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See also:
U+4ED4, 仔
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4ED4

[U+4ED3]
CJK Unified Ideographs
[U+4ED5]

Translingual[edit]

Stroke order
0 strokes

Han character[edit]

(Kangxi radical 9, +3, 5 strokes, cangjie input 人弓木 (OND), four-corner 27247, composition )

Derived characters[edit]

References[edit]

  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 92, character 6
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 367
  • Dae Jaweon: page 195, character 9
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 115, character 5
  • Unihan data for U+4ED4

Chinese[edit]

Wikipedia has an article on:
  • (Cantonese)

Glyph origin[edit]

Historical forms of the character
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script



References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

  • Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
  • Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
  • Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
  • Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Phono-semantic compound (形聲形声, OC *ʔslɯ, *ʔslɯʔ) : semantic (person) + phonetic (OC *ʔslɯʔ)

Etymology 1[edit]

simp. and trad.

Cognate with (OC *ʔslɯʔ) and (OC *ʔslɯːʔ, *srɯː, *srɯː). (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation 1[edit]



Rime
Character
Reading # 2/2
Initial () (13)
Final () (19)
Tone (調) Rising (X)
Openness (開合) Open
Division () III
Fanqie
Baxter tsiX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang
/t͡sɨX/
Pan
Wuyun
/t͡sɨX/
Shao
Rongfen
/t͡sieX/
Edwin
Pulleyblank
/t͡sɨX/
Li
Rong
/t͡siəX/
Wang
Li
/t͡sĭəX/
Bernard
Karlgren
/t͡siX/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex
zi2
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
Reading # 2/2
No. 17858
Phonetic
component
Rime
group
Rime
subdivision
0
Corresponding
MC rime
Old
Chinese
/*ʔslɯʔ/
Definitions[edit]

  1. (domesticated animals or fowls) young
      ―    ―  chick
    alt. forms:
  2. meticulous; fine
      ―    ―  careful; meticulous
  3. (Taiwan) Alternative form of (, seed)
      ―  cài yóu  ―  rapeseed oil
Compounds[edit]

Pronunciation 2[edit]

simp. and trad.
alternative forms


Definitions[edit]

