs).
Whatever its original sense may be, it has been lost and replaced by its early use as a heavenly stem. See also the original version of 更 (< 㪅).
Baxter and Sagart (2014) note the phonological relationship between 丙 (OC *praŋʔ) and 兩 (OC *p.raŋʔ, “a pair”); how these two are graphically related is noted in Baxter (1992). Smith (2011) suggests that these two words are not only phonologically similar but also etymologically related, with 丙 (“couplet, bivalve”) referring to an asterism.

(organic chemistry) prop- (denoting the presence of three carbon atoms)


乸

Probably a dialectal form of 女 (OC *naʔ, “woman; female”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Alternatively, Li (1990) proposed that this may be a Tai substrate loan, related to Zhuang nax (“younger maternal uncle or aunt”), Thai น้า (náa) (which go back to Proto-Tai *naːꟲ (“mother's younger sibling”)).

cog

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


亨

(physics) short for 亨利 (hēnglì, “henry”)


代

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (代):
* → Japanese: 代(だい) (dai)
* → Korean: 대(代) (dae)
* → Vietnamese: đại (代)

→ Vietnamese: đời (𠁀)

Second round of simplified Chinese characters

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'ɯːɡs): semantic 亻 (“person”) + phonetic 弋 (OC *lɯɡ)
;state's name → toponym
Most of the people with this surname in Mainland China were originally with the surname 戴 (Dài) and was a result of second-round simplification of Chinese characters.

Han compound

(historical geography) short for 代國／代国 (Dàiguó, “state of Dai”)


伐

Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China

Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong

(Chinese astronomy) the name of three stars in the Three Stars mansion: 42 Orionis, θ2 Orionis and ι Orionis


位

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɢʷrɯbs): semantic 亻 (“man”) + phonetic 立 (OC *rɯb, “stand”). Often simply written as 立 in idiomatic expressions such as 即位 (jíwèi) in Western Zhou inscriptions.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kV-r(j)əp (“to stand”). Derived from 立 (OC *rɯb). Mei (2012) lists it among the possible nasal-prefixed verb forms (Old Chinese *N-k- > Middle Chinese *ɦ-, possibly forming a stative). Suffixed with a nominalizing *-s, it takes the sense "the place/rank/status one holds".

inh

(information theory) bit (the smallest unit of storage in a digital computer)


信

Sino-Xenic (信):
* → Vietnamese: tín (信)

→ Vietnamese: tin

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and
phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *hljins): phonetic 人 (OC *njin, “person”) + semantic 言 (“word”).
Schuessler (2007) reconstructs the Old Chinese minimally as *sin and suggests possible derivation from 允 (OC *winʔ, “to trust; to be true”).
Alternatively, Sagart and Baxter (2012) reconstruct *s-niŋ-s (*s-ni[ŋ]-s in Baxter and Sagart, 2014) and suggest a derivation from 仁 (OC *niŋ, “kind”) with the prefix *s-, probably used to increase its valency.

Han compound

(mineralogy) short for 信石 (xìnshí, “arsenolite”)


值

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

Han compound

絕對值

绝对值


傳

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (傳):
* → Korean: 전(傳) (jeon)
* → Vietnamese: truyền (傳)

→ Vietnamese: chuyền

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tons, *don, *dons): semantic 人 (“man”) + phonetic 專 (OC *tjon).
Related to 轉 (OC *tonʔ, *tons, “to turn around; to transfer”); see there for more.

och-l

(physics) to conduct (electricity or heat)


價

→ Lao: ຄ່າ (khā)

→ Thai: ค่า (kâa)

→ Zhuang: gyaq

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kraːs): semantic 人 + phonetic 賈 (OC *kraːʔ, *kraːs, *klaːʔ, “sell”).
Perhaps related to 賈 (OC *kraːʔ, *kraːs, *klaːʔ, “to sell”).

och-l

价
价
介
价
价
家
假


元

Cao Wei
Chen dynasty
Eastern Han dynasty
Eastern Wei
Eastern Wu
Eastern Zhou dynasty
Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
Garo language
Han dynasty
I Ching
Jin dynasty (1115–1234)
Jin dynasty (265–420)
Liang dynasty
Liao dynasty
Liu Song dynasty
Ming dynasty
Northern Qi
Northern Wei
Northern Zhou
Northern and Southern dynasties
Proto-Sino-Tibetan language
Qin dynasty
Qing dynasty
Shang dynasty
Shu Han
Song dynasty
Southern Qi
Southern and Northern dynasties
Spring and Autumn period
Sui dynasty
Tang dynasty
Three Kingdoms
Tibetan language
Warring States period
Western Han dynasty
Western Liao
Western Wei
Western Xia
Western Zhou dynasty
Xia dynasty
Xianbei
Xin dynasty
Yuan dynasty
Zhou dynasty

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (元):
* → Korean: 원(元) (won)
* → Vietnamese: nguyên (元)

→ English: yuan

Pictogram (象形) – a figure with two lines 二 for a head (one connected to body, one above it), emphasizing the head.
Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/s-gaw (“head”), with a noun-forming suffix *-n (Schuessler, 2003; STEDT). If so, cognate with 后 (OC *ɡoːʔ, “ruler; lord; queen”), Tibetan མགོ (mgo, “head; summit; beginning”), མགོན (mgon, “protector; master; lord”), Garo sko (“skull”), Northern Tujia kho⁵⁵ pa⁵⁵ (“head”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT). 原 (OC *ŋʷan, “source; origin; basic; primary”) and 黿 (OC *ŋoːn, *ŋon, “large turtle”) may be the same word (Schuessler, 2007). It may also be related to 君 (OC *klun, “lord; prince; ruler”), 尹 (OC *ɢʷlinʔ, “magistrate; governor”), 侯 (OC *ɡoː, “marquis”) (Mei, 1985).
The name of the dynasty comes from the I Ching:
:
Part of the people with this surname are Xianbei descendants. It was changed from 拓跋 (Tuòbá) as ordered by Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei.

och-l

Vast is the ‘great and originating (power)’ indicated by Qian! All things owe to it their beginning: - it contains all the meaning belonging to (the name) heaven.

I Ching, 11ᵗʰ – 8ᵗʰ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Dà zāi qián yuán, wànwù zī shǐ, nǎi tǒng tiān.

大哉乾元，萬物資始，乃統天。

大哉干元，万物资始，乃统天。

(Taiwan, geology) eon (geochronologic unit)


光

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (光):
* → Japanese: 光(こう) (kō)
* → Korean: 광(光) (gwang)
* → Vietnamese: quang (光)

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 火 (“fire”) + 卩 (“kneeling person”) – fire over a person's head, emphasizing the shining of light (Shuowen).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *hwaŋ (“shine; bright; yellow”). Cognate with 黃 (OC *ɡʷaːŋ, “yellow”), 曠 (OC *kʰʷaːŋs, “bright; well-lit”), Burmese ဝင်း (wang:, “bright”).

inh

灮
㶢
炗
炚
炛
烡
茪
𰰬
𰭧
㫕
𣅏
𠈑
𤈈
𤉭
𤈛
𰝼
𰟎
𤎫
𤐥
𤑋

(specifically, physics) ray (Classifier: 條／条)

light; beam; ray (Classifier: 束 m; 道 m)
ray (Classifier: 條／条)


公

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (公):
* → Japanese: 公(こう) (kō, “duke”)
* → Korean: 공(公) (gong, “duke”)
* → Vietnamese: công (公, “duke”)

→ Mongolian: гүн (gün)

→ Manchu: ᡤᡠᠩ (gung)

→ Thai: กง (gong, “grandfather”) (said by Chinese race)

Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus

The traditional interpretation as given by Han Feizi is that 公 is a compound of 八 (= 背 (“to deviate; opposite”)) and 厶 (original form of 私 (“individual; private”)), i.e. the opposite of “private” — “public”. This theory is supported by Sun Yirang and Qiang Kaiyun, despite the somewhat different shape of the bottom component from 厶.
This is disputed in modern times by Gao Hongjin, who thinks that the 八 on top stands for 分 (“to divide; to distribute”) and the bottom round component 口 symbolises a generic object. 公 thus represents “equally dividing resources so that they are communal”.
Another theory put forth by Zhu Fangpu is that 公 is a pictogram (象形), being the original form of 瓮 (OC *qloːŋs, “a wide-mouthed round-bottomed jar”), and later borrowed for the meanings of “public” and “male of older generation or higher rank”.
; "fair; impartial; public"
; "male of older generation or higher rank; duke; male (of animals)"
: STEDT provisionally sets up Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kaŋ (“father; grandfather; honorific”), also comparing it to 翁; compare Drung kangkang (“grandpa”), vkang (“(my/our) grandfather”), Burmese ခင် (hkang), as in မိခင် (mi.hkang, “mother”), ဖခင် (hpa.hkang, “father”). Alternatively, STEDT also compares it with Proto-Sino-Tibetan *gaŋ (“penis; male”), whence 雄 (OC *ɡʷɯŋ, “male”), but considers it less probable.
: Schuessler (2007) suggests a Mon-Khmer origin; compare Khmer ឡូញ (louñ, “title of an unidentified rank or function”) and Old Khmer khloñ (“head, chief”) (whence ខ្លោង (khlaong)). Compare also Thai ลุง (lung), from Proto-Tai *luŋᴬ (“parent's older brother”), which may also be from Mon-Khmer. Tibetan ཁོང (khong) ~ གོང (gong, “final syllable in dignitaries' name”) may be borrowed from Chinese.

cog

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


刷

/t͡sʰaːt̚³⁻³⁵/

/t͡sʰat̚³³⁻²¹⁵/

/t͡sʰaːt̚³⁻³⁵/

/t͡sʰat̚³³⁻²¹⁵/

Perhaps from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s(u/i)t (“to wipe, sweep, rub, scrub”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan བཤུད (bshud, “to wipe”), Burmese သုတ် (sut, “idem”) (though STEDT mistakenly puts down 恤 (OC *sqʰʷiɡ, “to sympathize, compensate”) for the Chinese character instead).

och-l

刷固件


劑

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *zliːls, *ʔslel): phonetic 齊 (OC *zliːl, *zliːls) + semantic 刂.
From 齊 (OC *zliːl, *zliːls, “orderly”).


力

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (力):
* → Japanese: 力(りき) (riki)
* → Korean: 력(力) (ryeok), 역(力) (yeok)
* → Vietnamese: lực (力)

→ Proto-Vietic: *k-rək

Muong: khấc

Vietnamese: sức

Characters in the same phonetic series (力) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – alternative interpretation, either an arm bending out from the side of the body, or a wooden plough. The original version was 𠠲 and the letter ㄌ in zhuyin alphabet was inspired by this character.
See also the original version of 爭, in which another plow can be seen. Unrelated to 工 and perhaps to 耒 since they are two different tools. Also unrelated to 另.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k-ra (“strength; to win; classifier for people”) + *-k (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007). Cognate with Burmese အား (a:, “strength; force”); Proto-Loloish *ra² (“strength”), whence Nuosu ꊋ (we); Panyi Bai [script needed] (ɣɯ̱⁴², “strength”); Central Bai hhep (“strength”). A causative derivative is 飭 (OC rhək) (Schuessler, 2007).
Schuessler (2007) also suggests an etymological connection with 來 (OC *m·rɯːɡ, “to come”).

cog

This force is the same direction as the displacement.

