Wiktionary

子

See also: 孑, 孓, 孒, 了, 千, 干, 于, and 구

子 U+5B50, 子
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5B50
← 孏
[U+5B4F] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 孑 →
[U+5B51]
⼦ U+2F26, ⼦
KANGXI RADICAL CHILD
← ⼥
[U+2F25] 		Kangxi Radicals ⼧ →
[U+2F27]
Commons:Category
Commons:Category
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Translingual

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Stroke order
 
Stroke order
 

Han character

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See images of
Radical 39 子

子 (Kangxi radical 39, 子+0, 3 strokes, cangjie input 弓木 (ND), four-corner 17407, composition ⿻了一)

  1. Kangxi radical #39, ⼦.

Derived characters

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References

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  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 277, character 1
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 6930
  • Dae Jaweon: page 543, character 15
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1006, character 6
  • Unihan data for U+5B50

Further reading

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Chinese

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simp. and trad.
 子
alternative forms
㜽
𡿹
𡐫
𣕓
𰱤
㜽
𡿹
𡐫
𣕓
𰱤
𢀇
𢀈
𠙭
𢀉
 

Glyph origin

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Historical forms of the character 子
Shang Western Zhou Warring States Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script Bronze inscriptions Oracle bone script Chu slip and silk script Small seal script Transcribed ancient scripts
           
Characters in the same phonetic series (子) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
孜 *ʔslɯ
仔 *ʔslɯ, *ʔslɯʔ
孖 *ʔslɯ, *zlɯs
子 *ʔslɯʔ
虸 *ʔslɯʔ
耔 *ʔslɯʔ
秄 *ʔslɯʔ
杍 *ʔslɯʔ
籽 *ʔslɯʔ
字 *zlɯs
茡 *zlɯs
芓 *zlɯs
牸 *zlɯs
李 *rɯʔ

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.

Etymology

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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 was the sixth earthly branch; the first earthly branch was denoted differently. One of the forms survived in Shuo Wen (𢀇) (Matsumaru, 2015).
Smith (2011) proposed this character is 甾. Observing that 甾 is closely linked with 緇 "dark, stained", 淄 "murky (water)", 菑 "field cleared by burning" (all pronounced *tsrə), Smith (2011) proposes that initially the first earthly branch 甾 (OC *ts[r]əʔ) denoted the new moon phase and meant "darkened, voided, the darkened stage". Additionally, Smith (2011) proposes that 子 (OC tsəʔ), which originated from a Sino-Tibetan root meaning "to come forth", denoted the moon's "coming forth" stage (i.e. early waning-gibbous phase).
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).

Pronunciation 1

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Note: cī - “seed”.
Note:
  • zo3 - literary;
  • zo3 - colloquial.
Note:
  • chú/chír - literary;
  • chí - colloquial (“seed; egg”).
Note:
  • ze2/zu2 - literary (zu2 - Chaoyang);
  • zi2 - colloquial.
Rime
Character 子
Reading # 1/1
Initial (聲) 精 (13)
Final (韻) 之 (19)
Tone (調) Rising (X)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 即里切
Baxter tsiX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/t͡sɨX/
Pan
Wuyun 		/t͡sɨX/
Shao
Rongfen 		/t͡sieX/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/t͡sɨX/
Li
Rong 		/t͡siəX/
Wang
Li 		/t͡sĭəX/
Bernhard
Karlgren 		/t͡siX/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		zǐ
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		zi2
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 子 子
Reading # 1/2 2/2
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		zǐ zǐ
Middle
Chinese 		‹ tsiX › ‹ tsiX ›
Old
Chinese 		/*[ts]əʔ/ /*tsəʔ/
English 1st earthly branch child; gentleman, master

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 子
Reading # 1/1
No. 17857
Phonetic
component 		子
Rime
group 		之
Rime
subdivision 		0
Corresponding
MC rime 		子
Old
Chinese 		/*ʔslɯʔ/

