右

See also: 石 and 有

右 U+53F3, 右 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-53F3 ← 史 [U+53F2] CJK Unified Ideographs 叴 → [U+53F4]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order (Japan)

Han character

右 (radical 30, 口+2, 5 strokes, cangjie input 大口 (KR), four-corner 4060₀, composition ⿸𠂇口)

Derived characters

• 佑 㤑 㳓 祐 䧺 若 𢙵 槗 𣖻 醢

References

• KangXi: page 173, character 5
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3250
• Dae Jaweon: page 385, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 569, character 1
• Unihan data for U+53F3

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Chinese

simp. and trad.		右
alternative forms		又 厷

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 右
Shang	Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Chu Slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
絠	*kɯːʔ
醢	*qʰɯːʔ
珛	*qʰʷɯs
栯	*ɢʷɯʔ, *qʷɯ
有	*ɢʷɯʔ
友	*ɢʷɯʔ
右	*ɢʷɯʔ, *ɢʷɯs
宥	*ɢʷɯs
囿	*ɢʷɯs, *ɡʷɯ
侑	*ɢʷɯs
酭	*ɢʷɯs
姷	*ɢʷɯs
又	*ɢʷɯs
佑	*ɢʷɯs
祐	*ɢʷɯs
賄	*qʰʷɯːʔ
蛕	*qʰʷɯːʔ, *ɡʷɯː
烠	*ɡʷɯː
倄	*ɢraːw, *ɢʷɯːʔ
鮪	*ɢʷɯʔ
洧	*ɢʷɯʔ
痏	*ɢʷɯʔ
郁	*qʷɯ
戫	*qʷɯ
哊	*ɡʷɯ

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”) is a phonetic loan. In other words, the current form is a phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *ɢʷɯʔ, *ɢʷɯs): phonetic 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs) + semantic 口.

Etymology

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”

Semantic loan from English right, in turn a semantic loan from French droite.

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): yòu (you⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄡˋ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic): ю (i͡u, III)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou, Jyutping): jau⁶

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): yiu⁵

• Gan (Wiktionary): iu⁵
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): yu

  (Meixian, Guangdong): yu⁴

• Jin (Wiktionary): iou³
• Min Bei (KCR): iū
• Min Dong (BUC): iêu
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): iū

  (Teochew, Peng'im): iu⁶

• Wu (Wiktionary): hhieu (T3)
• Xiang (Wiktionary): iou⁵ / iou⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: yòu
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄡˋ
    • Wade–Giles: yu4
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yow
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yòu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /joʊ̯⁵¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic: ю (i͡u, III)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iou⁴⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: jau⁶
    • Yale: yauh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jau⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: yeo⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɐu̯²²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: yiu⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʒiu³²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: iu⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iu¹¹/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yu
    • Hakka Romanization System: iu
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yiu⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /i̯u⁵⁵/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yu
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)iu
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yiu⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /(j)i̯u⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: yu⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /iu⁵³/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: iou³
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /iəu⁴⁵/
• Min Bei
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: iū
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iu⁵⁵/
• Min Dong
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: iêu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iɛu²⁴²/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iū
    • Tâi-lô: iū
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iu
    • IPA (Xiamen): /iu²²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /iu⁴¹/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /iu²²/
    • IPA (Taipei): /iu³³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /iu³³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: iu⁶
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: iŭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iu³⁵/
• Wu
  • (Shanghainese)
    • Wiktionary: hhieu (T3)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɦiɜ²³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: iou⁵ / iou⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iəu²¹/, /iəu⁴⁵/

Note:

• iou5 - vernacular;
• iou4 - literary.