Zhè ge lì de fāngxiàng yǔ wèiyí xiāngtóng.

這個力的方向與位移相同。

这个力的方向与位移相同。


功

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *koːŋ) and ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): phonetic 工 (OC *koːŋ, “labour; work”) + semantic 力 (“strength”). However, the phonetic part represents the concept of working, which is what basically leads to success.
Cognate with 工 (OC *koːŋ). See there for more.


勢

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *hŋjeds): phonetic 埶 (OC *ŋeds) + semantic 力 (“power”).
Nominalisation of 設 (OC *ŋ̊et, “to set up”), i.e. “that which is set up” (Schuessler, 2007; Baxter and Sagart, 2014). Compare the following quote from Han Feizi

Han compound

The setup (*ŋ̊et-s) of which I am speaking refers to what is set up (*ŋ̊et) by men.

Wú suǒ wéi yán shì zhě, yán rén zhī suǒ shè yě.

吾所為言勢者，言人之所設也。

吾所为言势者，言人之所设也。


包

Sino-Xenic (包):
* → Vietnamese: bao (包)

→ English: bao, bau, bow, pao, pau

⇒ Khmer: នំប៉ាវ (num paaw)

⇒ Lao: ກະລາເປົ໋າ (ka lā pao)

→ Malay: pau

⇒ Thai: ซาลาเปา (saa-laa-bpao)

Pictogram (象形) – a fetus (巳 (sì)) in the womb (勹), or a swaddled baby. Shuowen gives both interpretations.


化

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (化):
* → Japanese: 化(け) (ke); 化(か) (ka)
* → Korean: 화(化) (hwa)
* → Vietnamese: hoá (化)

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) of two 人 (“person”), one upright (亻) and one upside down (𠤎) — reversal; change. Shuowen also considers 𠤎 to be a phonetic component.
Compare 并, 比, 卬, 尼 and 北.
A possible derived term is 瓦 (OC *ŋʷraːlʔ, *ŋʷraːls, “earthenware, tile”), by eliminating causative devoicing and adding an endoactive rising tone (上聲), thus literally “that which has transformed (through fire)”. Also related to 貨 (OC *hŋʷaːls, “property, goods”), 吪 (OC *ŋʷaːl, “move, act”), and perhaps 訛 (OC *ŋʷaːl, “false”) (Schuessler, 2007).

och-l

氧化鈣／氧化钙

氫氧化鈉／氢氧化钠


卡

/t͡ɕʰi̯ä²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ä²¹⁴/

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 上 (“up”) + 下 (“down”) with fusion of the horizontal lines, representing being squeezed between above and below.
Maybe cognate with 夾 (OC *kreːb, “to clip”).

Han compound

卡在奇怪的地方

(computing) to freeze up; to buffer; to stop loading; to lag

the computer is lagging and running super slow

電腦卡卡的跑不太動

电脑卡卡的跑不太动


卵

Pictogram (象形) – spawn, egg.
Usually thought of as derived from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-row (“egg, nit”) with nominalizing suffix *‑n; compare Tibetan སྲོ་མ (sro ma, “egg of a louse, nit, small bubble”) (Benedict, 1976; Gong, 1995; Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).
Alternatively, STEDT compares it to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(r/l)um (“egg”), while noting a few phonological problems with the comparison.
Sagart and Ma (2020) propose that it may be related to 果 (OC *kloːlʔ, “fruit”).


卷

捲
𠨟
𨤖
𠨟
㢧
𢎥
𨤖
𠨟
婘
𨤖

新加卷


反

STEDT compares it to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *par (“to trade; to buy; to sell”), from which Tibetan ཕར (phar, “interest (on money); exchange”) is derived.
Cognate with 販 (OC *pans, “to trade”), which is an exoactive of 反 (OC *panʔ, *pʰan, “to return, lit. to make someone return”) (Schuessler, 2007).
番 (OC *pʰan, “a turn; a time”) is the iterative of 反 (OC *panʔ, *pʰan).

och-l

順反異構

顺反异构

反-2-丁烯


右

Burmese language
Jingpho language
Proto-Sino-Tibetan language
Tibetan language

Originally 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “right hand”) in the oracle bone script.
In bronze inscriptions, a 口 (“mouth; speech”) component was added, perhaps with the intention of indicating the use of 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “again”) as a phonetic loan. In other words, the current form is a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɢʷɯʔ, *ɢʷɯs) and ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): phonetic 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “right hand”) + semantic 口 (“mouth; speech”).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-(j/r)a (“right (hand)”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan གཡས (g.yas, “right”), Jingpho hkra (khʒa⁵⁵, “right”), Burmese ယာ (ya), ညာ (nya).
友 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ, “be friendly; friend”) is the endoactive derivation of 右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ) (Schuessler, 2007).
佑 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “to aid”), 祐 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “(of divinity) to assist; to bless”), 宥 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “to pardon; magnanimous”) are exoactive derivations of 右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ) (ibid.).
; “(politics) right-wing”

liushu

OC *ɢʷɯʔ, *ɢʷɯs

och-l

右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ)

右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ)

右美沙芬


合

Sino-Xenic (合):
* → Vietnamese: hợp (合)

Burmese language
Proto-Sino-Tibetan language

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 亼 + 口 (“mouth”) : Two mouths speaking together. See also 會.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *gap ~ kap. Compare 蓋 (OC *kaːbs, *kaːb, *ɡaːb, “to cover”) and 盍 (OC *ɡaːb, “to unite”) (STEDT). Outside of Sinitic, possibly cognate with Burmese ကပ် (kap, “to approach”).


味

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (味):
* → Japanese: 味(み) (mi)
* → Korean: 미(味) (mi)
* → Vietnamese: vị (味)

desc

→ Proto-Hmong-Mien: *hmeiᴴ (“taste; to try”)

→ Vietnamese: mùi (“smell”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *mɯds): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 未 (OC *mɯds).
Schuessler (2007) compared this word with Proto-Monic *[ʔ]məp (“good tasting, have a pleasant flavour, be pleasant”) > Mon မိပ် (mìp, “to be happy, to enjoy”). Unger (1992) connects this with Tibetan བྲོད (brod) (< བྲོ (bro, “to taste”)). Also compare Korean 맛 (mat, “taste”), 멋 (meot, “taste; charm”).


嘟

→ Hong Kong English: doot


嘶

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

Han compound

Tiān shuāng hé bái yè xīng xī, yī yàn shēng sī héchù guī.

天霜河白夜星稀，一雁聲嘶何處歸。

天霜河白夜星稀，一雁声嘶何处归。

(of birds; insects) mournful murmur; whimpering


噁

(chemistry) Used in transcription.: ox(y)-


器

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (器):
* → Japanese: 器(き) (ki)
* → Korean: 기(器) (gi)

desc

Korean: 그릇 (geureut, “receptacle; bowl; capacity; tolerance”) (Pan, 2006)

Uncertain.
The classical interpretation is an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): a 犬 (“dog”) guarding four 口 (“vessels”).
It might also be a phonetically borrowed character, originally meaning “to bark” (Compare 狺).
Another theory states the character is derived from 喪 (“mourning”). (Compare 噩, 哭 , 咢). Borrowed not for sound but as an ideogram (指事) referring to a funerary urn.

器官


地

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (地):
* → Japanese: 地(じ) (ji); 地(ち) (chi)
* → Korean: 지(地) (ji)
* → Vietnamese: địa (地)

→ Proto-Tai: *diːᴮ

Ahom: 𑜄𑜣 (tī)

Lao: ທີ່ (thī)

Lü: ᦑᦲᧈ (tii¹)

Northern Thai: ᨴᩦ᩵

Shan: တီႈ (tīi)

Thai: ที่ (tîi)

Zhuang: dih

Characters in the same phonetic series (也) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'els): semantic 土 (“earth”) + phonetic 也 (OC *laːlʔ).
Compare Tibetan གཞི (gzhi, “ground”), Burmese မ္လိယ် (ma.liy) (whence Burmese မြေ (mre, “earth; ground”)) (Hill, 2019). From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mV-lej.

Han compound

坔
埅
埊
𡍑
𨹛
𨻐
墬
𡏇
𠏂
𡑸
𡒿
𡒴
𡒰
𡓬
嶳
𪒉
𤅴
哋

叫天天不應，叫地地不靈 / 叫天天不应，叫地地不灵

jiào tiān tiān bù yìng, jiào dì dì bù líng

浮地

2023, “计算机抽象及相关技术” (chapter 1), in 王党辉, 安建峰, 张萌, 王继禾, transl., 计算机组成与设计：硬件/软件接口MIPS版（原书第6版）, translation of Computer Organization and Design: The Hardware/Software Interface, MIPS Edition, Sixth Edition by David A. Patterson, John L. Hennessy (in English), →ISBN, 功耗墙 (section 7), page 30:

Modern microprocessors use hundreds of pins just for power and ground! Similarly, multiple levels of chip interconnect are used solely for power and ground distribution to portions of the chip.

Xiàndài wēichùlǐqì tōngcháng shǐyòng jǐ bǎi ge guǎnjiǎo zuòwèi diànyuán hé dì! Tóngyàng, xīnpiàn de duō ge hùlián céngjí jǐnjǐn shì wèile jiějué xīnpiàn de diànyuán hé dì de fēnbù bǐlì wèntí.

現代微處理器通常使用幾百個管腳作為電源和地！同樣，芯片的多個互連層級僅僅是為了解決芯片的電源和地的分佈比例問題。

现代微处理器通常使用几百个管脚作为电源和地！同样，芯片的多个互连层级仅仅是为了解决芯片的电源和地的分布比例问题。


垣

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɢʷan): semantic 土 (“earth”) + phonetic 亘 (xuān).
Borrowed from Tocharian B wänt-, Tocharian A wänt- (“to envelop, to surround”).


域

Characters in the same phonetic series (或) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɢʷrɯɡ): semantic 土 + phonetic 或 (OC *ɡʷɯːɡ).
國 (OC *kʷɯːɡ, “state”) is the k-prefix derivation of 域 (OC *ɢʷrɯɡ, “territory”) (Schuessler, 2007). See 國 for more.

Han compound

域名


埤

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *be): semantic 土 (“dirt”) + phonetic 卑 (OC *pe)

Han compound

埤頭

埤头

(geography) water reservoir used in irrigation


基

Characters in the same phonetic series (其) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kɯ): phonetic 其 (OC *kɯ, *ɡɯ) + semantic 土 (“earth”) – a foundation of earth.