Definitions

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子

  1. (literary) child; offspring
  2. son
    獨生子／独生子  ―  dúshēngzǐ  ―  only son
    愛子／爱子  ―  àizǐ  ―  beloved son
    一子一女  ―  yī zǐ yī nǚ  ―  one son and one daughter
  3. (literary) descendant; posterity
  4. (Christianity) the Son
  5. (in compounds) person
    女子  ―  nǚzǐ  ―  female; woman
  6. (literary) master; teacher
  7. (literary) A respectful title for teachers, usually attached after their surnames.
    孔子  ―  Kǒngzǐ  ―  Master Kong (Confucius)
    老子  ―  Lǎozǐ  ―  Laozi
  8. (literary, polite) you
  9. Alternative form of 籽 (zǐ, “seed”); also its second-round simplified form.
    葵花子  ―  kuíhuāzǐ  ―  sunflower seed
  10. egg
    魚子／鱼子  ―  yúzǐ  ―  caviar
  11. young; tender; small
  12. Prefix attached to nouns, denoting "a part of", "belonging to" or "individual". sub-
    子目錄／子目录  ―  zǐmùlù  ―  subdirectory
  13. (astrology) First earthly branch: rat in the Chinese zodiac, 11th solar month, midnight (11:00 pm to 1:00 am)
  14. (historical) viscount (fourth of five ranks of Chinese aristocracy under the Zhou dynasty)
  15. (physics, biology) -on
  16. a surname
  17. (Southern Min) grain-like object; particle; granule
  18. (Southern Min, music) rhythm
  19. (Southern Min) Classifier for small, round objects: granule, grain, particle, piece
Synonyms
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Dialectal synonyms of 兒子 (“son”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Classical Chinese 子, 兒, 男兒
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 兒子, 男孩, 男孩子
Northeastern Mandarin Beijing 兒子, 小子
Taiwan 兒子
Chengde 小子
Chifeng 兒子, 小子
Hulunbuir (Hailar) 兒子
Heihe 兒子, 小子
Qiqihar 兒子, 小子
Harbin 兒子, 小子
Jiamusi 兒子, 小子
Baicheng 兒子, 小子
Changchun 兒子
Tonghua 兒子, 小子
Shenyang 兒子, 小子
Jinzhou 兒子, 小子
Malaysia 兒子
Singapore 兒子
Jilu Mandarin Tianjin 兒子, 小子, 少的
Tangshan 兒子, 小子
Cangzhou 兒子, 小子
Baoding 兒子, 小子
Shijiazhuang 兒得
Lijin 兒, 小廝
Weifang (Weicheng) 兒
Weifang (Fangzi) 兒
Changle 兒
Shouguang 兒
Wulian 小兒
Jinan 兒, 兒子, 小子
Jiaoliao Mandarin Dalian 兒子
Dandong 兒子, 小子
Yantai 小子
Yantai (Muping) 兒郎, 兒
Qingdao 兒
Weifang (Hanting) 兒
Changyi 兒
Gaomi 兒
Zhucheng 兒
Anqiu 兒
Linqu 兒
Qingzhou 兒
Central Plains Mandarin Luoyang 兒子
Lingbao 兒子
Jining 兒, 兒子
Wanrong 娃, 兒
Linfen 兒
Shangqiu 兒得
Yuanyang 兒子, 小子
Zhengzhou 孩兒, 小子
Xinyang 兒
Baihe 兒子
Xi'an 兒, 兒子
Baoji 兒
Tianshui 兒子, 後人
Xining 兒子, 娃娃, 尕娃
Xuzhou 兒子, 小子
Fuyang 兒子
Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) 兒子, 兒
Lanyin Mandarin Yinchuan 兒子
Lanzhou 兒子, 後人
Dunhuang 娃子
Hami 兒子
Ürümqi 兒子
Southwestern Mandarin Chengdu 兒子, 兒
Nanchong 兒子
Dazhou 兒子, 娃兒
Hanyuan 兒, 兒子
Xichang 兒, 兒子, 娃娃
Zigong 兒子
Chongqing 兒子, 娃兒, 兒
Wuhan 兒子
Yichang 兒子, 小鬼
Xiangyang 兒子
Tianmen 兒子
Guiyang 兒子, 男娃娃, 男娃兒
Zunyi 娃兒, 兒
Bijie 兒子
Liping 崽
Zhaotong 兒子
Dali 兒子
Kunming 兒子, 小子
Mengzi 兒子
Guilin 崽, 兒子
Liuzhou 崽, 兒子
Sanjiang (Danzhou) 娃崽
Jishou 兒
Changde 兒子
Hanzhong 兒子
Jianghuai Mandarin Nanjing 兒子
Yangzhou 兒子
Lianyungang 兒子
Lianshui 兒子
Nantong 侯
Anqing 兒子
Wuhu 兒子
Hefei 兒子
Huanggang 兒
Hong'an 兒, 兒把子
Cantonese Guangzhou 仔
Hong Kong 仔, 阿仔, 仔仔
Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) 仔
Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) 仔
Hong Kong (Ting Kok) 仔
Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) 仔
Macau 仔
Guangzhou (Panyu) 仔
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) 仔
Guangzhou (Conghua) 仔
Guangzhou (Zengcheng) 仔
Foshan 仔
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) 仔
Foshan (Shunde) 仔
Foshan (Sanshui) 仔
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) 仔
Zhongshan (Shiqi) 仔
Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) 仔
Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) 仔
Zhuhai (Doumen) 仔
Jiangmen (Baisha) 仔
Jiangmen (Xinhui) 仔
Taishan 仔
Kaiping (Chikan) 仔
Enping (Niujiang) 仔
Heshan (Yayao) 仔
