參

See also: 参, 蔘, and 叄

參 U+53C3, 參 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-53C3 ← 参 [U+53C2] CJK Unified Ideographs 叄 → [U+53C4]

參 U+F96B, 參 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F96B ← 索 [U+F96A] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 塞 → [U+F96C]

Translingual

Traditional	參
Simplified	参
Japanese	参
Korean	參

Han character

參 (Kangxi radical 28, 厶+9, 11 strokes, cangjie input 戈戈戈竹 (IIIH), four-corner 2320₂, composition ⿱厽㐱)

Derived characters

• 傪, 嘇, 墋, 㜗, 㠁, 幓, 慘, 摻, 滲, 㺑, 槮, 犙, 㽩, 磣, 穇, 襂, 糝, 縿, 謲, 贂, 醦, 鏒, 驂, 鰺, 黲
• 遪, 䟃, 剼, 毿, 㓄, 䫩, 嵾, 蔘, 篸, 瘮, 鬖

Additional Derived Characters

• 𠔭, 𠗿, 𢕕, 𬯘, 𤍜, 𤗲, 𤨵, 𬛓, 𥊀, 𧑁, 𧗋, 𮜒, 𰿕, 𩈼, 𩌰, 𩞀, 𩫦
• 𣯶, 𩴑, 𱝦, 𨝐, 𢿈, 𣪶, 𱻣, 𱑯, 𠬙, 𪅩, 𦌀, 𩅙, 𱡸

Descendants

• 参 (Japanese shinjitai and simplified Chinese)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 164, character 28
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3098
• Dae Jaweon: page 372, character 28
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 387, character 23
• Unihan data for U+53C3

• Unihan data for U+F96B

Chinese

Glyph origin

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

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

	Old Chinese
篸	*ʔsluːm, *ʔsluːms
參	*sʰluːm, *sʰluːms, *sloːm, *sʰrum, *srum
驂	*sʰluːm
傪	*sʰluːm, *sʰluːmʔ
慘	*sʰluːmʔ
黲	*sʰluːmʔ, *sʰloːmʔ
謲	*sʰluːms
毿	*sluːm
蔘	*sluːm, *srum
犙	*sluːm, *sru, *srɯu
糝	*sluːmʔ
槮	*sluːmʔ, *sʰrum, *srum, *srumʔ
鬖	*sloːm
摻	*sruːm, *sruːmʔ
醦	*sruːmʔ, *sʰrumʔ
縿	*sroːm
穇	*sroːm
嵾	*sʰrum
磣	*sʰrumʔ
墋	*sʰrumʔ
曑	*srum
瘮	*srumʔ
滲	*srums

Simplified from 曑 (晶 → 厽).

The bronze script form is an ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 晶 (“stars”) + 光 (“light; brightness”) + 彡 (“light rays”) – Three Stars mansion. 彡 (OC *sroːm, *slom) also acts as a phonetic component. Ignoring the lines connecting the three stars, 光 may be interpreted as 卩 (“kneeling person”), representing someone looking at the shining stars above him.

Alternatively, it may be the original character of 簪 (OC *ʔsɯːm, *ʔsrɯm, “hairpin”), since the bronze script forms resemble a person wearing a hat with three stars.

Based on the seal script form, Shuowen interprets the character as a phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *sʰluːm, *sʰluːms, *sloːm, *sʰrum, *srum): semantic 晶 (“stars”) + phonetic 㐱. However, according to the original form, this character is unrelated to 㐱.