Han compound

𡉊
𡉨
𡉝
𡋵
踑
𨄎
㚻
gay


堆

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tuːl): semantic 土 + phonetic 隹 (OC *tjul).
Schuessler (2007) takes its first appearance in Chu Ci as suggestive of foreign origin. Possibly related to:
* Proto-Tai *C̥.doːjᴬ (“mountain”) (whence Thai ดอย (dɔɔi), Saek [script needed] (rɔ:jᴬ¹), Zhuang ndoi)
* Proto-Hmong-Mien *glaɨᴰ (“mountain”), or
* Austroasiatic, e.g. Middle Mon [script needed] (duiw, “hill, hilltop”)
Possibly connected with 屯 (OC *duːn).

cog

堆分配


場

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'aŋ): semantic 土 (“earth”) + phonetic 昜 (OC *laŋ).
Etymology not certain; perhaps related to Tibetan ར་བ (ra ba, “enclosure; fence; wall; yard”) and 宁 (OC *da, *daʔ, “space between the door and the entrance screen”) (Schuessler, 2007).

och-l

磁場

磁场

(physics) field (region affected by a particular force)


壁

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (壁):
* → Japanese: 壁(へき) (heki)
* → Korean: 벽(壁) (byeok)

→ Vietnamese: vách (“wall”)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *peːɡ): semantic 土 (“earth”) + phonetic 辟 (OC *peɡ, *pʰeɡ, *beɡ) – an earthen wall.
Possibly borrowed from Proto-Tocharian *pəkənte (“hindering, obstacle”).

bor+

(astronomy) (～宿) Wall (Chinese constellation)


壓

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *qreːb): phonetic 厭 (OC *qemʔ, *qems, *qeb) + semantic 土 (“dust”).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *krap (“to beat, thrash, winnow”), which is distantly related (via an allofam) to Burmese ယပ် (yap, “fan”), and more directly to the following Sinitic words (STEDT):
* 躐 (OC *rab, “to tread, trample”)
* 押 (OC *kraːb, *qraːb, “to seal, stamp”)
* 臿 (OC *sʰreːb, “pestle; to husk grain with a mortar and pestle”)

och-l

加壓

加压

血壓

血压

電壓

电压


女

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (女):
* → Japanese: 女(じょ) (jo)
* → Korean: 여(女) (yeo)
* → Vietnamese: nữ (女)

Pictogram (象形): a woman with breasts kneeling or standing. In modern form turned on left side: enclosed area is remnant of left breast (character's left, depicted woman's right), while right breast has disappeared.
Graphically cognate to 母 (mǔ, “mother”) and 毋, which has developed similarly, but also includes dots for nipples and has retained both breasts. Compare Egyptian 𓁐.
Similar but unrelated to 卩, in which the person kneeling has unspecified gender.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *naq (“woman”). Compare Tibetan ཉག་མོ (nyag mo, “woman”) (Hill, 2019).
Pronunciation 2 is an exoactive derivation of pronunciation 1 (Schuessler, 2007).

GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified)

(astronomy) the Girl (a Chinese constellation near Aquarius, 10th of the Twenty-Eight Mansions and part of the Black Turtle)


婁

Originally phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡ·roː, *ɡ·ro): semantic 爪 (“hands”) + phonetic 角 (OC *kroːɡ, *ɡ·roːɡ) + semantic 女 (“woman”). Meaning uncertain.
Later ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 母 (“mother”) + 中 + 女 (“daughter”).

Han compound

娄
𡞔
𡝨
𡝤
𡡋
𡡼
𡜰
𡇔
𣫻

(Chinese astronomy) the constellation Lóu, one of the twenty-eight lunar mansions


子

Characters in the same phonetic series (子) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形) – an image of a baby, with a large head and spread arms. The legs are wrapped in a blanket. Compare with 了, where the arms are wrapped, and 㜽, in which a lock of hair is visible on top. Compare also 棄 and 毓, in which the image of the baby is reversed upside-down.
The big seal script form is much more elaborate, showing a baby with hair on a head (囟) and arms on the two sides of the body, sitting on a stool (几).
See also the right component of 保.
;child
:From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tsa ~ za (“child, offspring, relatives; to come forth (as child at birth); to love; loving”).
:Cognate with 字 (OC *zlɯs, “character; letter”), 慈 (OC *zɯ, “loving; kind”), 滋 (OC *ʔsɯ, “to grow, to breed, to propagate, to bring about, to increase”), 孳 (OC *ʔsɯ, *zɯs, “to breed, to propagate”).
;first earthly branch
:In oracle bone and Western Zhou bronze inscriptions, 子 had been the sixth earthly branch which later supplanted the original first earthly branch, one of whose written forms – 𢀇 – survives in Shuo Wen (Matsumaru, 2015).
:Smith (2011) proposes the first earthly branch had been 甾. Observing that 甾 is closely linked with 緇 (“dark, stained”), 淄 (“murky (water)”), 菑 (zī, “field cleared by burning”) (all pronounced *tsrə), he proposes that initially the first earthly branch 甾 (OC *ts[r]əʔ) had meant "darkened, voided, the darkened stage" and had denoted the new moon phase (ibid.). Meanwhile, 子 (OC tsəʔ) had originated from a Sino-Tibetan root meaning "to come forth" and had denoted the moon's "coming forth" stage (i.e. early waning-gibbous phase) (ibid.).
:Sometime in Warring States period, a change occured that 子 became the first earthly branch and 巳 (OC *s-ləʔ) filled the void of the sixth earthly branch (Matsumaru, 2015), "due to phonological closeness (combined with the semantic opacity of the Branch terms at later eras)" (Smith, 2011).
:Association with the rat was possibly arbitrary, analogous to how 辰, the fifth earthly branch, was arbitrarily associated with the dragon (Ferlus, 2013).

och-l

㜽
𡿹
𡐫
𣕓
𰱤
𢀇
𢀈
𠙭
𢀉


字

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (字):
* → Japanese: 字(じ) (ji)
* → Korean: 자(字) (ja)
* → Vietnamese: tự (字)

→ Proto-Tai: *ɟɤ:ᴮ (“name”)

Lao: ຊື່ (sư̄, “name”)

Thai: ชื่อ (chʉ̂ʉ, “name”)

Zhuang: coh (“name”)

desc

→ Vietnamese: chữ (“script; letter; writing; word”), chửa (“to be pregnant”)

Characters in the same phonetic series (子) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *zlɯs): semantic 宀 (“roof”) + phonetic 子 (OC *ʔslɯʔ, “child”).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tsa ~ za (“child; to give birth; to take care; to be kind”). Related to:
* 子 (OC *ʔslɯʔ, “child, son”) (also its phonetic component)
* 慈 (OC *zɯ, “to be kind, loving”)
* 滋 (OC *ʔsɯ, “to nourish, to grow”)
* 詞 (OC *ljɯ, “word, term”)
* 辭 (OC *ljɯ, “word, from testimony”)
Original sense (1): “to become pregnant, to give birth to, to nurture, to love” has essentially become obsolete. The sense (2) “letter, character” is either from a different root or a derivation from the sense “to produce, to generate”.
Cognate with Tibetan ཚ་བོ (tsha bo, “nephew”), Tibetan ཚ་རུས (tsha rus, “descendant”), Tibetan བཙའ (btsa', “to give birth to; to guard”), Tibetan མཛའ (mdza', “kind, peaceful, friendly”) (Quan, 1996), Burmese စာ (ca, “writing, letter”).


安

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (安):
* → Japanese: 安(あん) (an)
* → Korean: 안(安) (an)
* → Vietnamese: an (安)

Characters in the same phonetic series (安) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 宀 (“house”) + 女 (“a kneeling woman”) – to be at ease, to be safe.
; calm; peaceful
: Cognate with 按 (OC *qaːns, “to push down with hand”), an exoactive derivative, literally “to cause to be settled; calmed” (ibid.).
: Starostin reconstructs Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ʔɨāɫ (“rest”), comparing it to Mizo âwl (“to rest”) (and also noting Dhimal [script needed] (el-ka, “good”)). STEDT, however, traces the Mizo word to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-grwal ~ *ʔwal (“finish, loose, relax”) and did not list 安 (OC *qaːn) among its comparanda: namely 完 (OC *ɦŋoːn), 緩 (OC *ɢʷaːnʔ), 諼 (OC *qʰʷan, *qʰʷanʔ), 援 (OC *ɢʷans, *ɢʷan).
; where; how

cog

(physics) short for 安培 (ānpéi, “ampere”)


宏

(Mainland China, computing) macro (comparatively human-friendly abbreviation of complex input to a computer program)


宙

(Mainland China, geology) eon (geochronologic unit)


室

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *hliɡ): semantic 宀 (“roof”) + phonetic 至 (OC *tjiɡs). Its original meaning is "house, residence". The arrows also indicates that a residence is a place or spot in which somebody stops, like an arrow stuck on the ground, hence the phonetic component also adds part of the meaning. Hence, in accordance to this interpretation, the character can be understood as "a ⼧ roof over ⾄ this exact spot".
The character's modern meaning is "to arrive". Hence, according to 說文 Shuowen, it is analyzed as a 會意 semantic assembly, as he says "至所止 arrive at a specific place" symbolized by the roof.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k-li(s). Cognate to Tibetan གཞིས (gzhis) < གལྱི (glyi, “ground, foundation, cause; residence, abode”), ས་གཞི (sa gzhi, “earth (opposite to sky)”), གཞིས (gzhis, “native place”), ཡུལ་གཞིས (yul gzhis, “house, estate, property”), གཞིས་སྒྲིལ་བ (gzhis sgril ba, “to move, to change one's abode”). Also cognate to Proto-Tibeto-Burman *mliy, from which Burmese မြေ (mre, “earth, soil”) is derived.

Han compound

(astronomy) Encampment (a Chinese constellation near Pegasus)


宿

In the oracle bone script, an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 人 (“person”) + 𰴿 (“bamboo mat”) – a person resting on a mat. Sometimes a house (宀) was added.
Later the pictogram of the bamboo mat became 㐁 or 𠀬, and eventually came to be written 百.
Contrast 寒.
; “To stay overnight; lodge > night; mansion of the zodiac [i.e. the Sun's lodging stations]”

(archaic, Chinese astronomy) constellation; “mansion” of the zodiac


屏

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *peŋ, *peŋʔ, *beːŋ): semantic 尸 + phonetic 并 (OC *peŋ, *peŋs)

Han compound

黑屏


屬

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *tjoɡ, *djoɡ): semantic 㞑 (“tail”) + phonetic 蜀 (OC *djoɡ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-dz(y)u-k (“to belong, trust, depend, accept, take”). Cognate with Burmese ယူ (yu, “to take”) (STEDT).


岬

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


左

Originally written 𠂇 and 䶹 in the oracle bone script: Pictogram (象形) – a left hand. Compare 又 (“right hand”).
Late bronze inscription forms show an added 工 (“work; to assist?”) component, making the current form a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ʔsaːlʔ, *ʔsaːls) and ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): phonetic 𠂇 (“left hand”) + semantic 工 (“work”), representing the original form of 佐 (OC *ʔsaːls, “to assist”).
Cognate with 佐 (OC *ʔsaːls, “to assist”) (< be on one's left side); mirror of the semantic relationship between 右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ, “right”) and 佑 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “to assist”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Unrelated to Proto-Tibeto-Burman *b(w)aj (“left (hand)”) (STEDT).
; “(politics) left-wing”

ncog

左多巴


巰

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

Blend of 氫 /氢 (qīng, “hydrogen”) + 硫 (liú, “sulfur”)


巴

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (巴):
* → Japanese: 巴(は) (Ha)
* → Korean: 파(巴) (Pa)
* → Vietnamese: Ba (巴)

Pictogram (象形) — a huge snake. However, in 邑 and 色 (both Kangxi radicals) it represents a person kneeling.
; "huge snake"
; "bar"

Used in transcription.
(physics) bar (unit of pressure)

Used in transcription.
bar (unit of pressure)


幀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *rtɯːŋs): semantic 巾 + phonetic 貞 (OC *teŋ).