Dongguan 仔
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) 仔
Shenzhen (Dapeng) 阿仔
Qingyuan 仔
Fogang 仔
Yingde (Hanguang) 仔
Yangshan 仔
Lianshan (Butian) 仔
Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui) 仔
Shaoguan 仔
Shaoguan (Qujiang) 仔
Renhua 仔
Lechang 仔
Zhaoqing (Gaoyao) 仔
Sihui 仔
Guangning 仔
Deqing 仔
Huaiji 仔
Fengkai (Nanfeng) 仔
Yunfu 仔
Xinxing 仔
Luoding 仔
Yunan (Pingtai) 仔
Yangjiang 仔
Xinyi 仔
Maoming (Xinpo) 仔
Lianjiang 仔
Wuchuan (Wuyang) 仔, 仔兒
Nanning 仔
Wuzhou 仔
Yulin 儂
Hepu (Lianzhou) 仔
Guiping 仔
Mengshan (Xihe) 兒
Guigang (Nanjiang) 儂
Beiliu (Tangliao) 仔
Baise 仔
Bobai 仔
Lingshan 仔
Pubei 仔
Qinzhou 仔
Beihai 仔
Beihai (Nankang) 仔
Beihai (Yingpan) 仔
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) 仔
Ningming 仔
Hengzhou 兒
Hezhou (Pumen, Babu) 仔
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) 仔
Danzhou 兒
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) 仔
Singapore (Guangfu) 仔
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) 仔
Móng Cái 仔
Gan Nanchang 崽
Lichuan 崽, 子
Pingxiang 崽, 倈牯, 倈
Hakka Meixian 倈仔
Xingning 倈哩
Dabu (Xihe) 倈兒, 子
Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) 阿仔, 子
Huizhou (Shuikou; Bendihua) 阿仔
Huizhou (Hengli; Bendihua) 阿仔
Huiyang 倈子
Huidong (Pingshan; Bendihua) 阿仔
Huidong (Daling) 倈伊
Dongguan (Qingxi) 倈
Longmen (Pingling; Bendihua) 仔
Longmen (Luxi; Bendihua) 仔
Boluo (Bendihua) 阿仔
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) 倈
Zengcheng (Zhengguo) 倈子
Zhongshan (Wuguishan) 倈子
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) 倈子
Wuhua (Shuizhai) 倈哩
Wuhua (Huacheng) 倈哩
Wuhua (Changbu) 倈哩
Wuhua (Mianyang) 倈哩
Heyuan (Bendihua) 阿仔
Zijin (Guzhu; Bendihua) 仔
Longchuan (Tuocheng; Bendihua) 仔
Longchuan (Sidu; Bendihua) 仔
Heping (Linzhai; Bendihua) 仔
Lianping (Zhongxin; Bendihua) 仔, 阿仔
Lianping (Longjie; Bendihua) 仔
Wengyuan 倈子
Shaoguan (Qujiang) 倈子
Xinfeng (Matou; Bendihua) 阿仔
Xinfeng (Daxi; Bendihua) 仔, 阿仔
Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) 阿弟
Liannan 倈子
Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) 仔
Jiexi 倈
Luhe 倈仔
Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan) 阿子
Changting 倈子, 子哩, 子
Wuping 子哩, 兒子
Wuping (Yanqian) 子哩
Wuping (Pingyu) 倈子
Liancheng 子, 倈倈子
Ninghua 子
Yudu 子
Ningdu 倈子
Ruijin 子
Shicheng 崽
Shangyou (Shexi) 崽, 倈兒
Tonggu (Sandu) 倈子
Ganzhou (Panlong) 崽
Dayu 崽哩
Miaoli (N. Sixian) 倈仔
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 倈仔
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 倈仔
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 倈, 細倈
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 倈仔
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 後生
Hong Kong 倈子
Yangxi (Tangkou) 子
Yangchun (Sanjia) 仔
Xinyi (Sihe) 仔, 子
Xinyi (Qianpai) 子, 仔
Gaozhou (Xindong) 子
Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai) 子
Huazhou (Xin'an) 子
Lianjiang (Shijiao) 倈子, 子
Lianjiang (Qingping) 子
Mengshan (Xihe) 倈
Luchuan 子
Luchuan (Daqiao) 子
Bobai (Shahe) 子
Beiliu (Tang'an) 倈
Sabah (Bao'an) 倈子
Sabah (Longchuan) 倈哩
Kuala Lumpur (Dabu) 倈
Senai (Huiyang) 倈子
Singkawang 倈子
Huizhou Jixi 兒子
Shexian 兒子, 伢兒
Huangshan (Tunxi) 兒子
Xiuning 兒子
Yixian 兒子
Qimen 兒子
Wuyuan 兒子, 小倈
Fuliang 崽
Dexing 兒子
Shitai (Xianyu) 兒子
Jin Taiyuan 兒子, 小子
Pingyao 小子
Datong 兒子, 小子
Xinzhou 兒, 小子
Lüliang (Lishi) 兒, 小子
Changzhi 兒得, 孩得
Linhe 兒子, 小子
Jining 小子
Hohhot 兒子, 小子
Erenhot 小子
Pingshan 小子
Zhangjiakou 兒子
Handan 兒子, 小子
Linzhou 孩哦
Suide 兒, 小子
Northern Min Jian'ou 囝, 囝仔
Jian'ou (Dikou) 囝
Songxi 囝
Zhenghe 囝
Zhenghe (Zhenqian) 囝
Jianyang 囝
Jianyang (Huangkeng) 囝
Wuyishan 囝
Pucheng (Shibei) 囝
Eastern Min Fuzhou 囝, 丈夫囝
Fuzhou (Changle) 囝
Lianjiang 囝
Fuqing 囝
Pingtan 囝
Yongtai 囝
Minqing 囝
Gutian 囝
Pingnan 囝
Luoyuan 囝
Fu'an 囝
Ningde 囝
Xiapu 囝
Zherong 囝
Shouning 囝
Zhouning 囝
Fuding 囝
Matsu 囝
Southern Min Xiamen 囝, 後生, 後的
Xiamen (Tong'an) 囝, 後生
Quanzhou 囝, 後生, 囡仔
Jinjiang 囝