Etymology 1

trad.		參
simp.		参
alternative forms		曑 叄 㕘 叅

From 三 (OC *suːm, *suːms, “three”) + other element (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shēn (shen¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄣ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sam¹
• Eastern Min (BUC): sĕng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): sim / serm / sam

  (Teochew, Peng'im): siam¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shēn
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄣ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shen
    • Wade–Giles: shên¹
    • Yale: shēn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shen
    • Palladius: шэнь (šɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂən⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: sam¹
    • Yale: sām
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sam¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sem¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐm⁵⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: sĕng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛiŋ⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sim
    • Tâi-lô: sim
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sym
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /sim⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: serm
    • Tâi-lô: serm
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /səm³³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sam
    • Tâi-lô: sam
    • Phofsit Daibuun: safm
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /sam⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /sam³³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: siam¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siam
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siam³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: srim

Rime
Character	參
Reading #	1/5
Initial (聲)	生 (21)
Final (韻)	侵 (140)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	所今切
Baxter	srim
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʃˠiɪm/
Pan Wuyun	/ʃᵚim/
Shao Rongfen	/ʃiem/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʂjim/
Li Rong	/ʃjəm/
Wang Li	/ʃĭĕm/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʂi̯əm/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	shēn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	sam1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*srum/

  (Zhengzhang): /*srum/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	參
Reading #	4/4
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	shēn
Middle Chinese	‹ srim ›
Old Chinese	/*srum/ (should be *s.rum)
English	the constellation Orion’ (named for the three stars in Orion’s belt)
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	參
Reading #	5/5
No.	1108
Phonetic component	參
Rime group	侵
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	森
Old Chinese	/*srum/

Definitions

參

1. (～宿) (Chinese astronomy) Three Stars mansion (one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions)
2. a surname

Compounds

• 動如參商 / 动如参商
• 卯酉參辰 / 卯酉参辰
• 參商 / 参商 (shēnshāng)
• 參辰 / 参辰
• 參辰卯酉 / 参辰卯酉
• 參辰日月 / 参辰日月
• 捫參歷井 / 扪参历井
• 斗轉參橫 / 斗转参横
• 日月參辰 / 日月参辰
• 曾參殺人 / 曾参杀人 (Zēng Shēn shārén)
• 月落參橫 / 月落参横
• 略無參商 / 略无参商

Etymology 2

trad.		參/蔘*
simp.		参
alternative forms		蓡 薓 葠 叄 㕘 蓡 薓 葠 叄 㕘 叅

Related to Japhug tɤzrɤm (“root”), Yakkha साम (“root”) (Jacques, 2015b), all from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *srəm (“root”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): shēn (shen¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄣ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sam¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): sêm
• Jin (Wiktionary): seng¹
• Eastern Min (BUC): sĕng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): sim / serm / song / som

  (Teochew, Peng'im): siam¹ / siang¹ / som¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹sen

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shēn
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄣ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shen
    • Wade–Giles: shên¹
    • Yale: shēn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shen
    • Palladius: шэнь (šɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂən⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: sam¹
    • Yale: sām
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sam¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sem¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐm⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sêm
    • Hakka Romanization System: sem^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: sem¹
    • Sinological IPA: /sem²⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: seng¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /səŋ¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: sĕng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛiŋ⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Tong'an, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Hsinchu, Sanxia, Kinmen, Magong)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sim
    • Tâi-lô: sim
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sym
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Tong'an, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Kinmen): /sim⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang, Jinjiang, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: serm
    • Tâi-lô: serm
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou, Lukang, Jinjiang, Philippines): /səm³³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Magong)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: song
    • Tâi-lô: song
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sofng
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /sɔŋ⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Xiamen, Tainan, Taichung, Sanxia, Yilan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: som
    • Tâi-lô: som
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sofm
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou, Tainan, Yilan): /sɔm⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /sɔm⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: siam¹ / siang¹ / som¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siam / siang / som
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siam³³/, /siaŋ³³/, /som³³/

Note:

• siang1 - Chaoyang;
• som1 - Raoping.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹sen
    • MiniDict: sen^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹sen
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /sən⁵³/

---

• Middle Chinese: srim

Rime
Character	參
Reading #	1/5
Initial (聲)	生 (21)
Final (韻)	侵 (140)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	所今切
Baxter	srim
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʃˠiɪm/
Pan Wuyun	/ʃᵚim/
Shao Rongfen	/ʃiem/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʂjim/
Li Rong	/ʃjəm/
Wang Li	/ʃĭĕm/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʂi̯əm/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	shēn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	sam1