Han compound

掉幀

掉帧

(computing) frame, fps (frame per second)


度

Originally an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 石 (“rock”) + 又 (“hand”) — hand measuring a piece of rock. Also a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声), with 石 (OC *djaɡ) as a phonetic component. 石 is then corrupted into ⿸广廿.
Shuowen considers it to be a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *daːɡs, *daːɡ): phonetic 庶 (OC *hljaɡs) + semantic 又.
Compare 庶 (OC *hljaɡs) and 席 (OC *ljaːɡ).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-twa (“handspan”). Cognate with Tibetan མཐོ (mtho, “span; span of thumb and middle finger”), Burmese ထွာ (htwa, “to measure by a handspan; a quarter yard”), အထွာ (a.htwa, “handspan; quarter yard”), တွက် (twak, “to consider, to reckon; to calculate; to refuse to do things because others would not”), အတွက် (a.twak, “calculation; because of; for the sake of”). It is unclear whether Proto-Mon-Khmer *cɗaʔ (“span; handspan”) (whence Mon ဍ (daˀ, “to measure by spans of thumb and middle finger”)) is related. Related to 圖 (OC *daː, “to plan; to consider; plan; map”).

och-l

Classifier for degrees.
(physics) Classifier for kilowatt-hour.

Classifier for degrees.
Classifier for kilowatt-hour.


庫

→ Mongolian: хүү (xüü)

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰaːs): semantic 广 (“building”) + phonetic 車 (OC *kʰlja, *kla, “carriage”) – a carriage in a building.
According to Karlgren (1956), cognate with 車 (OC *kʰlja, *kla, “carriage”) (< "storehouse for carriages").

Han compound

(physics) short for 庫侖／库仑 (kùlún, “coulomb (unit of electrical charge)”)


式

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *hljɯɡ): phonetic 弋 (OC *lɯɡ) + semantic 工 (“work”).

Han compound

(mathematics, chemistry) formula (Classifier: 條／条 c)


張

desc

→ English: Chang, Zhang, Cheung, Cheong, Chong, Teo, Teoh

→ Tagalog: Chang, Tiu, Tiong

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *taŋ, *taŋs): semantic 弓 (“bow”) + phonetic 長 (OC *taŋʔ, *daŋ, *daŋs).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/m/b-raŋ (“strong; firm; tense”) or Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(d/t)aŋ (“tense; tight”), the latter which appears to be preferred based on more current research (Hill, 2019, p. 224); compare Tibetan ཐང་པོ (thang po, “tense; tight; firm”), Burmese တင်း (tang:, “to tighten; to be tight”).
Pronunciation 2 is the exopassive of pronunciation 1, literally “to be stretched” (Schuessler, 2007).

cog

Twenty-Eight Mansions
w:Twenty-Eight Mansions

(Chinese astronomy) Extended Net (one of Twenty-Eight Mansions)


或

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (或):
* → Vietnamese: hoặc (或)

Characters in the same phonetic series (或) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 戈 (“dagger-axe (used to defend the territory)”) + 囗 (“city wall”) + 一, “territory”. The most ancient version is 戓, then modified into 或; the stroke was added perhaps when the pronunciation of the character evolved.
Borrowed for abstract meanings. The derivative 國 (OC *kʷɯːɡ), 域 (OC *ɢʷrɯɡ), and perhaps 淢 refer to the original word. The last character can be seen in the ancient name of the Han river, 㵄.
或 (OC *ɡʷɯːɡ, “someone; some”) is the result of the distributive suffix *-k being added to 有 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ, “there is”).
Cognate with 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “again”) (Schuessler, 2007).


打

desc

→ Korean: 치다 (chida, “to call (on the telephone)”) (semantic loan)

→ Zhuang: daj

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *rteŋʔ, *teːŋʔ): semantic 扌 (“hand”) + phonetic 丁 (OC *rteːŋ, *teːŋ).
This post-classical word (its earliest extant attestation is in Shuowen) was pronounced *teŋ in Late Old Chinese, as would be expected from a 丁 phonetic. By the early Ming period, the character had been borrowed (訓讀／训读) for another word with the same meaning but a different pronunciation, without the nasal ending. This may be related to the previous reading, as a dialectal variant. In Mandarin and some other varieties, the new reading became standard; however, derivations of the older pronunciation are still used in other varieties such as Wu and Min Nan, as well as Vietnamese (đánh).
It has been compared to Mizo dêng (“to throw; to fling; to hammer”) and proposed to be from Sino-Tibetan (Schuessler, 2007). Also compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *dah ~ daʔ (“to hit, to meet”), whence Mon ဒး (tɛ̀h, “to hit (a mark), meet with, reach [goal], be correct, apposite, to fit”) and Khmer ទះ (tĕəh, “to slap, to strike”).
The pronunciation da is recorded in 六書故 as 都假切.

cog

to hit (a mark), meet with, reach 􂀿goal􂁀, be correct, apposite, to fit

「o的」字點打？

「o的」字点打？

Used as a dummy verb to make a verbal phrase from a noun, including but not limited to:


拍

/pʰaːk̚³⁻³⁵/

/pʰaːk̚³⁻³⁵/

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

仙人拍鼓有時錯，跤步踏差啥人無 / 仙人拍鼓有时错，跤步踏差啥人无

sian-jîn phah kó͘ iú sî chhò, kha-pō͘ ta̍h-chha siáⁿ-lâng bô


拜

Originally 𢱭. Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 扌 (“hand”) + 𠦪 (“herbs”), a hand holding herbs as a gift. 𣬓 and 𢫶 are variant forms showing the hands at the bottom.
; "to bow"
; "byte"
; "bye"
; "day of the week"

拝
𢷎
𢳎
𢴽
𢰛
𡴬
𢱭
𣬓
𣬊
𢫶


掃

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) – a 手 (“hand”) with a 帚 (“broomstick”).


掣

control掣 [Cantonese] ― control zai³ [Jyutping] ― control key

(Cantonese) button; push-button; switch; component for controlling device (Classifier: 粒 c; 個／个 c)

(Cantonese, computing) key (on a keyboard); button (on a video game controller) (Classifier: 粒 c; 個／个 c)

交叉掣 [Cantonese] ― kaau¹ caa¹ zai³ [Jyutping] ― close button

graphical user interface
graphical user interface

(Cantonese, graphical user interface) button (Classifier: 粒 c; 個／个 c)


摩

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (摩):
* → Japanese: 摩(ま) (ma)
* → Korean: 마(摩) (ma)
* → Vietnamese: ma (摩)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *maːl, *maːls): phonetic 麻 (OC *mraːl) + semantic 手 (“hand”).

Han compound

(chemistry) short for 摩爾／摩尔 (mó'ěr, “mole”)


新

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

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (新):
* → Japanese: 新(しん) (shin)
* → Korean: 신(新) (sin)
* → Vietnamese: tân (新)

→ Thai: ซิง (sing)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *siŋ): phonetic 亲 (OC *siŋ, “hazelnut tree”) + semantic 斤 (“axe”) – to cut down a tree with an axe (hence starting something new). In this character, 亲 is the stylized form of 𣓀, a chisel over a tree to indicate the hazelnut tree or the hazelnut branch, that could be used as a whip.
Also ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意). Original form of 薪 (OC *siŋ, “firewood”).
Sino-Tibetan; cognate with Burmese သစ် (sac, “new”). Compare the cognacy between 薪 (OC *siŋ, “firewood”) and Burmese သစ် (sac, “wood; timber”).
This word may belong to the Sino-Tibetan stem Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sreŋ (“alive, fresh, green”) and may hence be related to 青 (OC *sʰleːŋ, “green”) as well as 薪 (OC *siŋ, “firewood”) (Schuessler, 2007).

inh

新戊烷


暈

Originally a pictogram (象形) – the sun (日) surrounded by lines on all sides – halo.
Now phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɢuns): semantic 日 (“Sun”) + phonetic 軍 (OC *kun).
Same word as 運 (OC *ɢuns, “to revolve; to move”) (Schuessler, 2007). See there for more.

Han compound

日暈

日晕

(astronomy) halo (around the Sun or the Moon)


朊

Newly coined character. Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic ⺼ (“flesh”) + phonetic 元 (OC *ŋon, “original; first”).
Modelled after the etymology of English "protein": from Ancient Greek πρῶτος (prôtos, “first”) ― cf. 元 (yuán, “original, first”), which also acted as the phonetic component of the character.
The choice of this character for the sense of "prion" is primarily due to the nature of prions as proteins, but might also have been influenced by the pronunciation of the word prion.


望

→ Thai: มอง (mɔɔng, “watch, look”)

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

Han compound

朢
𣈂
𦣠
𥩿
𣍢
𥪛
𢾘
𭱗

朔望月

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

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

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

壬戌之秋，七月既望，蘇子與客泛舟遊於赤壁之下。

壬戌之秋，七月既望，苏子与客泛舟游于赤壁之下。

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


期

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

Han compound

朞
𣍡
𣍣
𣍠
㫷
𣇳
𣅆
稘
其
𠔸
𡢁
𥟝
𣔔
𦝁


核

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡuːd, *ɡrɯːɡ): semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 亥 (OC *ɡɯːʔ) – a kind of tree. Modern meanings are borrowed.
The definitions related to “to examine” come from the “kernel” sense, i.e. “to go to the core” (Schuessler, 2007).
Generally thought to be of Sino-Tibetan origin. It has been compared to Tibetan རག་ཙེ (rag tse), Karbi rak (Gong, 2002; Schuessler, 2007). However, Hill (2012) rejects the connection to the Tibetan word because most words ending with ཙེ (tse) are loanwords from Chinese words ending with the 子 suffix.
Smith (2011) groups this word with the following terms into a word family meaning “root, germ, generative core”:
* 荄 (OC *kɯː, “grassroot”) and its derivative 根 (OC *kɯːn, “root”),
* 骸 (OC *ɡrɯː, “(human) bones”) (also noted by Schuessler, 2007),
* 孩 (OC *ɡɯː, “child”),
* 亥 (OC *ɡɯːʔ, “sprouting stage”), i.e. "the moon’s first appearance" > "twelfth earthly branch".

Han compound

See also: 核心

4核


根

Monic languages
redundancy (linguistics)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kɯːn): semantic 木 + phonetic 艮 (OC *kɯːns).
Possibly of Austroasiatic origin (Schuessler, 2007). Compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *(d)kər (“tree, plant”) (whence Proto-Vietic *kəl > Vietnamese cây, Muong câl), *d₂gəl ~ d₂g(əə)l (“trunk; stump”) (whence Khmer គល់ (kŭəl, “stump; floating log”), Proto-Monic *t(l)gəl (“stump”)).
Alternatively, Smith (2011) proposes a derivation from 荄 (OC *kɯː, “grassroot”) with redundant nominalizing suffix *-n. See 荄 for more.