  1. (Cantonese, dialectal Hakka, Shehua) son (Classifier: c;  c)
    真係 [Cantonese, trad.]
    真系 [Cantonese, simp.]
    nei5 go3 zai2 zan1 hai6 hou2 gwaai1. [Jyutping]
    Your son is very well-behaved.
  2. (Cantonese) child
    [Cantonese]  ―  saang1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  to give birth (to a child)
  3. (Cantonese, slang) boyfriend (Classifier: c)
    [Cantonese, trad.]
    [Cantonese, simp.]
    nei5 tiu4 zai2 lai4 zo2. [Jyutping]
    Your boyfriend came.
  4. (Cantonese, slang) (young) male (Classifier: c;  c)
    [Cantonese, trad.]
    [Cantonese, simp.]
    ngo5 hai6 zai2 lai4 gaa3 wo3. [Jyutping]
    I'm a guy, though.
  5. (Cantonese, dialectal Hakka, Northern Min) Diminutive suffix.
    1. Denotes a young male of a particular trait.
      [Cantonese]  ―  fei4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  fatty
      後生后生 [Cantonese]  ―  hau6 saang1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  young man
    2. Denotes a young male of a particular occupation or background, often demeaningly.
      打工 [Cantonese]  ―  daa2 gung1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  young worker
      拔萃 [Cantonese]  ―  bat6 seoi6 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  DBS kid
      日本 [Cantonese]  ―  jat6 bun2 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  Japanese guy
    3. Used to call somebody affectionately. (For names, it is only used for males.)
      [Cantonese]  ―  ming4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  Little Ming
      [Cantonese]  ―  koeng4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  Little Keung
      老婆 [Cantonese]  ―  lou5 po4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  wifey
    4. Demeaningly denotes somebody of a particular occupation or position.
      秘書秘书 [Cantonese]  ―  bei3 syu1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  a mere secretary
    5. Denotes a young animal.
      [Cantonese]  ―  gau2 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  puppy
      [Cantonese]  ―  joeng4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  lamb
    6. Denotes something that is small in size.
      [Cantonese]  ―  dang3 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  small stool
      [Cantonese]  ―  zoek3 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  birdie
      [Cantonese]  ―  ngaan5 zai2 luk1 luk1 [Jyutping]  ―  little eyes rolling
      公園公园 [Cantonese]  ―  gung1 jyun4-2 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  small park
      超市 [Cantonese]  ―  ciu1 si5 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  grocery store (literally, “small supermarket”)
    7. Denotes the younger sibling of one's spouse.
      [Cantonese]  ―  suk1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  brother-in-law (husband's younger brother)
      [Cantonese]  ―  ji4-1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  sister-in-law (wife's younger sister)
    8. Used with single-syllable nouns without denoting a specific meaning.
      [Cantonese]  ―  ji5 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  ears
  6. (Cantonese) Used after a classifier to indicate that something is small in size and/or quantity.
    [Cantonese]  ―  jat1 hok3 zai2 faan6 [Jyutping]  ―  a small scoop of rice
    廿嘢食 [Cantonese, trad.]
    廿嘢食 [Cantonese, simp.]
    dak1 go2 jaa6 man1 zai2, bin1 gau3 cin2 maai5 je5 sik6 aa3? [Jyutping]
    With just a mere twenty bucks, how do we have enough to buy food?
  7. (Cantonese, slang, neologism) Suffix placed after a verb or adjective to sound cute and affectionate.
    聽日返學 [Cantonese, trad.]
    听日返学 [Cantonese, simp.]
    ting1 jat6 zau6 jiu3 faan1 hok6 zai2 laa3. [Jyutping]
    Tomorrow, you've got to go to school.
    今日開心 [Cantonese, trad.]
    今日开心 [Cantonese, simp.]
    ngo5 gam1 jat6 hou2 hoi1 sam1 zai2 aa3! [Jyutping]
    I'm really happy today!
Synonyms[edit]
Compounds[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

simp. and trad.
alternative forms
 
chiefly in place names



after name or title
chiefly in place names



after name or title
after name or title

Pronunciation 1 is a weak form of (kiáⁿ, káⁿ). (Mandarin and Cantonese pronunciations in words borrowed from Southern Min are from etymology 1.)

Pronunciation 1[edit]


Note: giá / iá - obsolete.
Definitions[edit]

(chiefly Southern Min)

  1. a diminutive suffix for nouns, adjectives or quantities
    [Hokkien]  ―  gín-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  child
    小叔 [Hokkien]  ―  sió-chek-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  brother-in-law (husband's younger brother)
    勻勻匀匀 [Hokkien]  ―  ûn-ûn-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  slowly
    小可 [Hokkien]  ―  sió-khóa-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  a little bit
    [Hokkien]  ―  koa-á-hì [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  Taiwanese opera
  2. a suffix that converts a verb or adjective into a noun
    [Hokkien]  ―  bín-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  brush
    [Hokkien]  ―  é-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  shorty
  3. a suffix placed after a name or title, used endearingly, humorously or pejoratively
Synonyms[edit]
Usage notes[edit]

Tone sandhi before differ from the normal rules in some dialects of Hokkien. In Taiwanese Hokkien, only the rules for tones 1, 2, 4 (-p/t/k) and 8 (-p/t/k) remain unchanged:

  • tone 3 → tone 1 (instead of tone 2): 印仔 (ìn-á)
  • tone 4 (-h) → tone 1 (instead of tone 2): 鴨仔 (ah-á)
  • tone 5 → tone 7 (instead of tone 3 in northern Taiwan): 蝦仔 (hê-á)
  • tone 7 does not change (instead of changing to tone 3): 帽仔 (bō-á)
  • tone 8 (-h) → tone 7 (instead of tone 3): 藥仔 (io̍h-á)
Compounds[edit]

Pronunciation 2[edit]


Definitions[edit]

  1. Alternative form of , especially when used as a suffix.

Etymology 3[edit]

simp. and trad.