Definitions

參

1. ginseng or any other similar plant
2. short for 海參／海参 (hǎishēn, “sea cucumber”)

Synonyms

• (ginseng):

Dialectal synonyms of 人參 (“ginseng”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		人參
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	人參
	Singapore	人參
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	人參
	Wanrong	人參
	Xi'an	人參
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	參
Cantonese	Guangzhou	參
	Hong Kong	人參, 參
Gan	Nanchang	人參
	Lichuan	人參
	Pingxiang	人參, 參
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	參
Southern Min	Xiamen	人參
	Quanzhou	人參
	Zhangzhou	人參
	Tainan	參仔
	Leizhou	參
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	人參
Wu	Suzhou	人參

Compounds

• 丹參 / 丹参 (dānshēn)
• 人參 / 人参 (rénshēn)
• 人參果 / 人参果 (rénshēnguǒ)
• 刺參 / 刺参 (cìshēn)
• 參湯 / 参汤 (shēntāng)
• 土參 / 土参
• 沙參 / 沙参 (shāshēn)
• 泡參 / 泡参 (pàoshēn)
• 海參 / 海参 (hǎishēn)
• 海參崴 / 海参崴
• 玄參 / 玄参 (xuánshēn)
• 粉光參 / 粉光参
• 苦參 / 苦参 (kǔshēn)
• 血參 / 血参
• 西洋參 / 西洋参 (xīyángshēn)
• 還陽參 / 还阳参 (huányángshēn)
• 高麗參 / 高丽参 (gāolíshēn)
• 鮑參翅肚 / 鲍参翅肚 (bàoshēnchìdǔ)

Etymology 3

trad.		參
simp.		参
alternative forms		叄 㕘／𠫭 叅／𠫵

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “derived from 三? related to 審?”)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): cān (can¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄘㄢ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): caam¹ / cam¹
• Eastern Min (BUC): chăng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chham

  (Teochew, Peng'im): cam¹ / cang¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tshoe

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: cān
    • Zhuyin: ㄘㄢ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: can
    • Wade–Giles: tsʻan¹
    • Yale: tsān
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsan
    • Palladius: цань (canʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰän⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: caam¹ / cam¹
    • Yale: chāam / chām
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsaam¹ / tsam¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: cam¹ / cem¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaːm⁵⁵/, /t͡sʰɐm⁵⁵/

Note: cam1 - rare.

• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chăng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaŋ⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chham
    • Tâi-lô: tsham
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zhafm
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰam³³/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Taipei): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: cam¹ / cang¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsham / tshang
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰam³³/, /t͡sʰaŋ³³/

Note: cang1 - Chenghai.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹tshoe
    • MiniDict: tshoe^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tshoe
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰø⁵³/

---

• Middle Chinese: tshom

Rime
Character	參
Reading #	3/5
Initial (聲)	清 (14)
Final (韻)	覃 (159)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	倉含切
Baxter	tshom
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡sʰʌm/
Pan Wuyun	/t͡sʰəm/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡sʰɒm/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/t͡sʰəm/
Li Rong	/t͡sʰᴀm/
Wang Li	/t͡sʰɒm/
Bernhard Karlgren	/t͡sʰăm/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	cān
Expected Cantonese Reflex	caam1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[tsʰ]ˤ[u]m/

  (Zhengzhang): /*sʰluːm/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	參
Reading #	1/4
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	cān
Middle Chinese	‹ tshom ›
Old Chinese	/*[tsʰ]ˁ[u]m/
English	accumulate
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	參
Reading #	1/5
No.	1081
Phonetic component	參
Rime group	侵
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	參
Old Chinese	/*sʰluːm/

Definitions

參

1. to join; to take part

   參軍／参军  ―  cānjūn  ―  to join the army

2. to consult

   參閱／参阅  ―  cānyuè  ―  to refer to

   參照／参照  ―  cānzhào  ―  to consult and follow

3. (literary) to examine; to inspect

   • 君子博學而日參省乎己，則知明而行無過矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     君子博学而日参省乎己，则知明而行无过矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Jūnzǐ bóxué ér rì cān xǐng hū jǐ, zé zhī míng ér xíng wú guò yǐ. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 察其好惡，以參忠佞，考其往行，驗之於今。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     察其好恶，以参忠佞，考其往行，验之于今。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals

     Chá qí hàowù, yǐ cān zhōng nìng, kǎo qí wǎngxíng, yàn zhī yú jīn. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

4. (literary) to investigate and understand

   參透／参透  ―  cāntòu  ―  to thoroughly understand

   • 此乃禪機隱語，汝宜自參，不可明說。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     此乃禅机隐语，汝宜自参，不可明说。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Shi Nai'an, Water Margin, circa 14^th century CE

     Cǐ nǎi chánjī yǐnyǔ, rǔ yí zì cān, bùkě míng shuō. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

5. to pay visit to a superior

   參拜／参拜  ―  cānbài  ―  to make a formal visit to

6. (historical) to impeach an official before the emperor
7. (literary) to form a trio with two other things

   • 功參天地，澤被生民。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     功参天地，泽被生民。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Gōng cān tiāndì, zé bèi shēngmín. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 吾與日月參光，吾與天地為常。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     吾与日月参光，吾与天地为常。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Wú yǔ rìyuè cānguāng, wú yǔ tiāndì wéi cháng. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 衛君為告儀，儀許諾，因與之參坐於衛君之前。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     卫君为告仪，仪许诺，因与之参坐于卫君之前。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

     Wèi jūn wèi gào Yí, Yí xǔnuò, yīn yǔ zhī cān zuò yú Wèi jūn zhī qián. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Compounds

• 免參 / 免参
• 內參 / 内参
• 公眾參與 / 公众参与
• 利弊參半 / 利弊参半
• 功過參半 / 功过参半
• 參事 / 参事 (cānshì)
• 參伍 / 参伍
• 參佐 / 参佐 (cānzuǒ)
• 參假 / 参假 (cānjià)
• 參前落後 / 参前落后
• 參加 / 参加 (cānjiā)
• 參劾 / 参劾 (cānhé)
• 參半 / 参半 (cānbàn)
• 參同契 / 参同契
• 參堂 / 参堂
• 參場 / 参场
• 參天 / 参天 (cāntiān)
• 參孫 / 参孙
• 參將 / 参将
• 參展 / 参展 (cānzhǎn)
• 參度 / 参度
• 參悟 / 参悟 (cānwù)
• 參戰 / 参战 (cānzhàn)
• 參拜 / 参拜 (cānbài)
• 參政 / 参政 (cānzhèng)
• 參政權 / 参政权
• 參數 / 参数 (cānshù)
• 參朝 / 参朝
• 參本 / 参本
• 參校 / 参校 (cānjiào)
• 參照 / 参照 (cānzhào)
• 參看 / 参看 (cānkàn)
• 參知政事 / 参知政事
• 參破 / 参破
• 參禪 / 参禅 (cānchán)
• 參綜 / 参综
• 參考 / 参考 (cānkǎo)
• 參考書 / 参考书 (cānkǎoshū)
• 參與 / 参与
• 參見 / 参见 (cānjiàn)
• 參觀 / 参观 (cānguān)
• 參訂 / 参订 (cāndìng)
• 參詳 / 参详 (cānxiáng)
• 參話頭 / 参话头
• 參請 / 参请
• 參謀 / 参谋 (cānmóu)
• 參謁 / 参谒 (cānyè)
• 參譚 / 参谭
• 參議 / 参议 (cānyì)
• 參議會 / 参议会
• 參議院 / 参议院 (cānyìyuàn)
• 參賽 / 参赛 (cānsài)
• 參贊 / 参赞 (cānzàn)
• 參軍 / 参军 (cānjūn)
• 參透 / 参透 (cāntòu)
• 參選 / 参选 (cānxuǎn)
• 參酌 / 参酌 (cānzhuó)
• 參閱 / 参阅 (cānyuè)
• 參雜 / 参杂
• 參靈 / 参灵
• 參革 / 参革
• 參預 / 参预
• 參頭 / 参头
• 參驗 / 参验 (cānyàn)
• 同參 / 同参
• 喝參 / 喝参
• 形名參同 / 形名参同
• 憂喜參半 / 忧喜参半
• 打參 / 打参
• 拔地參天 / 拔地参天
• 放參 / 放参 (fàngcān)
• 早參 / 早参
• 晚參 / 晚参
• 晨參暮省 / 晨参暮省
• 晨參暮禮 / 晨参暮礼
• 暮禮晨參 / 暮礼晨参
• 朝參暮禮 / 朝参暮礼
• 毀譽參半 / 毁誉参半 (huǐyùcānbàn)
• 疑信參半 / 疑信参半
• 筆參造化 / 笔参造化
• 聯合參謀 / 联合参谋
• 說參請 / 说参请
• 違紀參選 / 违纪参选
• 飽參 / 饱参
• 魚頭參政 / 鱼头参政