Han compound

樹根

树根

根目錄

根目录

根分區

根分区


棣

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'ɯːds): semantic 木 (“wood; tree”) + phonetic 隶 (OC *lɯds)


棧

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *zreːnʔ, *zraːns, *zrenʔ): semantic 木 (“wood”) + phonetic 戔 (OC *zlaːn).


極

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

inh

北極

北极

陰極

阴极


正

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

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

och-l

正極

正极


母

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

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

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


氖

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


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.


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.


氠

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 气 (“gas”) + phonetic 申.
Borrowed from English xenon. Obsoleted, as it is homophonous to 砷 (shēn, “arsenic”).


氡

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


氣

CJKV/code

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

→ English: chi, qi, ki

→ Finnish: ki

/t͡ɕʰiə̯ɻ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕʰiə̯ɻ⁵¹/

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

Han compound

气
气
炁
𣱛
𣱖
𤽍
𣅠
㫓
*暣
気

出去透透氣！

出去透透气！


氥

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 气 (“gas”) + phonetic 西.
Borrowed from English xenon. Obsoleted, as it is homophonous to 硒 (xī, “selenium”).


氦

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


氧

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声) and ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): semantic 气 (“gas”) + abbreviated phonetic 養 (yǎng, “to nourish”).
From 養／养 (yǎng, “to nourish”) in 養氣／养气 [19th c.], referring to oxygen's role in sustaining life. Derivative: 𨦡／𰽽 (yáng, “oxonium”).


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”).


氫

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声) and ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): semantic 气 (“air; gas”) + abbreviated phonetic 輕 (qīng, “light; of low density”).
From 輕／轻 (qīng, “light; of low density”) in 輕氣／轻气 [19th c.]. So named as hydrogen gas is lighter than air.


氮

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声) and ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): semantic 气 (“gas”) + abbreviated phonetic 淡 (dàn, “dilute”).
From 淡 (dàn, “dilute”) in 淡氣／淡气 [19th c.], referring to nitrogen diluting oxygen in the air.


氯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 气 (“gas”) + phonetic 彔. 彔 is also a reduced form of 綠 (“green”), serving as a semantic component.
From 綠氣／绿气 (“green gas”) in the 19th century, which is a calque of English chlorine, referring to the colour of chlorine gas.


氰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声) and ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): semantic 气 + phonetic 青 (qīng).
From 青 (qīng), influenced by cyanogen.


汞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡoːŋʔ): phonetic 工 (OC *koːŋ) + semantic 水 (“water”)


池

Characters in the same phonetic series (也) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'aːl, *l'al): semantic 氵 + phonetic 也 (OC *laːlʔ).
Perhaps a Sino-Tibetan word; compare Proto-Kuki-Chin *lii (“pool; lake; pond”), whence Mizo li (“quiet, deep pool”) (STEDT).

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


波

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *paːl): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 皮 (OC *bral, “surface”).
; “wave; undulation”
: STEDT and Starostin derive it from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r/m-ba (“wave; ripple”). Cognate with Tibetan རྦ (rba), དབའ (dba', “wave”).
: Schuessler (2007) notes a mismatch of the vowels in the above comparanda, and instead posits a root *paj (“slanted; not level”), also subsuming 陂 (OC *pral, “slope; slanting”).
: Wang (1982) relates it to 播 (OC *paːls, “to winnow”), 簸 (OC *paːlʔ, *paːls, “to winnow”).

inh

聲波

声波

微波


流

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ru): semantic 水 (“water”) + phonetic 㐬.
Cognate with Tibetan རྒྱུ་ (rgyu, “to move, to go, to wander”) (Hill, 2019).

cog

汖
㳅
𡵰
𣳛
𭰈
𣴑
𣹭
𣹳
𣻤
⿰氵巟
⿰氵𡿮
⿰𣴑水
⿲水𡿮水
⿲氺⿱一𠫝水
⿰氵⿱厶⿲丿丨㇏

氣流／气流

電流／电流

(of water, electricity, other fluids) current; flow; stream

(physics) short for 流明 (liúmíng, “lumen”)


減

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *krɯːmʔ, *ɡrɯːmʔ): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 咸 (OC *ɡrɯːm, “seal”) - to seal off a stream of water, decreasing its flow. 咸 is the original character of 緘 /缄 and also serves as a semantic component.
Schuessler (2007) adduces no potential cognates and leaves the origin open. That said, note strong similarities to Proto-Tibeto-Burman *s-grum (“contracted, stunted, dwarfish”), whence Burmese ကျုံ့ (kyum., “to shrink, contract”).

cog

减
减
减
噉
咁
𡄎
緊
减


灣

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *qroːn): semantic 氵 (“water”) + phonetic 彎 (OC *qroːn) – a type of water.
Cognate with 彎 (OC *qroːn, “bend; curve”) (Wang, 1982).


link

(Hong Kong Cantonese, computing) hyperlink (Classifier: 條／条 c)


link

(Hong Kong Cantonese, computing) to link; to add a hyperlink


烯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 希, the latter being derived from 稀 (xī, “rare”) of which it is the phonetic element. This is coined in light of the observed lack of hydrogens (as compared to alkanes) in alkenes and the fact that alkenes are flammable.
Compare 烷 (wán, “alkane”), 炔 (quē, “alkyne”).


烴

Blend of 碳 (tàn, “carbon”) + 氫 /氢 (qīng, “hydrogen”)


烷

From 完 (wán, “full; complete”), referring to the saturation of the carbons in alkanes. Compare 烯 (xī) and 炔 (quē).


焓

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 火 (“fire”) + phonetic 含 (hán, “to contain inside”).


焦

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

(physics) short for 焦耳 (jiāo'ěr, “joule (energy unit)”)


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


燒

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

Han compound

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


牛

Wutunhua: nek

/n̠ʲi̯əu̯¹³/

/n̠ʲi̯əu̯¹³/

Pictogram (象形) of a bull's head.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ŋwa.
;"awesome"

傲人

nowadays especially of breasts, body curve

細漢偷挽匏，大漢偷牽牛 / 细汉偷挽匏，大汉偷牵牛

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

(physics) short for 牛頓／牛顿 (niúdùn, “newton”)

(Hong Kong Cantonese, computing) short for 火牛 (“transformer”) (Classifier: 隻／只 c)


珞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡ·raːɡ): semantic 王 (“jade”) + phonetic 各 (OC *klaːɡ).

Han compound

(Wuhan Mandarin, geography) Mount Luojia


珥

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *njɯs): semantic 玉 (“jade”) + phonetic 耳 (OC *njɯʔ).
Departing tone (去聲) derivative from 耳 (OC *njɯʔ, “ear”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

(literary, astronomy) halo (of the sun or the moon)


球

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (球):
* → Japanese: 球(きゅう) (kyū)
* → Korean: 구(球) (gu)
* → Vietnamese: cầu (球)

→ Zhuang: giuz

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɤʊ̯ɻʷ³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯əu̯¹³/

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɤʊ̯ɻʷ³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯əu̯¹³/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡu): semantic 玉 (“jade”) + phonetic 求 (OC *ɡu).
"Ball", earlier some "kind of jade". Bodman (1980) relates this to Wuming Zhuang klauᴬ² (“ball”), and relates 俅 (qiú, “gem-adorned”) to Tibetan གྲུ (gru, “lustre of gems”). This character had a softened initial in Proto-Min.
Originally written as 毬 (since Tang dynasty) when referring to a ball. The form 球 (since Qing dynasty) is now more common.

Han compound

(botany) short for 仙人球 (xiānrénqiú, “ball-shaped cactus”)


環

CJKV/code

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

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

cog

苯環

苯环

雜環

杂环

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


甙

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): abbreviated 代 (“substitute”) + 甘 (“sweet”).


甩

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

cog

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


甲

→ Thai: กาบ (gàap)

→ Zhuang: gyap

→ Old Turkic: qap

→ Kazakh: қап (qap)

Characters in the same phonetic series (甲) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形): a turtle shell. In the character 卑 it represents a fan held in hand.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *krap (“shell; shield”). Cognate with Tibetan ཁྲབ (khrab, “coat of mail; shield”). Perhaps related to 鞈 (OC *kuːb, *kruːb, “leather jerkin or cuirass”) (Schuessler, 2007).

och-l

𠇚
𡴌
𤰒
鉀
𢓜
徦
到
仔:á


異

Ideogram (指事) – a man with a mask (田) over his face. Possible interpretations:
* Strange, bizarre — "uncommon".
* Different face — "different".
Compare 鬼 (“demon”), where the 田 also derives from a face or a mask. Compare also 禺, in which the top component represents either a mask or a monkey's face.
Alternatively, may be a pictogram (象形) of a person carrying something on his head, the original form of 戴 (“to carry on the head”).
Modern form is graphically 田 + 共, though this is not the etymology.

(chemistry) iso- (forms terms relating to isomers)


癭

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


盤

/pʰuːn²¹⁻³⁵/

/pʰuːn²¹⁻³⁵/

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

Han compound

軟盤／软盘

網盤／网盘

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


目

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (目):
* → Japanese: 目(もく) (moku)
* → Korean: 목(目) (mok)
* → Vietnamese: mục (目)

Pictogram (象形) – human eye, now rotated 90 degrees. Compare the Egyptian hieroglyph 𓁹.
See also 直, 真, 見, 頁, 夏, 面, 臣 and the earlier versions of 要. The eye is not rotated in the character 𢛳, 曼, 睪, and 眔 (used in 褱).
Sometimes it depicts a web (网) through its variant 罒, e.g., 買, 罵, 罪, 詈 (used in 罰) and 羅 (> 罗). Unrelated to 鼎 and 貝.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-mjak ~ s-mik. Cognate with Tibetan མིག (mig, “eye”), Burmese မျက် (myak, “eye, face”).


相

/ɬiaŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

/ɬiaŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

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

cog

相空間

相空间

相位

月相


矢

Pictogram (象形) – an arrow. More recognizable in older forms. Compare 畀 and 至. See also the bottom component of 睪 and the original versions of 弗 and 𢦏.
; arrow
; to swear, to vow

The way to Zhou was like a whetstone,
And straight as an arrow.

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

周道如砥，其直如矢。


矩

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʷaʔ): semantic 矢 + phonetic 巨 (OC *ɡaʔ). The arrow is a stylization of a man with spread arms and/or holding the carpenter's square, 大.
; “(physics) moment”

Han compound

力矩

磁矩


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


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.


砼

Coined by Chinese architect Cai Fangyin in 1953, an
ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): semantic 石 (“stone”) + semantic 仝 (“man-made”).
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).


硅

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 圭 (guī).
An orthographic borrowing from Japanese 硅(けい)素(そ) (keiso) (Wu, 2010); pronunciation from its phonetic part 圭 (guī) (ibid.), in turn from Dutch keiaarde (“silicon”). The usage of 矽 (xī) is dated in Mainland China as it is homophonous to 硒 (xī) "selenium" and 錫／锡 (xī) "tin". In Taiwan, these three words are not homophonous.
The 1932 ROC Ministry of Education's Principles of Chemical Nomenclature says

硅 is derived and developed from the Japanese name 珪素 (けいそ, keiso). Considering Si is a solid substance, we hence convert the component 王 into 石.

1932, 國立編譯館, 化學命名原則

Guī yóu rì míng guīsù zī yǎn ér chéng, yīn wéi gùtǐ, gù gǎi wáng páng wéi shí.