Nan'an 囝
Shishi 囝
Hui'an 囝
Anxi 囝
Yongchun 囝
Dehua 囝
Zhangzhou 囝, 後生
Zhangzhou (Longhai) 囝, 後生
Zhangzhou (Changtai) 後生
Hua'an 後生, 囝
Nanjing 後生
Pinghe 囝, 後生
Zhangpu 囝, 後生
Yunxiao 後生, 囝
Zhao'an 囝
Dongshan 囝, 後生
Taipei 囝, 後生
New Taipei (Sanxia) 囝, 後生
Kaohsiung 囝, 後生
Yilan 囝, 後生
Changhua (Lukang) 囝, 後生
Taichung 囝, 後生, 後的
Tainan 囝, 後生
Hsinchu 囝, 後生
Kinmen 囝, 後生
Penghu (Magong) 囝, 後生
Penang (Hokkien) 囝, 後生
Singapore (Hokkien) 囝, 後生, 後生囝, 丈夫囝
Manila (Hokkien) 囝, 後生
Longyan 後生, 囝
Zhangping 後生, 囝
Zhangping (Yongfu) 囝, 後生
Datian 囝
Pingnan (Shangdu) 崽
Chaozhou 囝, 逗囝
Shantou 囝, 逗囝
Shantou (Chenghai) 囝, 逗囝
Jieyang 囝, 逗囝, 孥, 阿孥
Lufeng 囝
Haifeng 丈夫囝
Bangkok (Teochew) 逗囝
Johor Bahru (Teochew) 丈夫囝
Singapore (Teochew) 囝, 丈夫囝, 逗囝
Leizhou 囝
Wenchang 囝, 丈夫囝
Haikou 囝, 細囝, 孧囝
Qionghai 囝
Puxian Min Putian 囝
Xianyou 囝
Central Min Yong'an 囝
Sanming (Sanyuan) 囝仔
Sanming (Shaxian) 囝仔
Shaojiang Min Shaowu 囝兒
Guangze 囝兒
Jiangle 囝
Mingxi 囝
Shunchang 囝
Zhongshan Min Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) 囝
Zhongshan (Sanxiang) 囝
Southern Pinghua Nanning (Tingzi) 崽
Northern Pinghua Guilin (Dahe) 崽
Shehua Fu'an 仔
Fuding 仔
Luoyuan 仔
Sanming 仔
Shunchang 仔
Hua'an 仔
Guixi (Zhangping) 仔
Cangnan 仔
Jingning (Hexi) 仔
Lishui 仔
Longyou 仔
Chaozhou 仔
Fengshun 仔
Wu Shanghai 兒子
Shanghai (Chongming) 兒子
Suzhou 兒子
Wuxi 兒子
Danyang 兒子
Hangzhou 兒子, 伢兒
Ningbo 兒子
Wenzhou 兒
Jinhua 兒, 兒子
Jinhua (Tangxi) 兒
Xiang Changsha 崽伢子, 崽, 伢子
Xiangtan 崽, 崽伢唧
Loudi 崽
Shuangfeng 崽, 伢唧
Hengyang 崽
Quanzhou 崽
Dialectal synonyms of 你 (“you (singular)”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Classical Chinese 汝, 爾, 乃, 而, 若, 伊, 子, 君 †, 卿 †
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 你, 您 †, 閣下 †, 臺端
Northeastern Mandarin Beijing 你, 您 †, 您老人家 †
Taiwan 你, 您 †
Chengde 你, 您老人家 †
Ulanhot 你
Tongliao 你
Chifeng 你, 您 †, 你老人家 †
Hulunbuir (Hailar) 你, 您 †, 你老人家 †
Heihe 你, 您 †, 你老人家 †
Qiqihar 你, 您 †, 你老人家 †
Harbin 你, 您 †, 你老人家 †, 你老 †
Jiamusi 你, 您 †, 你老人家 †
Baicheng 你, 你老 †, 你老人家 †
Changchun 你, 你老 †
Tonghua 你, 你老 †
Shenyang 你, 您 †, 你老人家 †, 你老 †
Jinzhou 你, 您 †, 你老人家 †
Malaysia 你, 您 †
Singapore 你, 您 †
Olginsky (Mikhaylovka) 你
Jilu Mandarin Tianjin 你, 你了 †
Tangshan 你, 你老 †
Cangzhou 你, 你老 †
Baoding 你, 你老 †
Shijiazhuang 你, 你家 †
Lijin 你, 恁 †, 恁老人家 †
Weifang (Weicheng) 你
Weifang (Fangzi) 你
Changle 你
Shouguang 你
Wulian 你
Jinan 你, 你老人家 †
Jiaoliao Mandarin Dalian 你, 你老 †
Dandong 你, 您 †, 你老人家 †
Yantai 你
Yantai (Muping) 你
Qingdao 你
Weifang (Hanting) 你
Changyi 你
Gaomi 你, 恁
Zhucheng 你, 恁
Anqiu 你
Linqu 你, 恁
Qingzhou 你
Central Plains Mandarin Luoyang 你
Lingbao 你
Wanrong 你
Linfen 你
Shangqiu 你, 恁 †, 恁老人家 †
Yuanyang 你, 你老 †
Zhengzhou 你, 你老人家 †
Xinyang 你, 你老人家 †
Baihe 你, 你老兒 †
Xi'an 你, 你老人家 †
Dingbian 你
Baoji 你, 你老人家 †
Tianshui 你, 你老人家 †
Xining 你, 喬, 你老人家 †
Yanqi 你
Xuzhou 恁, 你, 你老人家 †
Pizhou 恁, 你
Lianyungang (Ganyu) 你
Donghai 你
Fuyang 你, 你家 †, 你老人家 †
Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) 你
Lanyin Mandarin Yinchuan 你, 你老人家 †
Bayanhot 你, 您 †
Lanzhou 你
Hami 你, 您 †, 你家 †, 你老人家 †
Ürümqi 你, 你老人家 †
Southwestern Mandarin Chengdu 你, 你老人家 †
Nanchong 你, 你老人家 †
Dazhou 你, 你老人家 †
Hanyuan 你, 你老人家 †
Xichang 你, 你老 †
Zigong 你, 你老人家 †
Chongqing 你, 你老人家 †
Wuhan 你, 你家 †, 你老人家 †
Yichang 你, 你家 †, 老人家 †, 你老人家 †
Xiangyang 你, 你家 †, 你老人家 †
Tianmen 你, 您哪 †, 你老人家 †
Guiyang 你, 你老人家 †
Zunyi 你, 你老人家 †
Bijie 你
Liping 你, 您 †
Zhaotong 你, 你家 †, 你老人家 †
Dali 你, 你家 †
Kunming 你, 你家 †, 你老人家 †
Mengzi 你, 你老人家 †
Guilin 你, 你老人家 †
Liuzhou 你, 你老人家 †
Nanning (Xiakuojie) 你
Nanning (Fujian) 你
Nanning (Wuming) 你
Nanning (Fucheng, Wuming) 你
Binyang (Nanjie) 你
Jishou 你
Changde 你, 你家 †
Xiangtan (Jiangnan Industries Group koine) 你
Hanzhong 你
Dagudi (Maliba) 你
Reshuitang (Longling) 你
Mae Salong (Lancang) 你
Mae Sai (Tengchong) 你
Jianghuai Mandarin Nanjing 你, 你老人家 †
Yangzhou 你, 你老人家 †
Baoying 你
Taizhou 你
Zhenjiang 你
Lianyungang 你, 你老人家 †
Huai'an (Huaiyin) 你, 您兒 †