Etymology 4

trad.		參/叁
simp.		叁

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): sān (san¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄢ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): saam¹
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹se

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: sān
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄢ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: san
    • Wade–Giles: san¹
    • Yale: sān
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: san
    • Palladius: сань (sanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sän⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: saam¹
    • Yale: sāam
    • Cantonese Pinyin: saam¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sam¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /saːm⁵⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹se
    • MiniDict: se^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹se
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /se⁵³/

---

• Middle Chinese: sam

Rime
Character	參
Reading #	4/5
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	談 (143)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	蘇甘切
Baxter	sam
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/sɑm/
Pan Wuyun	/sɑm/
Shao Rongfen	/sɑm/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/sam/
Li Rong	/sɑm/
Wang Li	/sɑm/
Bernhard Karlgren	/sɑm/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	sān
Expected Cantonese Reflex	saam1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*s.rum/

  (Zhengzhang): /*sloːm/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	參
Reading #	3/4
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	sān
Middle Chinese	‹ sam ›
Old Chinese	/*s.rum/ (*s.r- > s-; infl. by 四 *s-?)
English	three
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	參
Reading #	3/5
No.	1094
Phonetic component	參
Rime group	談
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	三
Old Chinese	/*sloːm/

Definitions

參

1. (obsolete or financial) alternative form of 三 (“three”)

   • 先王之制，大都不過參國之一。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     先王之制，大都不过参国之一。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Xiānwáng zhī zhì, dàdū bù guò sān guó zhī yī. [Pinyin]

     According to the regulations of the former kings, such a city of the first order can have its wall only a third as long as that of the capital.

   • 足下與項王有故，何不反漢與楚連和，參分天下王之？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     足下与项王有故，何不反汉与楚连和，参分天下王之？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Zúxià yǔ Xiàng wáng yǒugù, hé bù fǎn Hàn yǔ Chǔ liánhé, sān fēn tiānxià wàng zhī? [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

See also

Chinese numbers
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	102	103	104	106	108	1012
Normal (小寫 / 小写)	〇, 零, 空	一, 蜀	二, 兩 / 两	三	四	五	六	七	八	九	十	百	千	萬 / 万, 十千 (Malaysia, Singapore)	百萬 / 百万, 桶(Philippines), 面桶 (Philippines)	億 / 亿	兆 (Taiwan) 萬億 / 万亿 (Mainland China)
Financial (大寫 / 大写)	零	壹	貳 / 贰	參 / 叁	肆	伍	陸 / 陆	柒	捌	玖	拾	佰	仟

In Min Nan numbers, the vernacular (白) pronunciation is the more common pronunciation, while the literary (文) reading is used for reading numbers out loud, such as in phone numbers. Please note that this usage is similar to the usage of the variant 幺 for the numeral 一 in Mandarin.