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• Middle Chinese: /ɦɨu^X/

Rime
Character	右
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	云 (35)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	云久切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦɨuX/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦiuX/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣiəuX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦuwX/
Li Rong	/ɣiuX/
Wang Li	/ɣĭəuX/
Bernard Karlgren	/i̯ə̯uX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yǒu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jau5

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ɢ]ʷəʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷɯʔ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	右
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yòu
Middle Chinese	‹ hjuwX ›
Old Chinese	/*[ɢ]ʷəʔ/
English	right hand
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	右
Reading #	1/2
No.	15597
Phonetic component	又
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	有
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷɯʔ/

Definitions

右

1. right (direction)

   右手  ―  yòushǒu  ―  right hand

2. west; areas to the west
3. (historical) right side as the side of precedence
4. (politics) right-wing
5. A surname.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 右 (“right”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		右
Mandarin	Beijing	右
	Taiwan	右
	Malaysia	右
	Singapore	右
Cantonese	Guangzhou	右
	Hong Kong	右
	Macau	右
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	右
	Singapore (Guangfu)	右
Min Dong	Fuzhou	右
Min Nan	Xiamen	正
	Quanzhou	正
	Zhangzhou	正
	Taipei	正
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	正
	Kaohsiung	正
	Yilan	正
	Changhua (Lukang)	正
	Taichung	正
	Tainan	正
	Hsinchu	正
	Kinmen	正
	Penghu (Magong)	正
	Penang (Hokkien)	正
	Singapore (Hokkien)	正
	Manila (Hokkien)	正
	Chaozhou	正
	Shantou	正
	Jieyang	正
	Singapore (Teochew)	正
	Wenchang	右

Antonyms

• 左 (zuǒ, “left”)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yòu (you⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄡˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jau⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: yòu
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄡˋ
    • Wade–Giles: yu4
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yow
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yòu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /joʊ̯⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: jau⁶
    • Yale: yauh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jau⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: yeo⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɐu̯²²/

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• Middle Chinese: /ɦɨu^H/

Rime
Character	右
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	云 (35)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	于救切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦɨuH/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦiuH/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣiəuH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦuwH/
Li Rong	/ɣiuH/
Wang Li	/ɣĭəuH/
Bernard Karlgren	/i̯ə̯uH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yòu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jau6

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ɢ]ʷəʔ-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷɯs/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	右
Reading #	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yòu
Middle Chinese	‹ hjuwH ›
Old Chinese	/*[ɢ]ʷəʔ-s/ (~ *m-qʷəʔ)
English	right hand
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	右
Reading #	2/2
No.	15604
Phonetic component	又
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	宥
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷɯs/

Definitions

右

1. ^† Original form of 佑 (yòu, “to assist”).
2. ^† Original form of 祐 (yòu, “to protect; to bless”).
3. ^† to take somebody's side
4. ^† Alternative form of 侑 (yòu, “to urge somebody to eat or drink”).

Compounds

• 不左不右
• 反右運動／反右运动 (Fǎnyòu Yùndòng)
• 右丞
• 右側／右侧 (yòucè)
• 右側通行／右侧通行
• 右傾／右倾 (yòuqīng)
• 右列
• 右利
• 右史
• 右地
• 右姓
• 右學／右学
• 右師／右师
• 右廣／右广
• 右心室 (yòuxīnshì)
• 右心房 (yòuxīnfáng)
• 右戚
• 右手 (yòushǒu)
• 右文
• 右方
• 右族
• 右武
• 右派 (yòupài)
• 右營／右营 (Yòuyíng)

• 右相
• 右端
• 右翼 (yòuyì)
• 右翼分子 (yòuyì fènzǐ)
• 右職／右职
• 右行
• 右軍／右军 (yòujūn)
• 右輔／右辅
• 右轉／右转 (yòuzhuǎn)
• 右邊／右边 (yòubiān)
• 如左右手
• 左來右去／左来右去
• 左右 (zuǒyòu)
• 左右兩難／左右两难
• 左右前後／左右前后
• 左右夾攻／左右夹攻
• 左右手 (zuǒyòushǒu)
• 左右支絀／左右支绌
• 左右為難／左右为难 (zuǒyòuwéinán)
• 左右翼
• 左右袒
• 左右逢源 (zuǒyòuféngyuán)
• 左右開弓／左右开弓