Lianshui 你
Xuyi 你
Xinghua 你
Nantong 你, 你老人家 †
Rugao 你
Yancheng 你
Funing 你
Sihong 你
Anqing 你, 你老人家 †
Wuhu 你, 你老人家 †
Hefei 你, 你老人家 †
Hong'an 你, 你老人家 †
Mandarin Qinzhou (Longmengang) 你
Fuzhou (Qinjiang, Changle) 你
Cantonese Guangzhou 你
Hong Kong 你
Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) 你
Hong Kong (Shek Pik; Weitou) 你
Macau 你
Guangzhou (Panyu) 你
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) 你
Guangzhou (Conghua) 你
Guangzhou (Zengcheng) 你
Foshan 你
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) 你
Foshan (Shunde) 你
Foshan (Sanshui) 你
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) 你
Zhongshan (Shiqi) 你
Zhongshan (Huancheng) 你
Zhongshan (Nanlang) 你
Zhongshan (Xiaolan) 你
Zhongshan (Dongsheng, Xiaolan) 你
Zhongshan (Tanbei, Xiaolan) 你
Zhongshan (Henglan) 你
Zhongshan (Dongfeng) 你
Zhongshan (Nantou) 你
Zhongshan (Fusha) 你
Zhongshan (Shalang) 你
Zhongshan (Gangkou) 你
Zhongshan (Huangpu) 你
Zhongshan (Sanjiao) 你
Zhongshan (Langwang, Minzhong) 你
Zhongshan (Minzhong) 你
Zhongshan (Guzhen) 你
Zhongshan (Banfu) 你
Zhongshan (Tanzhou) 你
Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) 你
Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) 你
Zhuhai (Doumen) 你
Jiangmen (Baisha) 你
Jiangmen (Xinhui) 你
Taishan 你
Kaiping (Chikan) 你
Enping (Niujiang) 你
Heshan (Yayao) 你
Maoming (Beixipo, Dianbai; Malan) 你
Maoming (Bengtangque, Dianbai; Malan) 你
Maoming (Mianhuadi, Dianbai; Malan) 你
Maoming (Shanzuipo, Dianbai; Malan) 你
Maoming (Binglanghua, Dianbai; Malan) 你
Dongguan 你
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) 你
Shenzhen (Dapeng) 你
Shenzhen (Pingdong, Longgang; Shehua) 你
Shenzhen (Pingshan; Zhanmi) 你
Qingyuan 你
Fogang 你
Yingde (Hanguang) 你
Yangshan 你
Lianshan (Butian) 你
Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui) 你
Shaoguan 你
Shaoguan (Qujiang) 你
Renhua 你
Lechang 你
Zhaoqing (Gaoyao) 你
Sihui 你
Guangning 你
Deqing 你
Huaiji 你
Fengkai (Nanfeng) 你
Yunfu 你
Xinxing 你
Luoding 你
Yunan (Pingtai) 你
Yangjiang 你
Xinyi 你
Lianjiang 你
Nanning 你
Baise 你
Qinzhou 你
Beihai 你
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) 你
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) 你
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) 你
Danzhou 你
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) 你
Penang (Guangfu) 你
Singapore (Guangfu) 你
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) 你
Móng Cái 你
Gan Nanchang 爾, 恁
Nanchang (Wangcheng) 恁
Anyi 爾仂
Lushan 爾
Pengze 爾
Duchang 爾, 爾儂
Wuning (Quankou) 恁
Poyang 你
Yugan 你, 你郎
Wannian 你
Hengfeng 爾, 爾仂
Yanshan 爾, 爾仂
Leping 你
Yichun 你
Yifeng 爾
Gao'an 爾
Fengxin 你
Shanggao 爾
Wanzai 爾
Fengcheng 你
Xinyu 你
Fuzhou (Shangdundu) 你
Fuzhou (Dongxiang) 爾仂
Nancheng 恁
Nanfeng 你仂, 你
Yihuang 恁
Lichuan 汝
Chongren 爾
Pingxiang 恨, 你
Lianhua 你
Ji'an 你
Yongfeng 恁
Taihe 你
Xiajiang 你
Yongxin 你
Yingtan (Yujiang) 爾
Guixi 爾, 爾仂
Jianning 你
Jinxian 恁, 爾
Jinxi 恁
Le'an 你
Guangchang 你
Anfu 你
Suichuan 你
Wan'an 你
Jing'an 爾
Zhangshu 你
Xingan 你
Fenyi 你
Hakka Meixian 你
Xingning 你
Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) 你
Huiyang 你
Huidong (Daling) 你
Dongguan (Qingxi) 你
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) 你
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) 你
Wuhua (Huacheng) 你
Heyuan (Bendihua) 你
Nanxiong (Zhuji) 你
Shaoguan (Qujiang) 你
Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) 你
Liannan 你
Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) 你
Jiexi 你
Changting 你
Shanghang 汝
Longyan (Yongding) 汝
Wuping 你
Wuping (Pingyu) 你
Liancheng 你
Ninghua 你
Qingliu 你
Yudu 你
Ningdu 恁
Ruijin 你
Shicheng 你
Shangyou (Shexi) 你
Ganzhou (Nankang) 你
Dayu 你
Dingnan 你
Longnan 你
Xunwu 爾
Huichang 恨, 爾
Chongyi 你
Xingguo 你
Miaoli (N. Sixian) 你
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 你
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 你
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 你