Compounds

• 參兩 / 参两
• 參夷 / 参夷
• 參會 / 参会 (sānhuì)

Etymology 5

trad.		參
simp.		参
alternative forms		叄 㕘 叅

Related to 巉 (OC *zraːm, *zraːmʔ, “craggy”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): cēn (cen¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄘㄣ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): caam¹ / cam¹
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chhim / chham / chherm
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tshen

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: cēn
    • Zhuyin: ㄘㄣ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: cen
    • Wade–Giles: tsʻên¹
    • Yale: tsēn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsen
    • Palladius: цэнь (cɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰən⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: caam¹ / cam¹
    • Yale: chāam / chām
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsaam¹ / tsam¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: cam¹ / cem¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaːm⁵⁵/, /t͡sʰɐm⁵⁵/

Note: cam1 - rare.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhim
    • Tâi-lô: tshim
    • Phofsit Daibuun: chym
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰim⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chham
    • Tâi-lô: tsham
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zhafm
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chherm
    • Tâi-lô: tsherm
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰəm³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹tshen
    • MiniDict: tshen^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tshen
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰən⁵³/

---

• Middle Chinese: tsrhim

Rime
Character	參
Reading #	2/5
Initial (聲)	初 (19)
Final (韻)	侵 (140)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	楚簪切
Baxter	tsrhim
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡ʃʰˠiɪm/
Pan Wuyun	/ʈ͡ʂʰᵚim/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡ʃʰiem/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʈ͡ʂʰjim/
Li Rong	/t͡ʃʰjəm/
Wang Li	/t͡ʃʰĭĕm/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʈ͡ʂʰi̯əm/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chēn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	cam1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[tsʰr][u]m/

  (Zhengzhang): /*sʰrum/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	參
Reading #	2/4
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	cēn
Middle Chinese	‹ tsrhim ›
Old Chinese	/*[tsʰr][u]m/
English	參差 tsrhim.tsrhje uneven
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	參
Reading #	4/5
No.	1103
Phonetic component	參
Rime group	侵
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	嵾
Old Chinese	/*sʰrum/
Notes	同嵾

Definitions

參

1. only used in 參差／参差 (cēncī) and 參錯／参错 (cēncuò)

Compounds

• 參差 / 参差 (cēncī)
• 參差不齊 / 参差不齐 (cēncībùqí)
• 參錯 / 参错 (cēncuò)
• 玉參差 / 玉参差

Etymology 6

trad.		參
simp.		参
alternative forms		慘／惨 䟃／𫎺

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Taishan, Wiktionary): tam²

---

• Cantonese
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: tam²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰam⁵⁵/

Definitions

參

1. (Siyi Yue) clever; capable; competent; powerful

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 聰明 (“clever; intelligent; smart; bright”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		聰明, 伶俐, 聰敏, 聰穎
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		聰明, 機靈, 伶俐, 聰敏, 聰穎, 聰慧
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	聰明
	Taiwan	聰明
	Malaysia	聰明, pandai
	Singapore	聰明, pandai
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	聰明
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	靈, 靈醒
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	精靈, 聰明
	Wuhan	聰明
	Guilin	聰明
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	聰明
	Hefei	聰明
Cantonese	Guangzhou	聰明, 醒, 醒目, 叻, 精
	Hong Kong	聰明, 醒, 醒目, 叻, 精
	Taishan	聰明, 叻, 參
	Kaiping (Chikan)	叻
	Yangjiang	伶俐, 叻
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	精, 扮𠮨
	Singapore (Guangfu)	聰明, 精, 叻, 醒目, 扮𠮨
Gan	Nanchang	精靈, 聰明
Hakka	Meixian	聰明, 機靈
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	聰明
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	聰明
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	聰明
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	聰明, 精
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	聰明, 精
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	聰明
	Kuching (Hepo)	將
Jin	Taiyuan	機靈, 聰明
Northern Min	Jian'ou	聰明
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	聰明
Southern Min	Xiamen	聰明, 伶俐
	Quanzhou	聰明, 骨, 骨鳥 derogatory, 伶俐
	Zhangzhou	聰明, 伶俐
	Taipei	聰明, 巧, 明白
	Singapore (Hokkien)	聰明, 𠢕, 勥, 醒目, 巧
	Manila (Hokkien)	巧, 勥, 𠢕
	Chaozhou	聰明
	Singapore (Teochew)	聰明
	Wenchang	精
	Singapore (Hainanese)	精
Wu	Suzhou	聰明
	Ningbo	聰明
	Wenzhou	靈, 聰明
Xiang	Changsha	靈泛, 聰明
	Shuangfeng	聰明

Etymology 7

trad.		參
simp.		参

From English ransom (Cheung, 2007, page 219).