• 左圖右史／左图右史 (zuǒtúyòushǐ)
• 左宜右有
• 左思右想 (zuǒsīyòuxiǎng)
• 左挈右提
• 左提右挈
• 左擁右抱／左拥右抱 (zuǒyōngyòubào)
• 左支右吾
• 左支右絀／左支右绌
• 左縈右拂／左萦右拂
• 左衝右突／左冲右突 (zuǒchōngyòutū)
• 左輔右弼／左辅右弼
• 左遮右攩
• 左鄰右舍／左邻右舍 (zuǒlín-yòushè)
• 左顧右盼／左顾右盼 (zuǒgùyòupàn)
• 座右銘／座右铭 (zuòyòumíng)
• 江右 (Jiāngyòu)
• 河右
• 無出其右／无出其右 (wúchūqíyòu)
• 男左女右 (nánzuǒnǚyòu)
• 硯右／砚右
• 豪右
• 車右／车右
• 鄰右／邻右

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (右):

• → Japanese: 右(う) (u); 右(ゆう) (yū)
• → Korean: 우 (右, u)
• → Vietnamese: hữu (右)

Others:

• → Bouyei: gvaz (“right”)
• → Lao: ຂວາ (khuā, “right”)
• → Lü: ᦧᦱ (ẋwaa, “right”)
• → Northern Thai: ᨡ᩠ᩅᩣ (“right”)
• → Shan: ၶႂႃ (khwǎa, “right”)
• → Thai: ขวา (kwǎa, “right”)
• → Zhuang: gvaz (“right”)

References

• “右”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A00483

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Japanese

Kanji

右

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. right
2. conservative
3. right-wing, right fielder
4. respect for
5. aid, assist, counsel

Readings

• Go-on: う (u, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: ゆう (yū, Jōyō)^{←いう (iu, historical)}
• Kun: みぎ (migi, 右, Jōyō)
• Nanori: あき (aki); あきら (akira); これ (kore); すけ (suke); たか (taka); たすく (tasuku)

Compounds

Compounds

• 右(う)往(おう)左(さ)往(おう) (uōsaō)
• 右(う)傾(けい) (ukei)
• 右(う)近(こん) (Ukon)
• 右(う)折(せつ) (usetsu)
• 右(う)大(だい)臣(じん) (Udaijin)
• 右(う)端(たん) (utan)
• 右(う)中(ちゅう)間(かん) (uchūkan)
• 右(う)派(は) (uha)
• 右(う)飛(ひ) (uhi)
• 右(う)辺(へん) (uhen)
• 右(う)翼(よく) (uyoku)
• 右(う)腕(わん) (uwan)
• 右(ゆう)筆(ひつ) (yūhitsu)
• 右(ゆう)文(ぶん) (yūbun)
• 机(き)右(ゆう) (kiyū)
• 極(きょく)右(う) (kyokuu)
• 左右(そう) (sō), 左(さ)右(う) (sau)
• 左(さ)右(ゆう) (sayū)
• 座(ざ)右(ゆう) (zayū), 座(ざ)右(う) (zau)
• 左(と)右(かく) (tokaku)
• 右手(めて) (mete)
• 左右(もとこ) (motoko)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
右
みぎ Grade: 1
kun’yomi

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

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
• (Tokyo) みぎ [mìgí] (Heiban – [0]) general
• (Tokyo) み​ぎ [míꜜgì] (Atamadaka – [1]) “the above statement, foregoing”
• IPA^(key): [mʲiɡʲi]

Noun

右(みぎ) • (migi) 

1. right (direction)
   • 1999 July 22, “封(ふう)印(いん)されし者(もの)の右(みぎ)足(あし) [Right Leg of the Sealed One]”, in Vol.4, Konami:

     封(ふう)印(いん)された右(みぎ)足(あし)。封(ふう)印(いん)を解(と)くと、無(む)限(げん)の力(ちから)を得(え)られる。

     Fūinsareta migiashi. Fūin o toku to, mugen no chikara o erareru.