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 你
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 你
Hong Kong 你
Luchuan 你
Bobai (Shahe) 你
Bobai (Longtan) 你
Bobai (Lingping) 你
Bobai (Lingjiao) 你
Sabah (Longchuan) 你
Senai (Huiyang) 你
Kuching (Hepo) 你
Singkawang 你
Singapore (Dabu) 你
Bangkok (Meixian) 你
Huizhou Jixi 爾, 爾仂
Shexian 爾, 你, 你老人家 †
Huangshan (Tunxi) 爾, 爾仂
Wuyuan 爾
Fuliang 爾
Dexing 爾
Chun'an (Qiandaohu) 爾
Jiande (Meicheng) 爾
Jiande (Shouchang) 曾, 曾儂
Jin Taiyuan 你, 你家 †
Yangyuan 你, 您 †, 你家 †, 你老人家 †
Datong 你, 您兒 †
Xinzhou 你, 你吶 †
Lüliang (Lishi) 你, 你老兒家 †
Changzhi 你
Taibus (Baochang) 你, 您 †
Linhe 你, 您 †, 你老兒家 †
Jining 你, 您 †, 你家 †
Hohhot 你, 您 †, 您老兒家 †
Baotou 你, 您 †
Dongsheng 你, 您 †
Haibowan 你, 您 †
Erenhot 你, 您兒 †
Pingshan 你
Zhangjiakou 你, 您 †, 你老 †
Handan 你, 你老人家 †
Linzhou 你
Suide 你
Northern Min Jian'ou 你
Jian'ou (Dikou) 你
Songxi 你
Zhenghe 你
Zhenghe (Zhenqian) 汝
Jianyang 你
Wuyishan 你
Pucheng (Shibei) 你
Eastern Min Fuzhou 汝
Fuzhou (Changle) 汝
Lianjiang 汝
Fuqing 汝
Pingtan 汝
Yongtai 汝
Minqing 汝
Gutian 汝
Pingnan 汝
Luoyuan 汝
Fu'an 汝
Ningde 汝
Xiapu 汝
Zherong 汝
Shouning 汝
Zhouning 汝
Fuding 汝
Matsu 汝
Taishun 爾
Cangnan 爾
Singapore (Fuqing) 汝
Sitiawan (Gutian) 汝
Southern Min Xiamen 汝
Xiamen (Tong'an) 汝
Quanzhou 汝
Jinjiang 汝
Nan'an 汝
Shishi 汝
Hui'an 汝
Anxi 汝
Yongchun 汝
Dehua 汝
Zhangzhou 汝
Zhangzhou (Longhai) 汝
Zhangzhou (Changtai) 汝
Hua'an 汝
Nanjing 汝
Pinghe 汝
Zhangpu 汝
Yunxiao 汝
Zhao'an 汝
Dongshan 汝
Taipei 汝
New Taipei (Sanxia) 汝
Kaohsiung 汝
Kaohsiung (Cijin) 汝
Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang) 汝
Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang) 汝
Yilan 汝
Changhua (Lukang) 汝
Taichung 汝
Taichung (Wuqi) 汝
Tainan 汝
Taitung 汝
Hsinchu 汝
Kinmen 汝
Penghu (Magong) 汝
Penang (Hokkien) 汝
Singapore (Hokkien) 汝
Manila (Hokkien) 汝
Medan (Hokkien) 汝
Longyan 汝
Zhangping 汝
Datian 汝
Guilin (Biyange) 汝
Chaozhou 汝
Shantou 汝
Shantou (Chaoyang) 汝
Jieyang 汝
Haifeng 汝
Johor Bahru (Teochew) 汝
Singapore (Teochew) 汝
Batam (Teochew) 汝
Pontianak (Teochew) 汝
Leizhou 汝
Wenchang 汝
Haikou 汝
Singapore (Hainanese) 汝
Puxian Min Putian 汝
Xianyou 汝
Central Min Yong'an 你
Sanming (Sanyuan) 你
Sanming (Shaxian) 你
Nanping (Wangtai, Yanping) 你
Shaojiang Min Shaowu 𫣴
Guangze 𫣴
Mingxi 你
Shunchang 你
Zhongshan Min Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) 汝
Zhongshan (Sanxiang) 汝
Southern Pinghua Nanning (Tingzi) 你
Shehua Fu'an 你
Fuding 你
Luoyuan 你
Sanming 你
Shunchang 你
Hua'an 你
Guixi (Zhangping) 你
Cangnan 你
Jingning (Hexi) 你
Lishui 你
Longyou 你
Chaozhou 你
Fengshun 你
Waxiang Guzhang (Gaofeng) 你
Wu Shanghai 儂
Shanghai (Songjiang) 是奴
Shanghai (Jiading) 儂, 甚, 恆儂
Shanghai (Shuangcaodun, Baoshan) 儂
Shanghai (Chongming) 爾
Suzhou 倷
Suzhou (Shengze, Wujiang) 㑚
Wuxi 你
Changshu 儂
Kunshan 能
Nantong (Haimen) 你
Jiaxing 你
Jiashan 你
Pinghu 爾儂
Haining (Yanguan) 儂, 你
Tongxiang 儂
Haiyan 你
Changzhou 你
Danyang 爾
Nanjing (Gaochun) 你
Huzhou 是爾
Changxing 是爾
Anji 爾
Deqing 爾
Hangzhou 你
Hangzhou (Yuhang) 儂, 是儂, 爾, 是爾
Hangzhou (Lin'an) 儂, 是儂
Hangzhou (Fuyang) 儂, 你, 爾, 是爾
Hangzhou (Xiaoshan) 爾
Tonglu 你, 是你
Shaoxing 諾
Zhuji 你
Shengzhou 儂
Xinchang 爾, 奶
Ningbo 諾, 爾, 爾諾
Ningbo (Zhenhai) 諾
Ningbo (Fenghua) 儂, 爾
Yuyao 儂
Cixi 儂
Xiangshan 爾, 像爾
Ninghai 爾, 爾儂
Zhoushan 儂
Taizhou (Huangyan) 爾
Tiantai 爾
Xianju 爾
Sanmen 爾
Linhai 爾
Wenling 爾
Wenzhou 你
Yueqing 你
Yongjia (Fenglin) 你
Pingyang 你
Taishun 你
Wencheng 你
Lishui 你
Qingtian 你
Jinyun 你, 定你
Wuyi (Liucheng) 爾
Songyang (Xiping) 你
Yunhe 你
Jingning 你
Qingyuan 你
Longquan 你
Quzhou 你
Suichang 你
Jiangshan 你
Changshan 爾
Kaihua 你
Longyou 你, 你儂
Jinhua 儂
Jinhua (Tangxi) 爾, 爾儂
Yiwu 儂
Yongkang 爾
Pujiang 爾
Dongyang 爾
Wuyi 儂
Lanxi 爾, 爾儂
Shangrao 爾儂
Shangrao (Guangfeng) 爾
Yushan 恁
Xiang Changsha 你
Xiangtan 你
Loudi 你
Shuangfeng 你
Note †: honorific
Coordinate terms
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Compounds