硅由日名珪素孳演而成，因爲固體，故改王旁爲石。

1932, 國立編譯館, 化學命名原則

硅由日名珪素孳演而成，因为固体，故改王旁为石。


硝

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sew): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 肖 (OC *slew, *slews)


硫

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


硼

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 石 (“stone”) + phonetic 朋.
Originally only used in 硼砂 (“borax”): first attested in 《丹方鑑源》 (Tang dynasty), as 大朋砂. The 硼 here is a loanword; compare Middle Persian bwlk' (bōrag).
The “boron” sense of 硼 is a clipping or back-formation.


碘

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


碟

/iap̚³²⁻³²⁵/

/iap̚³²⁻³²⁵/

From 疊 (MC dep, “stack”); not used before Yuan dynasty.

(computing) disc-based data storage device, such as a CD or a DVD (Classifier: 隻／只 c)


碲

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


碳

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 石 (“(chemical nomenclature) non-metal solid”) + 炭 (“charcoal”). Also a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声), with 炭 (tàn) as a phonetic component.
From 炭 (tàn, “charcoal”).

(ecology) carbon emissions (in the context of global warming and climate change)


碼

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *mraːʔ): semantic 石 (“stone; rock”) + phonetic 馬 (OC *mraːʔ).
Before Qing dynasty, the character was used in word 碼瑙／码瑙 (Yupian) and 碼頭／码头 (mǎtou) (Stories to Awaken the World), both originally written with 馬／马 (mǎ).
; “gambling chip”, “chip for counting” (> “number”), “classifier for things”
; “yard”
; “kilometer per hour”
; “pixelization”
; “to reply to a post for reading it later”

zh-l

碼頭／码头 (mǎtou)

源碼

源码

二維碼

二维码

亂碼

乱码


磚

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

Han compound

( of electronic devices) to become unfunctional

變磚

变砖

(computing slang, figurative) brick (an electronic device, especially a heavy box-shaped one, that has become non-functional or obsolete)


磷

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


磺

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 石 (“rock; stone”) + phonetic 黃 (OC *ɡʷaːŋ).

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese, chemistry) sulfur, brimstone


科

CJKV/code

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

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


種

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

cog

种
穜
𥡰
𥢖
𥻝
𦔉
𥠭


策

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (策):
* → Japanese: 策(さく) (saku)

/t͡sʰiɪk̚³²/

/t͡sʰiɪk̚³²/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sʰreːɡ): semantic 竹 (“bamboo”) + phonetic 朿 (OC *sʰeɡs).
;"to whip"
Etymologically the same word as 冊 (OC *sʰreːɡ), with an original meaning of "bamboo slips" (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

筞
*筴
箣
𠞁
𠞦
𠷽
𢄆
𥳯


箭

→ Vietnamese: tên

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

Han compound

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


糖

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (糖):
* → Japanese: 糖(とう) (tō)
* → Korean: 당(糖) (dang)
* → Vietnamese: đường (糖)

→ Guiqiong: d’ɐŋ

→ Macanese: tôm-tôm

/tʰɔːŋ²¹⁻³⁵/

/tʰɔːŋ²¹⁻³⁵/

zh:临城镇 (临高县)
zh:琼山区

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'aːŋ): semantic 米 (“rice”) + phonetic 唐 (OC *ɡl'aːŋ).
Original meaning was “sweet rice cake” or “sugar syrup”. Cognate with 餳 (OC *ljaːŋ).
Compare Proto-Lingao lhaŋ² ("sugar"), whence Lincheng /haŋ˧/, Qiongshan /liaŋ˩˧/.

Han compound

多糖

葡萄糖

(organic chemistry) saccharide; carbohydrate


紀

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

Han compound

寒武紀

寒武纪

侏羅紀

侏罗纪


組

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


結

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kiːd): semantic 糸 + phonetic 吉 (OC *klid).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kjit (“to tie; to bind”); cognate with Tibetan ཁྱིག (khyig, “to bind”), Burmese ကျစ် (kyac, “to twist”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).


絮

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *rnaːs, *nas, *snas, *nas): phonetic 如 (OC *nja, *njas) + semantic 糸 (“silk”).

Han compound

柳絮


綱

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *klaːŋ): semantic 糸 (“rope”) + phonetic 岡 (OC *klaːŋ).


線

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

Han compound

(Singapore, computing) network connection


緯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɢʷɯls): semantic 糸 (“thread”) + phonetic 韋 (OC *ɢʷɯl). In earlier forms of 韋, the components above and below 囗 were feet, each facing in opposite lateral directions (left and right).
(In this way, 韋 is also a semantic element representing horizontality.)

Han compound

Coordinate term: 經 /经


羧

/t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

/t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

For the organic compound, Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 羊 (“oxgyen, from 氧”) + 夋 (“acid, from 酸”).
Blend of 氧 (yǎng, “oxygen”) + 酸 (suān, “acid”) and borrowed from English carboxyl.


羰

Blend of 氧 (yǎng, “oxygen”) + 碳 (tàn, “carbon”)


翼

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (翼):
* → Japanese: 翼(よく) (yoku)
* → Korean: 익(翼) (ik)

→ Translingual: Yi

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *lɯɡ): semantic 羽 + phonetic 異 (OC *lɯɡs).
Probably from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tV-lak (“arm, hand, wing”), especially if the Old Chinese is reconstructed with *l- (Schuessler, 2007; Handel, 2009). Cognate with 腋 (OC *laːɡ, “armpit”), Tibetan ལག་པ (lag pa, “hand, arm”), Burmese လက် (lak, “hand, arm”).
However, Baxter and Sagart (2014) reconstruct the Old Chinese with *-p instead of *-k because of evidence from the oracle bones, making it difficult to compare to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lak. The shift from the original version *ɢrəp to a later version *ɢrək is due to dialectal variation.
Sagart (2020) proposes a revised Old Chinese reconstruction *m-rəp, which he compares to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s/b-ram (“rib”).

inh

(Chinese astronomy) the Wings mansion, one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions


聚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *zloʔ, *zlos): phonetic 取 (OC *sʰloːʔ, *sʰloʔ) + semantic 乑 (“three men”).
Compare Burmese စု (cu., “to accumulate”) (Luce, 1981).

Han compound

冣
𨛿
𦼈
𧅞
𣷗
𧚿
𬥁
𫮣
𦖰


肼

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic ⺼ + phonetic 井 (jǐng).
Borrowed from English hydrazine. Derivative: 𨥙 (jǐng, “hydrazinium”).

(organic chemistry) hydrazine (derivative)


肽

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic ⺼ + phonetic 太 (tài).
Borrowed from English peptide.


胍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʷaː): semantic ⺼ + phonetic 瓜 (OC *kʷraː).
Borrowed from English guanidine.


胜

(chemistry, dated) synonym of 肽 (tài, “peptide”)


胲

(organic chemistry) hydroxylamine (derivative)


胺

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *qaːd): semantic 肉 (“meat”) + phonetic 安 (OC *qaːn).
Borrowed from English amine. Related to 氨 (ān, “ammonia”) and 銨／铵 (ǎn, “ammonium”).


腋

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *laːɡ): semantic 肉 (“flesh”) + phonetic 夜 (OC *laːɡs).
Originally written 亦, see there for more.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lak ~ *C-jak (“arm; hand; wing”), either via *jak (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007) or *lak (Shi, 2000; Handel, 2009). Compare Mizo zak (“armpit”), Tibetan ལག་པ (lag pa, “arm; hand”), Burmese လက် (lak, “arm; hand”).


膜

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *maː, *maːɡ): semantic ⺼ + phonetic 莫 (OC *maːɡ).


舅

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯əu̯²¹/

/t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴⁵/

/t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi̯əu̯²¹/

/t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡuʔ): phonetic 臼 (OC *ɡuʔ) + semantic 男 (“male; man”).
Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kuʔ (“elder brother; senior male relative”); compare Tibetan ཨ་ཁུ (a khu), ཁུ་བོ (khu bo, “father's brother”), Burmese အစ်ကို (ackui, “elder brother”) (Sagart, 2017d; STEDT). Possibly related to 舊 (OC *ɡʷɯs, “old; ancient”), 昆 (OC *kuːn, “elder brother”) (Sagart, 1999; STEDT); see there for more.

inh

> - mother's elder brother; < - mother's younger brother; >< - face-to-face; <> - non-face-to-face

Koelreuteria elegans, a tree that resembles 苦楝 (kǔliàn, “Melia azedarach”)

苦楝舅

Gamochaeta purpureum, a herb that resembles 鼠麴草／鼠曲草 (“Pseudognaphalium affine”)

鼠麴舅

鼠曲舅

鼠麴草

Neonauclea reticulata, a tree that resembles 欖仁／榄仁 (“Terminalia catappa”)

欖仁舅

榄仁舅

欖仁

榄仁

(Taiwan, biology) used in species names to indicate naming after a similar species


舵

Guangyun
Mainland Southeast Asia linguistic area
Shiming

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'aːlʔ): semantic 舟 (“boat”) + phonetic 它 (OC *l̥ʰaːl).
Attested late, in Shiming as 柂 and Guangyun as 舵.
Shiming connects it to 拖 (OC *l̥ˤaj, “to drag, to pull, to haul”). Meanwhile, Schuessler (2007) considers it an areal word; compare Vietnamese lái (“to drive (a wheeled vehicle), to steer (a vessel), etc.”) and Thai ท้าย (táai, “stern; back; rear end”).


苊

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 艹 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 厄.
Borrowed from English acenaphthene.


苞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pruː): semantic 艹 + phonetic 包 (OC *pruː).
Probably from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ʔ-bu ~ *pu (“to be born; birth; bud; bloom”). See 阜 (OC *buʔ, “big mound”) for more.


苯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pɯːnʔ): semantic 艹 + phonetic 本 (OC *pɯːnʔ).
; “benzene”


苷

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kaːm): semantic 艹 + phonetic 甘 (OC *kaːm).
; “glycoside”


茂

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *mus): semantic 艸 (“grass”) + phonetic 戊 (OC *mus).
Applying this character to mean “cyclopentadiene” in organic chemistry results from the decomposition of the character as an ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 艸 (“radical for aromatic compounds”) + 戊 (“five-carbon ring”), since the conjugate base of cyclopentadiene (cyclopentadienyl anion) is aromatic.

Han compound

二茂鐵

二茂铁


茹

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *nja, *njaʔ, *njas): semantic 艹 (“grass, plants”) + phonetic 如 (OC *nja, *njas) – plant roots, part of a plant.
Schuessler (2007) proposes an Austroasiatic origin; compare Kharia [script needed] (ɲoʔ, “to eat”) and Proto-Vietic *s-nja:ʔ (“to chew, to masticate”) (> Vietnamese nhá). Schuessler (2003) also compares 茹 with Jingpho noʔ¹ 'to eat' and Proto-Mienic *ʔnəkᴰ 'to swallow'.


