便

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See also: 使
便 U+4FBF, 便
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4FBF

[U+4FBE]
CJK Unified Ideographs
[U+4FC0]

U+F965, 便
CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F965

[U+F964]
CJK Compatibility Ideographs
[U+F966]

Translingual[edit]

Stroke order
9 strokes

Han character[edit]

便 (Kangxi radical 9, +7, 9 strokes, cangjie input 人一中大 (OMLK), four-corner 21246, composition )

Derived characters[edit]

References[edit]

  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 103, character 32
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 659
  • Dae Jaweon: page 219, character 10
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 157, character 3
  • Unihan data for U+4FBF

Chinese[edit]

simp. and trad.
便

Glyph origin[edit]

Historical forms of the character 便
Western Zhou Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions Small seal script Transcribed ancient scripts




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).

According to Shuowen, an ideogrammic compound (會意会意): (person) + (to change) – to change one's posture to make oneself comfortable.

Alternatively, this may be the original character for (OC *pen, “to whip”), from (person) + 𠓥 (whip), as seen in the bronze script.

Etymology 1[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]


Note:
  • biêng6 - Chaozhou;
  • biang6 - Shantou.
  • Wu
  • Xiang

  • Rime
    Character 便
    Reading # 2/2
    Initial () (3)
    Final () (77)
    Tone (調) Departing (H)
    Openness (開合) Open
    Division () III
    Fanqie
    Baxter bjienH
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang
    /biᴇnH/
    Pan
    Wuyun
    /biɛnH/
    Shao
    Rongfen
    /bjænH/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank
    /bianH/
    Li
    Rong
    /biɛnH/
    Wang
    Li
    /bĭɛnH/
    Bernard
    Karlgren
    /bʱi̯ɛnH/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex
    biàn
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex
    bin6
    BaxterSagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 便
    Reading # 1/2
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)
    biàn
    Middle
    Chinese
    ‹ bjienH ›
    Old
    Chinese
    /*[b]e[n]-s/
    English comfortable; advantageous

    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 便
    Reading # 2/2
    No. 778
    Phonetic
    component
    便
    Rime
    group
    Rime
    subdivision
    2
    Corresponding
    MC rime
    便
    Old
    Chinese
    /*bens/

    Definitions[edit]

    便

    1. convenient; handy
      便  ―  fāngbiàn  ―  convenient, suitable
      便  ―  biàn  ―  convenient, easy
      便便  ―  jiǎnbiàn  ―  convenient, handy
    2. to go a long way in; to serve the interests of; to benefit; to make convenient
    3. nimble; agile
    4. informal; ordinary; plain
      便  ―  biàn  ―  civilian clothes
      便  ―  biàn  ―  casual clothes
      便  ―  biànhán  ―  informal letter
    5. human waste; excretion
      便  ―  xiǎobiàn  ―  to urinate
      便  ―  biàn  ―  to defecate
      便  ―  biàn  ―  toilet
      便便  ―  fènbiàn  ―  excrement, feces
    6. soon afterward; as soon as
      警察現場人群便四散離去 [MSC, trad.]
      警察现场人群便四散离去 [MSC, simp.]
      Jǐngchá yī dào xiànchǎng, rénqún biàn sìsàn líqù. [Pinyin]
      The crowd soon dissipated when the police arrived.
      日本不久便洋財 [MSC, trad.]
      日本不久便洋财 [MSC, simp.]
      Tā dào le rìběn, bùjiǔ biàn fā le yángcái. [Pinyin]
      He went to Japan and soon made a big fortune.
      便開始謝頂 [MSC, trad.]
      便开始谢顶 [MSC, simp.]
      Tā èrshí jǐ suì biàn kāishǐ xièdǐng. [Pinyin]
      He started going bald in his twenties.
    7. then
      得空便出去 [MSC, trad. and simp.]
      Tā yī dékòng biàn pǎochūqù wán. [Pinyin]
      As soon as gets free, he (then) runs out to play.
    8. even if; even though

    Compounds[edit]

    Etymology 2[edit]

    Pronunciation[edit]


    Note: vernacular.
      • (Teochew)
        • Peng'im: biêng6 / biang6 / pin1 / piang6
        • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: piĕng / piăng / phiⁿ / phiăng
        • Sinological IPA (key): /pieŋ³⁵/, /piaŋ³⁵/, /pʰĩ³³/, /pʰiaŋ³⁵/
    Note:
    • biêng6 - Chaozhou;
    • biang6 - Shantou;
    • piang6 - in 大腹便便;
    • pin1 - cheap.
  • Wu

  • Rime
    Character 便
    Reading # 1/2
    Initial () (3)
    Final () (77)
    Tone (調) Level (Ø)
    Openness (開合) Open
    Division () III
    Fanqie
    Baxter bjien
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang
    /biᴇn/
    Pan
    Wuyun
    /biɛn/
    Shao
    Rongfen
    /bjæn/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank
    /bian/
    Li
    Rong
    /biɛn/
    Wang
    Li
    /bĭɛn/
    Bernard
    Karlgren
    /bʱi̯ɛn/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex
    pián
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex
    pin4
    BaxterSagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 便
    Reading # 2/2
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)
    pián
    Middle
    Chinese
    ‹ bjien ›
    Old
    Chinese
    /*[b]e[n]/
    English glib-tongued