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Pronunciation 2

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Rime
Character 子
Reading # 1/1
Initial (聲) 精 (13)
Final (韻) 之 (19)
Tone (調) Rising (X)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 即里切
Baxter tsiX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/t͡sɨX/
Pan
Wuyun 		/t͡sɨX/
Shao
Rongfen 		/t͡sieX/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/t͡sɨX/
Li
Rong 		/t͡siəX/
Wang
Li 		/t͡sĭəX/
Bernhard
Karlgren 		/t͡siX/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		zǐ
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		zi2
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 子 子
Reading # 1/2 2/2
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		zǐ zǐ
Middle
Chinese 		‹ tsiX › ‹ tsiX ›
Old
Chinese 		/*[ts]əʔ/ /*tsəʔ/
English 1st earthly branch child; gentleman, master

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 子
Reading # 1/1
No. 17857
Phonetic
component 		子
Rime
group 		之
Rime
subdivision 		0
Corresponding
MC rime 		子
Old
Chinese 		/*ʔslɯʔ/

Definitions

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子

  1. Suffix:
    1. Used to nominalize.
      瓶子  ―  píngzi  ―  bottle
      刷子  ―  shuāzi  ―  brush
      胖子  ―  pàngzi  ―  fat person
    2. (colloquial) Used in some classifiers.
      一下子  ―  yīxiàzi  ―  all of a sudden
Synonyms
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Dialectal synonyms of 子 (“general diminutive suffix”) [map]
Variety Location Words
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 子
Northeastern Mandarin Beijing 子
Taiwan 子
Singapore 子
Cantonese Guangzhou 仔1
Hong Kong 仔1
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) 仔1
Singapore (Guangfu) 仔1
Hakka Meixian 仔6
Miaoli (N. Sixian) 仔6
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 仔6
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 仔6
Senai (Huiyang) 仔1
Eastern Min Fuzhou 囝
Southern Min Xiamen 仔2
Quanzhou 仔2
Jinjiang 仔2
Zhangzhou 仔2
Zhangpu 仔2
Tainan 仔2
Penang (Hokkien) 囝
Singapore (Hokkien) 囝, 仔2
Manila (Hokkien) 仔2
Shantou 囝
Shantou (Chenghai) 囝
Jieyang 囝
Haifeng 仔2
Bangkok (Teochew) 囝
Johor Bahru (Teochew) 囝
Singapore (Teochew) 囝
Wenchang 囝
Singapore (Hainanese) 囝
Wu Shanghai 頭, 子

Compounds

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Pronunciation 3

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Note: vernacular.
Note: vernacular.

Definitions

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子 (Hokkien)

  1. small, round object
    算盤子／算盘子 [Hokkien]  ―  sǹg-pôaⁿ-jí [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  abacus bead
  2. (Xiamen and Quanzhou Hokkien) Classifier for small objects.
  3. (Zhangzhou and Taiwanese Hokkien) Classifier for bananas.

Descendants

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Sino-Xenic (子):
  • → Japanese: 子(し) (shi); 子(す) (su)
  • → Korean: 자(子) (ja)
  • → Vietnamese: tử (子)

Others:

  • → Vietnamese: tí (“a little bit”)

References

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Japanese

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Kanji

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子

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

  1. (gender-neutral) child
  2. (archaic) honorific for an adult man
  3. (archaic) honorific for a learned man, master
  4. (archaic) man (in general)
  5. (historical) fourth rank of nobility in Meiji-postwar Japan, viscount
  6. egg, fruit, seed
  7. small object
  8. interest
  9. diminutive suffix
  10. Rat (earthly branch)
  11. midnight
  12. north
  • (midnight, north): Antonyms : 午

Readings

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Compounds

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Compounds

Usage notes

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Not to be confused with the visually similar  , an obsolete variant form (変体仮名) of the katakana ネ (ne) not encoded in Unicode.

Etymology 1

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Kanji in this term
子
こ
Grade: 1
kun'yomi
Alternative spellings
児 (uncommon)
娘 (female)

⟨ko1⟩ → */kʷo/ → /ko/

From Old Japanese,[1] attested in the Kojiki (712 CE) and the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE), two of the oldest examples of written Japanese.

Cognate with 蚕 (ko, “silkworm”) and possibly 小 (ko, “little”, diminutive prefix).

Possibly cognate with Goguryeo 仇 (*gu), which appears in an ancient place name with an apparent meaning of child.[2]

Pronunciation

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Noun

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子(こ) • (ko)  (counter 人)

  1. a child
    うちの子(こ)がすみません。
    Uchi no ko ga sumimasen.
    I'm terribly sorry for my child's conduct.
    男の子 (otoko no ko): male child → boy
    いい子 (ii ko): good boy; good girl
  2. (figuratively) a girl, especially a dear or desired one (compare use of English baby, babe)
    あの娘(こ)は誰(だれ)？
    Ano ko wa dare?
    Who's that chick?
    • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 7, poem 1266:
      , text here
      大舟(おほぶね)乎(を)荒海(あるみ)尓(に)榜(こぎ)出(で)八(や)船多(ふね)氣(たけ)吾(わが)見之(みし)兒(こ)等之(らが)目見者(まみは)知(しる)之母(しも) [Man'yōgana]
      大船(おほぶね)を荒海(あるみ)に漕(こ)ぎ出(で)や船(ふね)たけ我(わ)が見(み)し子(こ)らがまみはしるしも [Modern spelling]
      ōbune o arumi ni kogi de ya fune take waga mishi kora ga mami wa shirushi mo
      Rowing the big boat into the rough seas, putting our backs into it, the looks of those girls I saw are clear [in my mind]
  3. (endearing) creature
    この子(こ)は「ミシシッピアカミミガメ」と言(い)います。
    Kono ko wa “Mishishippi akamimigame” to iimasu.
    This little guy is called a "red-eared slider".
    この子(こ)は噛(か)みます。
    Kono ko wa kamimasu.
    This little fella might bite.
  4. a smaller or younger version of a bigger object
    木の子 (ki no ko): tree + child/little one → 茸 (kinoko, “mushroom”)
    竹の子 (take no ko): bamboo + child/little one → 筍 (takenoko, “bamboo shoot”)
  5. (hanafuda, card games, by extension, board games, gambling) person who is dealt cards
    Coordinate term: 親 (oya)
Derived terms
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Derived terms

Prefix

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子(こ) • (ko-) 

  1. an object which has a subservient or derivative role relative to another object
    子会社 (kogaisha): derivative + company → a subsidiary
    子犬 (koinu): derivative + dog → a puppy
Derived terms
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Derived terms

Suffix

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子(こ) • (-ko) 

  1. suffix used in female given names, such as 智子 (​Tomoko), 英子 (​Eiko), 秀子 (​Hideko), 美奈子 (​Minako), 有希子 (​Yukiko)
  2. (rare) suffix used in male given names
  3. an object having a particular state or property (sometimes diminutive)
    振子 (furiko): an object that swings → a pendulum
  4. roe (only when preceded by a fish name, or fish-related prefix)
    明太子 (mentaiko, “pollock roe”)
    飛子 (tobiko, “flying fish roe”)
Derived terms
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Derived terms

Proper noun

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子(こ) • (Ko) 

  1. a surname

Etymology 2

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Kanji in this term
子
す
Grade: 1
on'yomi
Kanji in this term
子
し
Grade: 1
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 子 (MC tsiX), also used in the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE) as 借音 (shakuon) kana for ⟨si⟩. Compare modern Mandarin 子 (zǐ).