草

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (草):
* → Japanese: 草(そう) (sō)
* → Korean: 초(草) (cho)
* → Vietnamese: thảo (草)

Vietnamese: tháu (“scrawling”)

/t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sʰuːʔ): semantic 艹 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 早 (OC *ʔsuːʔ). Originally referred to 皂, and later borrowed for the “grass” sense, replacing 艸.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-tswa-n (“grass”); cognate with Tibetan རྩྭ (rtswa, “grass”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).
Alternatively, it may be related to 芻 (OC *sʰro, “hay”), from Austroasiatic; compare Mon ချဲ (“grass; weeds; hay”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

屮
艸
𢂉
𦯑
𦯨
𦳕
𦷣
𦳱
騲


荷

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-kal ~ *s-gal (“back (lower); kidney; load; carry”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan སྒལ་པ (sgal pa, “small of the back”), Mizo kal (“kidney”), Chepang गल् (gəl, “kidney”), Tangut 𗹼 (*khiwa¹, “kidney”), Burmese ခါး (hka:, “waist”), 可 (OC *kʰaːlʔ, “to be able to”).


莪

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

Han compound

䕏
⿱艸義*
⿱艹⿻十𢍻

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese, botany) alternative form of 菌 (jùn, “mushroom”)


莰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 艹 + phonetic 坎.
Borrowed from English camphane.


菻

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡ·rɯmʔ, *ɡ·rɯms): semantic 艸 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 林 (OC *ɡ·rɯm).

Han compound

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese, botany) artemisia


蒈

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 艹 + phonetic 皆.
Borrowed from English carane.


蔀

十九歲為一章。四章為一蔀，七十六歲。

十九岁为一章。四章为一蔀，七十六岁。

(Chinese astronomy) the cycle of 76 years (approximate common multiple for the synodic month and tropical year, similar to the Callippic cycle)


蕊

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ŋljolʔ, *ŋljulʔ): semantic 艸 + phonetic 惢 (OC *sqʰloːlʔ, *sklol, *sɡlolʔ)
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *(d/n)waj (“to hang from; to cling to; creeper”), whence Burmese နွယ် (nwai, “creeper”), Jingpho noi (“to hang”). See 垂 (OC *djol, “to hang down”), to which the word is possibly related, for more (STEDT).

inh

惢
*橤
繠
*蕋
*蘂
蘃
𣛚
𥳝
𧄜

(botany) stamen; gynoecium (reproductive organ of a flower)


藍

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (藍):
* → Japanese: 藍(らん) (ran)
* → Korean: 람(藍) (ram)
* → Vietnamese: lam (藍)

desc

→ Proto-Hmong-Mien: *ŋglam ~ ŋgram (“indigo”)

White Hmong: nkaj

→ Proto-Tai: *g.raːmᴬ (“indigo”)

Thai: คราม (kraam)

Lao: ຄາມ (khām)

Zhuang: gyaemq (“purple-red”)

→ Proto-Tai: *kromꟲ (“indigo”)

Thai: ฮ่อม (hɔ̂ɔm)

Zhuang: romj, goromj

→? Proto-Vietic: *ɟaːm (“indigo”)

Muong: chàm

Vietnamese: chàm

→ Khmer: ត្រុំ (trom)

→ Zhuang: lamz

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡ·raːm): semantic 艸 (“grass”) + phonetic 監 (OC *kraːm, *kraːms).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-ram (“indigo”); cognate with Lepcha ᰛᰤᰨᰮ (ryom), Mru [script needed] (charam), Tibetan རམས (rams, “indigo”) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007; Hill, 2019). However, Laufer (1916) considers the Tibetan word to be borrowed from Chinese.
Schuessler (2007) considers this an areal word, possibly from Southeast Asia; cf. Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *taʀum (“indigo plant and dye”) (> Malay tarum).

cog

Burmese ခရမ်း (hka.ram:, “purple, violet”)

木藍／木蓝

蓼藍／蓼蓝

馬藍／马蓝

菘藍／菘蓝

Blue is obtained from the indigo plant but is bluer than the indigo plant.

青，取之於藍，而青於藍。

青，取之于蓝，而青于蓝。

結球甘藍／结球甘蓝

擘藍／擘蓝 ― bòlán ― kohlrabi

芥藍／芥蓝 ― jièlán ― gailan

西藍花／西蓝花

Brassica oleracea
Brassica oleracea#Translingual


蘢

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


蘿

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


虛

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰa, *qʰa): phonetic 虍 (OC *qʰaː) + semantic 丘 (“hill”). The lower component retains the shape of 丠, the ancient form of 丘.

Han compound

(astronomy) Emptiness, a Chinese constellation near Aquarius and Equuleus


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


蝕

Same word as 食 (OC *lɯɡs, *ɦljɯɡ, “to eat”) (Schuessler, 2007).


螺

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

och-l

螺內酯

螺内酯


ping

ping不通網關

ping不通网关


行

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


衛

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

Han compound

土衛六

土卫六

(astronomy) satellite (in satellite names)


角

CJKV/code

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

→ Khmer: កាក់ (kak)
→ English: kak

→ Thai: กั๊ก (gák)

→ Vietnamese: góc

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

/t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

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


負

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

inh

(mathematics, electricity, etc.) negative


download

/taːŋ⁵⁵ lou̯⁵⁵/

/taːŋ⁵⁵ lou̯⁵⁵/

(Hong Kong Cantonese, computing) to download


贕

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *l'oːɡ): semantic 卵 (“egg”) + phonetic 𧶠 (OC *luɡ)

Han compound

(ornithology) stillborn chick in an unhatched egg


赫

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

liushu

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


跑

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

Han compound

Samsung's DeX can be used to run Linux now

三星的DeX可以拿來跑Linux了

三星的DeX可以拿来跑Linux了

(computing, colloquial) to run (a program)


輕

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kʰeŋ, *kʰeŋs): semantic 車 (“carriage”) + phonetic 巠 (OC *keːŋ). Explanation of semantic component: light carriage.
STEDT and Schuessler relate this to Proto-Tibeto-Burman *r-jaːŋ (“light (weight); lightweight”), but the initial in the Chinese word is incompatible.

noncog

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


辛

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (辛):
* → Japanese: 辛(しん) (shin)
* → Korean: 신(辛) (sin)
* → Vietnamese: tân (辛)

→ Zhuang: sin

Smith (2011) proposes that the name for the heavenly stem is based on the Boötes constellation, which resembles an awl; it may be related to Etymology 1 with the “sharp” semantics connecting the two.


辰

Pictogram (象形) – a kind of agricultural tool used for tilling the fields and removing weeds (Guo, 1931; Qiu, 1992), possibly made of a kind of large clam 蜃 (OC *djɯns, *djɯnʔ, *djins) (Guo, 1931).
Alternatively, it could be a pictogram (象形) of a person holding onto a cliff – original character of 振 (OC *tjɯn, *tjɯns, “to hold up”) (Shang, 1983).
; “to vibrate”
; “fifth earthly branch”
:Smith (2011) agrees with the proposal (e.g. by Guo, 1931) that 辰 (OC dən) initially depicted an agricultural implement made from clams' shells and was the original form of 蜃 (OC dəns, “mollusc, clam”); so he proposes that the fifth earthly branch depicted the moon's second waning-gibbous phase, which looks like a clam. He also suggests that 辰 (chén) also represented the ovoid-shaped rising sun and is thus related to 晨 (chén, “early morning”).
; “time”
; “heavenly body”

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese, Chinese astronomy) Alternative name for 心宿 (Xīnxiù, “Heart Mansion (one of Twenty-Eight Mansions)”).

心宿

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese, Chinese astronomy) Alternative name for 北極星／北极星 (Běijíxīng, “North Star”).


通

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

Han compound

I tried to call several times but couldn't get through.

ngo⁵ daa² zo² gei² ci³ dou¹ daa² m⁴ tung¹.

我打咗幾次都打唔通。

我打咗几次都打唔通。

to pass through; to travel through; to go through; or, to allow passage


遍

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *p-(r/j)an (“to spread (wide), stretch out”); compare Burmese ပြန့် (pran., “flat and even, broad”) (STEDT).

cog

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

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

多遍編譯能夠使優化工作做得更多、更充分，可獲得更高質量的目標程序。

多遍编译能够使优化工作做得更多、更充分，可获得更高质量的目标程序。

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


酚

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 酉 + phonetic 分 (fēn).
Borrowed from English phenol.

Han compound

(organic chemistry) phenol (any of a class of aromatic organic compounds having at least one hydroxyl group attached directly to the benzene ring)


酞

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 酉 + phonetic 太 (tài).
Borrowed from English phthalein.


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.


酰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 酉 + phonetic 先 (OC *sɯːn, *sɯːns).

(organic chemistry, Mainland China, Hong Kong) acyl


酶

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *mɯː): semantic 酉 + phonetic 每 (OC *mɯːʔ).

Han compound

酯酶

蛋白酶


酸

→? Proto-Hmong-Mien: *suj (“sour”)

/ɬᵘɔn³³⁻³³⁵/

/ɬᵘɔn³³⁻³³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sloːn): semantic 酉 + phonetic 夋 (OC *sʰlun).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *səwr (“sour; be acid”) (STEDT, under *suːr ⪤ *swaːr). Cognate with Mizo thûr (“acid; sour”).

inh

鹽酸／盐酸


醇

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵/

/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ən³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *djun): semantic 酉 + phonetic 𦎧 (chún).


醚

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): 酉 (“oxygenated functional group”) + 迷 (“confusion”), referring to the anesthetic properties of diethyl ether. 迷 also acts as the phonetic component.
From 迷 (mí, “confusion”), referring to the anesthetic properties of diethyl ether.


醛

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵/

; Etymology 1
; Etymology 2
From 荃 (quán, “fragrant plant”), referring to the fragrance of many aldehydes.


醯

(organic chemistry, dated, still used in Taiwan) acyl


釓

For pronunciation and definitions of 釓 – see 釚 (“crossbow latch; unnilennium”).
(This character is a variant form of 釚).


釚

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡu): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 九 (OC *kuʔ).


釟

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *preːd): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 八 (OC *preːd).


釩

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pʰomʔ): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 凡 (OC *bom).
From New Latin vanadium.


釷

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


釹

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


鈁

(Mainland China, Hong Kong, chemistry) francium


鈇

For pronunciation and definitions of 鈇 – see 斧 (“axe; hatchet”).
(This character is a variant form of 斧).


鈥

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 火 (OC *qʰʷaːlʔ).
Borrowed from New Latin holmium.


鈦

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


鈳

(chemistry, obsolete) columbium; niobium


鈹

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pʰral): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 皮.
From New Latin beryllium.


鈾

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

鈾濃縮

铀浓缩


鉀

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *klaːb, *kraːb) and ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 甲 (OC *kraːb, “armour”)
Borrowed from New Latin kalium.


鉍

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *priɡs, *priɡ): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 必 (OC *pliɡ).


鉛

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *lon): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 㕣 (OC *lon) – a kind of metal.
Most varieties have a pronunciation derived from a velar initial.
* Schuessler (2007) see it a re-etymologization towards 掔 (MC khean|khen, “solid; hard”).
* Per Liu (2022), it is from Wu, in which the character 鉛 /铅 is used to denote an etymon meaning "tinplate" with this velar pronunciation. As for further etymology, Liu suggested it an Indo-European-sourced borrowing, cf. English can (“metal container”).