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sam¹

---

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: sam¹
    • Yale: sām
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sam¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sem¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐm⁵⁵/

Definitions

參

1. (Cantonese) hostage (Classifier: 條／条 c)

Synonyms

• 人質／人质 (rénzhì)

Compounds

• 救參 / 救参
• 標參 / 标参
• 肉參 / 肉参
• 藏參 / 藏参

Etymology 8

For pronunciation and definitions of 參 – see 摻 (“càn, type of drum music”). (This character is a variant form of 摻).

Etymology 9

For pronunciation and definitions of 參 – see 糝 (“mixed; impure”). (This character is a variant form of 糝).

Japanese

Shinjitai	参
Kyūjitai	參

Kanji

參

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 参)

1. three

Readings

• Go-on: さん (san)、しん (shin)、そん (son)
• Kan-on: さん (san)、しん (shin)
• Kun: まいる (mairu, 參る)

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC tshom, “add; influence; join”).

Historical readings
Dongguk Jeongun reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	참 (Yale: chàm)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
	Gloss (hun)	Reading
Sinjeung Yuhap, 1576	참예 (Yale: chamyey)	참 (Yale: cham)
Early Modern Korean
Text	Final (韻)	Reading
Samun Seonghwi, 1751	覃	참 (cham)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕʰa̠m]
• Phonetic hangul: [참]

Hanja

參 (eumhun 참여할 참 (chamyeohal cham))

1. hanja form^? of 참 (“to join; to participate”) [affix]

Compounds

• 고참 (古參, gocham)
• 동참 (同參, dongcham)
• 불참 (不參, bulcham)
• 신참 (新參, sincham)
• 지참 (持參, jicham)
• 참가 (參加, chamga)
• 참견 (參見, chamgyeon)
• 참고 (參考, chamgo)
• 참관 (參觀, chamgwan)
• 참모 (參謀, chammo)
• 참배 (參拜, chambae)
• 참석 (參席, chamseok, “attendance”)
• 참여 (參與, chamyeo)
• 참전 (參戰, chamjeon)
• 참조 (參照, chamjo)
• 합참 (合參, hapcham)

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC tsrhim, “jagged; uneven”).

Historical readings
Dongguk Jeongun reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᄎᆞᆷ (Yale: chòm)
Early Modern Korean
Text	Final (韻)	Reading
Samun Seonghwi, 1751	侵	ᄎᆞᆷ (cham)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕʰa̠m]
• Phonetic hangul: [참]

Hanja

參 (eumhun 들쭉날쭉할 참 (deuljjungnaljjukhal cham))

1. (literary) hanja form^? of 참 (“jagged; uneven”)

Compounds

• 참착 (參錯, chamchak)
• 참치 (參差, chamchi)

Etymology 3

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC srim, “Three Stars mansion”).

Historical readings
Dongguk Jeongun reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᄉᆞᆷ (Yale: sòm)
Early Modern Korean
Text	Final (韻)	Reading
Samun Seonghwi, 1751	侵	ᄉᆞᆷ (sam)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰa̠m]
• Phonetic hangul: [삼]

Hanja

參 (eumhun 별 이름 삼 (byeol ireum sam))

1. hanja form^? of 삼 (“(Chinese astronomy) Three Stars mansion (one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions)”)

Compounds

• 삼례 (參禮, Samnye, “Samnye”)
• 삼상 (參商, samsang)
• 삼성 (參星, samseong)
• 삼수 (參宿, samsu)

Etymology 4

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC sam, “three”).

Hanja

參 (eumhun 석 삼 (seok sam))

1. (financial) alternative form of 三 (“hanja form^? of 삼 (“three”)”)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [1]

Vietnamese

Han character

參: Hán Nôm readings: tham

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