Weak form of (kah, kap, “and”).

Pronunciation[edit]


Definitions[edit]

  1. (Southern Min) An interfix placed between two nouns to show the relationship between the two objects.
    [Hokkien]  ―  ang-á-bó͘ [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  husband and wife

Etymology 4[edit]

simp. and trad.

Weak form of (pah, “hundred”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Definitions[edit]

  1. (Southern Min) An interfix placed between two numbers to denote the value of 100, i.e. x y = 100x + 10y.
    [Hokkien]  ―  saⁿ-á-gō͘ [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  three hundred fifty

Etymology 5[edit]

simp. and trad.

Weak form of (tòaⁿ, “dawn”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Definitions[edit]

  1. (Southern Min) An interfix used limitedly in certain temporal location adverbs.
    [Hokkien]  ―  kin-á-ji̍t [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  today
    [Hokkien]  ―  bîn-á-chài [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  tomorrow

Etymology 6[edit]

simp. and trad.
alternative forms

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation[edit]


Note: In Northern Sixian, 仔 is pronounced as è when following the rising (31) and dark entering (2) tones.

Definitions[edit]

(Hakka)

  1. a suffix used after nouns
    [Sixian Hakka]  ―  su-é [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]  ―  tree
  2. a suffix that makes a derogatory slur
    阿山 [Sixian Hakka]  ―  â-sân-é [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]  ―  Mainlander
Synonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 7[edit]

simp. and trad.

Cognate with (OC *ʔslɯːʔ, *ʔslɯːs, *zlɯːs, “to load; to carry”).

Pronunciation[edit]



Rime
Character
Reading # 1/2
Initial () (13)
Final () (19)
Tone (調) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open
Division () III
Fanqie
Baxter tsi
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang
/t͡sɨ/
Pan
Wuyun
/t͡sɨ/
Shao
Rongfen
/t͡sie/
Edwin
Pulleyblank
/t͡sɨ/
Li
Rong
/t͡siə/
Wang
Li
/t͡sĭə/
Bernard
Karlgren
/t͡si/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex
zi1
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
Reading # 1/2
No. 17855
Phonetic
component
Rime
group
Rime
subdivision
0
Corresponding
MC rime
Old
Chinese
/*ʔslɯ/

Definitions[edit]

  1. Only used in 仔肩 (zījiān).

Etymology 8[edit]

simp. and trad.
alternative forms

From .

Pronunciation[edit]


Definitions[edit]

(Wu)

  1. Used to show a verb has been completed before the last verb of a sentence, often in a sequence of events.
  2. Used to indicate the present perfective.
    [Shanghainese, trad.]
    [Shanghainese, simp.]
    From: 2010, Qian Nairong, 《從〈滬語便商〉所見的老上海話時態》 (Tenses and Aspects? Old Shanghainese as Found in the Book Huyu Bian Shang)
    I've been here for several days already.
    逃走 [Suzhounese, trad.]
    逃走 [Suzhounese, simp.]
    From: 江苏省志・方言志, page 538
    Don't let him get away!
    小雨現在回去夜飯 [Shanghainese, trad.]
    小雨现在回去夜饭 [Shanghainese, simp.]
    From: 2018, Love in Shanghai, from Flavors of Youth
    5shiau-yu 6non 6yi-ze 6zhieu 6we-chi-la 7chiq-hau-tsy 6ya-ve 5tse 5tseu 0ma [Wugniu]
    Xiauyu, you're leaving already? Why not have dinner first?
Usage notes[edit]

In some lects, such as Shanghainese, is a lot more common nowadays. To distinguish between it, 脫了, and , see [[脫了#Usage notes|脫了#Usage notes]]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Japanese[edit]

Kanji[edit]

(“Jinmeiyō” kanji used for names)

  1. offspring (animal)
  2. detailed, fine

Readings[edit]

Korean[edit]

Hanja[edit]

(eum (ja))

  1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese[edit]

Han character[edit]

: Hán Nôm readings: tử, tể

  1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

References[edit]