鉨

For pronunciation and definitions of 鉨 – see 璽 (“imperial seal; royal seal”).
(This character is a variant form of 璽).
Coined in 2017 by the Chinese National Committee for Terms in Sciences and Technologies and State Language Commission.


鉬

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


鉺

For pronunciation and definitions of 鉺 – see 鏗 (“to strike; to hit; jingling”).
(This character is a variant form of 鏗).
Borrowed from New Latin erbium.


銅

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (銅):
* → Japanese: 銅(どう) (dō)
* → Korean: 동(銅) (dong)
* → Vietnamese: đồng (銅, “copper; dong (Vietnamese currency)”) (see there for further descendants)

desc

→ Khmer: ទង់ (tŭəng, “bronze; red copper; alloy of copper and gold”), ថង (thɑɑng, “gold”), ទង (tɔɔng, “gold”)

→ Lao: ທອງ (thǭng, “copper; gold; metal”)

→ Thai: ทอง (tɔɔng, “gold”)

→ Zhuang: doengz, luengz (“copper; brass”)

Characters in the same phonetic series (同) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *doːŋ): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 同 (OC *doːŋ).
Since metals are typically associated with color, the word is probably related to 彤 (OC *l'uːŋ, “red”) (Schuessler, 2007).
The word "copper" occurs in some Southeast Asian languages with initial l- (Sagart, 1999). Examples include Zhuang luengz, Bouyei luangz and Bu-Nao Bunu loŋ², which are early loans from Chinese.
Tibetan དོང་ཙེ (dong tse, “Chinese copper coin”) was borrowed from Chinese 銅子／铜子 (tóngzǐ).

zh-l

銅子／铜子 (tóngzǐ)


銑

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sɯːnʔ): semantic 釒 + phonetic 先 (OC *sɯːn, *sɯːns).
Compare Tibetan གསེར (gser, “gold”) (Hill, 2019).


銥

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 衣 (yī)


銨

Borrowed from English ammonium. Related to 氨 (ān, “ammonia”) and 胺 (àn, “amine”).


銩

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


鋁

→ Zhuang: lij

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


鋂

For pronunciation and definitions of 鋂 – see 萌 (“to bud; to sprout; to germinate; to begin; to start; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 萌).


鋒

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *pʰoŋ): semantic 金 + phonetic 夆 (OC *pʰoŋ, *boŋ, *ɡaːds).


鋨

For pronunciation and definitions of 鋨 – see 鐵 (“iron; railway; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 鐵).
Borrowed from New Latin osmium.


鋱

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 忒 (OC *l̥ʰɯːɡ).
Borrowed from New Latin terbium.


鋶

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + abbreviated phonetic 硫 (liú, “sulfur”).
From 硫 (liú, “sulfur”).


錁

Jiyun
Longkan Shoujian
Song dynasty
rime dictionary

Found in the Jiyun 《集韻 (Jíyùn)》 rime dictionary published during the Song dynasty (1037 AD) and Longkan Shoujian 《龍龕手鑑》 dictionary compiled in 997 AD.
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 金 (“gold; metal”) + phonetic 果.

(dated, chemistry) transcription of gallium


錒

→ Zhuang: ah


錯

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *sʰaːɡs, *sʰaːɡ): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 昔 (OC *sjaːɡ) – grindstone.
; "whetstone, grindstone"
; "criss-cross, interlocking, alternating, ornate"
; "lake"
; "cerium"

Han compound

(chemistry, obsolete) Alternative name for 鈰／铈 (shì, “cerium”).


錳

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


錸

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 來 (OC *m·rɯːɡ).
Borrowed from New Latin rhenium.


錼

(chemistry, Taiwan, obsolete in Mainland China) neptunium


鍵

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡran, *ɡranʔ, *ɡanʔ): semantic 釒 (“metal”) + phonetic 建 (OC *kans) – a metal key.

Han compound

離子鍵

离子键

(computing) key (value that uniquely identifies an entry in a container)


鎂

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


鎖

→ Zhuang: suj

via Old Chinese:

→ Burmese: သော့ (sau.)

→ Mon: သအ်

→ Khmer: សោ (sao)

→ Shan: သေႃး (sáu)

→ Khün: ᨪᩳ

→ Lü: ᦌᦸ (soa)

→⇒ Middle Korean: 솨줄〮 (swàcwúl)

→ Old Uyghur: 𐽻𐽳𐽰 (sua)

⇒ Old Uyghur: 𐽻𐽳𐽰𐾁𐽰𐽹𐽰𐽷 (suala-)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *soːlʔ): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 𧴪 (suǒ).

Han compound

(computing) lock (mutex or other token restricting access to a resource)


鎦

(Taiwan, obsolete in Mainland China, chemistry) lutetium


鏌

Coined in 2017 by the Chinese National Committee for Terms in Sciences and Technologies and State Language Commission.


鏡

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (鏡):
* → Japanese: 鏡(きょう) (kyō)
* → Korean: 경(鏡) (gyeong)
* → Vietnamese: kính (鏡)

→ Vietnamese: gương

→ Zhuang: gingq

/kiaŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

/kiaŋ³³⁻³³⁵/

Reconstructions of Old Chinese#Baxter–Sagart (2014)

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *kraŋs): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 竟 (OC *kraŋs).
Probably cognate with 景 (OC *kraŋʔ, “bright”), 影 (OC *qraŋʔ, “shadow”) (Wang, 1982; Schuessler, 2007; Baxter and Sagart, 2014). Gong (2019) identifies the unknown preinitial *C in the reconstruction *C.qraŋʔ-s by Baxter and Sagart (2014) with *s based on evidence from Old Vietnamese, and further posits that it is an instrumental noun derived by prefixation of *s- to the verb 映 (OC *qraŋs, “to reflect”), which is itself a denominal derived from 影 (OC *qraŋʔ, “shadow; image”); however, Gong acknowledges that his emendation of *C.qraŋʔ-s to *s.qraŋʔ-s is incompatible with Baxter & Sagart's 2014 system, as *s.qraŋʔ-s would have become Middle Chinese *tsrjaeŋH instead of *kjaeŋH (ibid.).
Alternatively, it may be derived from 亮 (OC *raŋs, “to shine”) with the nominalising *k- prefix (Schuessler, 2007; apud Baxter, p.c.).
STEDT compares 鏡, 景 and 亮, among others, to Proto-Kuki-Chin *klaaŋ-I, *klaan-II (“to shine; light; bright”).
This word is relatively late and is perhaps re-etymologized from the nearly identical earlier word 監 (OC *kraːms), 鑑 (OC *kraːms, “mirror”) (Schuessler, 2007), which Wang (1982) treats as cognate. Gong (2019) considers 鏡 to be an unrelated neologism replacing 鑑.

Han compound

稜鏡

棱镜

凸透鏡

凸透镜


鐠

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 普 (OC *pʰaːʔ).
From New Latin praseodymium.


鐦

For pronunciation and definitions of 鐦 – see 魁 (“first; leading; best; chief; leader; head; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 魁).


鐳

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ruːl): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 雷 (OC *ruːl).
Borrowed from English radium.


鐿

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 意 (OC *qɯɡs).
Borrowed from New Latin ytterbium.


鑀

(physics) ionium (radioactive isotope of thorium)


鑥

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声): semantic 金 (“metal”) + phonetic 魯 (OC *raːʔ, “lǔ”).
From New Latin lutetium.


門

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (門):
* → Japanese: 門(もん) (mon)
* → Korean: 문(門) (mun)
* → Vietnamese: môn (門)

Wutunhua: men

Characters in the same phonetic series (門) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Pictogram (象形): a gate. Compare 戶 (OC *ɡʷaːʔ, “(one) door”), which is half of this character (𠁣).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mur (“mouth; lip; to hold in mouth; to chew; face; gills”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan མུར་བ (mur ba, “to masticate”), Tibetan མུར་འགྲམ (mur 'gram, “jawbone; cheek”), Mizo hmûi (“lips; upper lip”) and 吻 (OC *mɯnʔ, “lips; corner of the lips”).
; “-gate”


開

开
𫔭
䦐
𨴉
𨳩
𨴂
𨵹
𨶘
𨵑
开
K
开
开
嗨

(physics) short for 開爾文／开尔文 (kāi'ěrwén, “kelvin”)


雲

Ideogrammic compound (會意 /会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɢun): semantic 雨 (“rain”) + phonetic 云 (OC *ɢun, “cloud”). Originally written 云, with the 雨 radical added to 云 to distinguish from the borrowed sense of “to speak”.
Very few outside cognates exist. Starostin compares it with Mizo vân (“sky, the skies, heaven”) and Karbi inghun (“cloud”).
Alternatively, this is a derivation from a root meaning “to revolve”. Compare 運 (OC *ɢuns, “to move”), 回 (OC *ɡuːl, “to whirl, to circle”) (Schuessler, 2007).


雷

Ancient simplification of 靁, which was a phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ruːl): semantic 雨 (“rain”) + phonetic 畾 (OC *ruːl).
The Northern Min initial s- may be due to the loss of a pre-initial which might have been a velar considering dialect forms in Henan, Hebei and Shanxi, e.g. Taiyuan Jin 忽雷 (hueh4 lui1) (Schuessler, 2007).
Perhaps from Sino-Tibetan. Compare Mizo râwl (“voice; cry (of an animal); sound”), Tibetan ཁྲོལ (khrol).
* (spoiler): Clipping of 捏他八雷 (niētābāléi), from Japanese ネタバレ (netabare).
* (loyalty): by homophony of 二 (ji⁶, “two”) and 義 /义 (ji⁶, “spirit of loyalty”).
* (to lay off): from Phono-semantic matching of English lay off.

psm

畾
𡈶
𩇓
𤴐
𩂩
𤳳
䨓
𩄣
靁
㗊
𤴑

魚雷／鱼雷

手雷

雷區／雷区 ― léiqū ― minefield

排雷 ― páiléi ― to demine

(military, weaponry, in compounds) explosive device; mine

雲

basic weather words shared by most dialects


霸

Same word as 魄 (OC *pʰraːɡ, “soul”) and cognate with 白 (OC *braːɡ, “white”) (Schuessler, 2007). Chiefly attested in Zhou-era bronze inscriptions for calendrical functions (Wang, 1923).

*覇
䩗
𧈉
𧟲
𧟳
𩄤
𣍸

(archaic, Chinese astronomy) alternative form of 魄 (pò, “illuminated part of the moon”)


韓

→ English: Han, Hon

→ Zhuang: hanz

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声, OC *ɡaːn): phonetic 倝 (OC *kaːns) + semantic 韋 (“surround”).

Han compound

(astronomy) The star Zeta Ophiuchi in traditional Chinese astronomy, named for the state


頁

Pictogram (象形): 首 + 卩 – head of a kneeling person, emphasising “head”.
頁 and 首 (OC *hljuʔ, *hljus) were originally the same pictographic character with the same meaning of “head”, and the graphical difference was that 頁 also included the body in addition to the head of the person.
頁 was later used as an alternative popular form of 葉 (“leaf; page”) to mean “sheet; page (of paper)”, which is its main meaning today.
The original sense of “head” is preserved in the radical 頁, which is used in characters such as 頭 (“head”) and 頸 (“neck”).
Alternative form of 葉 /叶 (“leaf; sheet (of paper)”).