    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 便
    Reading # 1/2
    No. 773
    Phonetic
    component
    便
    Rime
    group
    Rime
    subdivision
    2
    Corresponding
    MC rime
    便
    Old
    Chinese
    /*ben/
    Notes

    Definitions[edit]

    便

    1. quiet and comfortable
    2. slim and graceful
    3. nimble
    4. eloquent
    5. cheap; inexpensive
      便  ―  piányi  ―  cheap

    Compounds[edit]

    Etymology 3[edit]

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Definitions[edit]

    便

    1. (Cantonese, non-productive) Suffix for locational nouns; side

    Compounds[edit]

    • 一二便 (jat1 ji6 bin6, somewhere aside) (Cantonese)
    • 一便 (Cantonese)
    • 上便 (soeng6 bin6, above) (Cantonese)
    • 下便 (haa6 bin6, below) (Cantonese)
    • 側便侧便 (zak1 bin6) (Cantonese)
    • 入便 (jap6 bin6, inside) (Cantonese)
    • 兩便两便 (loeng5 bin6, both sides) (Cantonese)
    • 出便 (ceot1 bin6, outside) (Cantonese)
    • 前便 (cin4 bin6, in front) (Cantonese)
    • 北便 (bak1 bin6, the north) (Cantonese)
    • 南便 (naam4 bin6, the south) (Cantonese)
    • 右便 (jau6 bin6, the right) (Cantonese)
    • 右手便 (jau6 sau2 bin6, right hand side) (Cantonese)
    • 呢便 (this side) (Cantonese)
    • 嗰便 (go2 bin6, that side) (Cantonese)
    • 四便 (sei3 bin6, all four sides) (Cantonese)
    • 埋便 (maai4 bin6, inside, inner side) (Cantonese)
    • 外便 (ngoi6 bin6, outside) (Cantonese)
    • 左便 (zo2 bin6, the left) (Cantonese)
    • 左手便 (zo2 sau2 bin6, left hand side) (Cantonese)
    • 後便后便 (hau6 bin6, behind) (Cantonese)
    • 東便东便 (dung1 bin6, the east) (Cantonese)
    • 裡便里便 (leoi5 bin6, inside) (Cantonese)
    • 西便 (sai1 bin6, the west) (Cantonese)
    • 邊便边便 (bin1 bin6, which side) (Cantonese)
    • 開便开便 (hoi1 bin6, outside, outer side) (Cantonese)

    Japanese[edit]

    Kanji[edit]

    便

    (grade 4 “Kyōiku” kanji)

    Readings[edit]

    Compounds[edit]

    Related terms[edit]

    Etymology 1[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    便
    べん
    Grade: 4
    goon

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Adjective[edit]

    便(べん) (ben-na (adnominal 便(べん) (ben na), adverbial 便(べん) (ben ni))

    1. convenient
    Inflection[edit]

    Adjective[edit]

    便(べん) (ben-nari

    1. convenient

    Inflection[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    便(べん) (ben

    1. a convenience
    2. facilities
      交通(こうつう)便(べん)いい
      kōtsū no ben ga ii
      good transport facilities
    3. bowel movement
    Synonyms[edit]

    Etymology 2[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    便
    びん
    Grade: 4
    kan’yōon

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    便(びん) (bin

    1. a flight
    2. mail
    3. (bus) service

    See also[edit]

    Etymology 3[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    便
    よすが
    Grade: 4
    kun’yomi
    For pronunciation and definitions of 便 – see the following entry.
    よすが
    [noun] something to rely on; a connection, affinity
    [noun] someone to rely on; a relative
    [noun] an opportunity, way, means
    Alternative spellings
    ,
    (This term, 便, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

    References[edit]

    1. 1.0 1.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006) 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

    Korean[edit]

    Etymology 1[edit]

    From Middle Chinese 便 (MC bjien|bjienH, “comfortable”).

    Historical Readings
    Dongguk Jeongun Reading
    Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 Recorded as Middle Korean  (Yale: ppyèn) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
    Middle Korean
    Text Eumhun
    Gloss (hun) Reading
    Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[1] 쟉마ᄌᆞᆯ Recorded as Middle Korean (pyen) (Yale: pyen) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.
    Gwangju Cheonjamun, 1575 편안 편[1] Recorded as Middle Korean (phyen) (Yale: phyen) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.
    1. ^ 平聲 [Level tone]

    Pronunciation[edit]

    • (convenience; etc.):
    • (in 편지 (便紙, pyeonji)):
      • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [pʰjɘ(ː)n]
      • Phonetic hangul: [(ː)]
        • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

    Hanja[edit]

    Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

    Wikisource

    便 (eumhun 편할 (pyeonhal pyeon))

    1. Hanja form? of (convenience; ease; comfortability).

    Compounds[edit]

    Etymology 2[edit]

    From Middle Chinese 便 (MC bjienH, “human waste”).

    Historical Readings
    Dongguk Jeongun Reading
    Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 Recorded as Middle Korean 뼌〮 (Yale: ppyén) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
    Middle Korean
    Text Eumhun
    Gloss (hun) Reading
    Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[2] 오좀〮 Recorded as Middle Korean (phyen) (Yale: phyèn) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Hanja[edit]

    便 (eumhun 오줌 (ttong'ojum byeon))

    1. Hanja form? of (feces and urine).

    Compounds[edit]

    References[edit]

    • 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전/電子字典. [3]

    Vietnamese[edit]

    Han character[edit]

    便: Hán Nôm readings: tiện, biền

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

    References[edit]