     A sealed right leg. Whosoever breaks the seal shall earn infinite power.

2. (in vertical writing of Japanese, with columns running right to left) the above statement, foregoing
3. (politics) the right wing, a rightist
4. (historical) a superior during in the Chinese Warring States period

   Synonym: 上位 (jōi)

Antonyms

• (right, rightist): 左(ひだり) (hidari, “left”)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 右(みぎ)する (migi suru)
• 右上(みぎあが)り, 右(みぎ)上(あ)がり (migiagari)
• 右上(みぎうえ) (migiue)
• 右腕(みぎうで) (migiude)
• 右側(みぎがわ) (migigawa)
• 右(みぎ)利(き)き (migikiki)
• 右下(みぎした) (migishita)
• 右(みぎ)手(て) (migite)
• 右(みぎ)と言(い)えば左(ひだり) (migi to ieba hidari)
• 右(みぎ)に同(おな)じ (migi ni onaji, “ditto”)
• 右(みぎ)に出(で)る (migi ni deru)
• 右(みぎの)大臣(おおいもうちぎみ) (Migi no Ōimōchigimi)
• 右(みぎの)大臣(おとど) (Migi no Otodo)
• 右(みぎ)左(ひだり) (migihidari)
• 右巻(みぎまき), 右(みぎ)巻(ま)き (migimaki)
• 右(みぎ)も左(ひだり)も分(わ)からない (migi mo hidari mo wakaranai)
• 右様(みぎよう) (migiyō)
• 右(みぎ)四(よ)つ (migiyotsu)
• 回(まわ)れ右(みぎ) (mawaremigi)

Proverbs

Proverbs

• 右(みぎ)の耳(みみ)から左(ひだり)の耳(みみ) (migi no mimi kara hidari no mimi)
• 右(みぎ)を見(み)ても左(ひだり)を見(み)ても (migi o mite mo hidari o mite mo)
• 左(ひだり)平(ひら)目(め)に右(みぎ)鰈(かれい) (hidari hirame ni migi karei)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
右
みぎり Grade: 1
Irregular

The final り (ri) is likely by analogy with its antonym 左 (hidari, “left”).

Noun

右(みぎり) • (migiri) 

1. (archaic) Same as みぎ (migi) above

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
右
ゆう Grade: 1
kan’on

The “right (direction)” and “respect, esteem, value” senses are from Middle Chinese 右 (MC ɦɨu^X).

The “aid, assist” sense is from Middle Chinese 右 / 佑 (MC ɦɨu^H).

The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

Pronunciation

• On’yomi: Kan’on
• IPA^(key): [jɯ̟ᵝː]

Affix

右(ゆう) • (yū) ^{←いう (iu)?}

1. right (direction)
2. respect; esteem; value
3. Alternative form of 佑 (yū, “aid; assist”)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
右
う Grade: 1
goon

From Middle Chinese 右 (MC ɦɨu^X).

The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.

Pronunciation

• On’yomi: Goon
• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟ᵝ]

Affix

右(う) • (u) 

1. right (direction)
2. (politics) right-wing
3. (baseball) right fielder

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Korean

Hanja

右 (eumhun 오른쪽 우 (oreunjjok u))

1. Hanja form^? of 우 (“right (direction)”).

Compounds

• 좌우 (左右, jwau, “left and right”)
• 우측 (右側, ucheuk, “right side”)
• 우측보행 (右側步行, ucheukbohaeng, “to walk on the right side”)
• 남좌여우 (男左女右, namjwayeou, “the left is for males, the right is for females (traditional saying)”)
• 극우 (極右 , geugu, “the far right”)
• 좌우명 (座右銘, jwaumyeong, “maxim; motto, watchword”)

Hanja

右 (eumhun 도울 우 (doul u))

1. Hanja form^? of 우 (“to help; to aid; to assist; to give a hand”).

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Vietnamese

Han character

右: Hán Nôm readings: hữu

1. right (direction)