The goon reading of shi is likely the original borrowing:

/t͡sɨ/ → /sɨ/ → */ɕɨ/ → /ɕi/

The tōon reading su appears later, and only shows up in certain set terms borrowed from Chinese, where it seems to serve as a kind of nominalizing suffix:

/t͡sɨ/ → /sɨ/ → */sʉ/ → /su/

Pronunciation

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Affix

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子(し) or 子(す) or 子(su) or 子(shi) • (shi or su) 

  1. a child
  2. Short for 子爵 (shishaku): the fourth rank of nobility in Meiji-postwar Japan, equivalent to a viscount
  3. an honorific for a learned man, such as teacher or master
  4. a philosophy branch of Chinese literature, either derived from or outside of the Hundred Schools of Thought
  5. an object which has a subservient or derivative role relative to another object
  6. an object having a particular state or property (sometimes diminutive)
    中性子 (chūseishi): neutral + small thing → a neutron
    椅子 (isu): chair + small thing → a chair
Usage notes
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  • This affix is never used in isolation. It is only used in on'yomi compounds.
  • In some kanji compounds, 子 is part of the word but does not carry much meaning in Japanese, as in 椅子 (isu, “chair”). Possibly because of this erosion of meaning, spelling out 子 in some compounds has become optional, as in 椰子 vs. 椰 (yashi, “a palm tree”), or 柚子 vs. 柚 (yuzu, “an aromatic citron”).
  • In some compounds, the shi or su reading becomes voiced as ji or zu due to rendaku.
Derived terms
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Derived terms

Pronoun

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子(し) • (shi) 

  1. (archaic) second-person pronoun: you (of one's equals)

Proper noun

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子(し) • (Shi) 

  1. (Chinese astrology) Rat, the first of the twelve Earthly Branches
    Hypernyms: 十二支, 地支
    Coordinate terms: 子, 丑, 寅, 卯, 辰, 巳, 午, 未, 申, 酉, 戌, 亥

Etymology 3

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Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia ja
 
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
Kanji in this term
子
ね
Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Contracted from 鼠 (nezumi, “mouse, rat”).

Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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子(ね) • (Ne) 

  1. (Chinese astrology) Rat, the first of the twelve Earthly Branches:
    Hypernyms: 十二支, 地支
    Coordinate terms: 子, 丑, 寅, 卯, 辰, 巳, 午, 未, 申, 酉, 戌, 亥
    1. north
      Synonym: 北 (kita)
    2. the hours between 11:00 P.M./midnight and 1:00/2:00 A.M.
    3. a day or year assigned to the Rat
    4. the eleventh month of the lunar calendar
  2. a place name
Derived terms
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Derived terms

Syllable

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Variant of katakana ネ (ne)

子(ね) • (ne) 

  1. (obsolete) variant katakana syllable ネ (ne) [until the 19th century]
    • Udagawa Yōan, 遠西医方名物考, vol. 4, 1822
      剥篤(ポット)亞斯(アス)蘭 「シ子レス、カラーヘルラチ」羅
      […] 是ヲ燒ク法、曠野ニ一大坑ヲ穿チ其底ト内圍ニ遍(アマ子)ク瓦磗ヲ敷(シキ)連子、樹ノ幹枝𪜈ニ截(キリ)テ其内ニ積ミ焚(モヤ)シ了(オハリ)テ煙消シ通紅トナルトキ尋常(ツ子)ノ灰汁(アク)ヲ取テ少シ宛(ツヽ)頻〻ニ撒(マキチラ)ストキハ其灰ノ鹽氣凝結𬼀堅キ塊片トナル。
    • 第1回国会参法一覧
      小杉イ子議員

Etymology 4

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Kanji in this term
子
み
Grade: 1
kun'yomi
For pronunciation and definitions of 子 – see the following entry.
【実み】3
[noun] fruit (a product of fertilization in a plant)
[noun] seed
[noun] ingredients of soup (meat or vegetables)
[noun] (figurative) contents; substance; essence
[noun] (figurative) good result (Can we verify(+) this sense?)
(This term, 子, is an alternative spelling (archaic, rare) of the above term.)

References

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  1. ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. ^ John R. Bentley (2008) “The Search for the Language of Yamatai”, in Japanese Language and Literature‎[1], volume 42, number 1, page 17:
    This etymology is indirectly supported by evidence from the Koguryo onomastic data: ‘child peak’ is preserved as 仇斯波衣, where 仇 *gu is ‘child’. Thus, the peninsular word is likely *ku, and a plural suffix -ra was later attached. This may have been reinterpreted later as singular ‘child’, much as modern Japanese ko-domo ‘child-plural’ is used as a singular with ko-domo-tati ‘child-plural-plural’ as the plural.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  4. ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

Korean

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Etymology

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From Middle Chinese 子 (MC tsiX). Recorded as Middle Korean ᄌᆞ〮 (có) (Yale: có) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

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Hanja

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Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

Wikisource

子 (eumhun 아들 자 (adeul ja))

  1. Hanja form? of 자 (“son; man”).
  2. Hanja form? of 자 (“offspring”).
  3. Hanja form? of 자 (“a noun suffix”).

Compounds

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Compounds

References

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  • 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [6]

Vietnamese

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chữ Hán Nôm in this term
子

Han character

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子: Hán Việt readings: tý (即(tức)里(lý)切(thiết))[1][2], tử[2][3], tí[3]
子: Nôm readings: tý[1][2], tử[2][4], tí[1], tít[2], tở[3]

  1. chữ Hán form of Tí (“first of the twelve earthly branches”).
    Hypernyms: 地支, 十二支
    Coordinate terms: 子, 丑, 寅, 卯, 辰, 巳, 午, 未, 申, 酉, 戌, 亥
  2. Nôm form of tí (“a little bit; small”).
  3. chữ Hán form of tử (“child; son; small thing”).
    • 1873, Bích Câu Kỳ Ngộ, lines 17–18:
      朝黎當會太和，固陳公子𠸛羅秀渊。
      Triều Lê đương hội thái hòa, Có Trần công tử tên là Tú Uyên.
      In the Lê court's festival of Great Peace, there exists a noble lord named Tran Tu Uyen.

Compounds

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tí
tử

References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Nguyễn (2014).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Trần (2004).
  4. ^ Hồ (1976).
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