妹

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See also: 妺
妹 U+59B9, 妹
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-59B9
← 妸
[U+59B8] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 妺 →
[U+59BA]

Translingual[edit]

Han character[edit]

妹 (Kangxi radical 38, 女+5, 8 strokes, cangjie input 女十木 (VJD), four-corner 45490, composition ⿰女未)

Stroke order
0 strokes

References[edit]

  • KangXi: page 257, character 28
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 6138
  • Dae Jaweon: page 522, character 23
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1034, character 6
  • Unihan data for U+59B9

Chinese[edit]

trad. 妹
simp. # 妹

Glyph origin[edit]

Historical forms of the character 妹
Shang Western Zhou Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Oracle bone script Bronze inscriptions Small seal script
妹-oracle.svg 妹-bronze.svg 妹-seal.svg
Characters in the same phonetic series (未) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
寐 *mids
魅 *mrɯds
鬽 *mrɯds
昧 *mɯːds
妹 *mɯːds
眛 *maːds, *mɯːds
沬 *maːds, *hmɯːds, *mɯds
未 *mɯds
味 *mɯds
鮇 *mɯds
菋 *mɯds

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *mɯːds): semantic 女 (“female, woman”) + phonetic 未 (OC *mɯds).

Etymology[edit]

Probably Sino-Tibetan. Proposed etymologies:

Pronunciation[edit]

Note:
  • Xiamen:
    • bē - vernacular;
    • bōe - literary.
  • Quanzhou:
    • bēr - vernacular;
    • mūi - literary.
  • Zhangzhou:
    • māi - vernacular;
    • moāi - literary.
  • (Teochew)
    • Note:
    • muê6 - literary;
    • muê7 - vernacular.
  • Wu
  • Xiang
    • Note:
    • mei5 - vernacular;
    • mei4 - literary.
    Rime
    Character 妹
    Reading # 1/1
    Initial (聲) 明 (4)
    Final (韻) 灰 (42)
    Tone (調) Departing (H)
    Openness (開合) Closed
    Division (等) I
    Fanqie 莫佩切
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang         		/muʌiH/
    Pan
    Wuyun         		/muoiH/
    Shao
    Rongfen         		/muɒiH/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank         		/mwəjH/
    Li
    Rong         		/muᴀiH/
    Wang
    Li         		/muɒiH/
    Bernard
    Karlgren         		/muɑ̆iH/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex         		mèi
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex         		mui6
    Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 妹
    Reading # 1/1
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)         		mèi
    Middle
    Chinese         		‹ mwojH ›
    Old
    Chinese         		/*C.mˁə[t]-s/
    English younger sister

    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 妹
    Reading # 1/1
    No. 12914
    Phonetic
    component         		未
    Rime
    group         		隊
    Rime
    subdivision         		1
    Corresponding
    MC rime         		妹
    Old
    Chinese         		/*mɯːds/

    Definitions[edit]

    妹

    1. younger sister
    2. girl; young female
    3. (Hakka) daughter
    4. a surname

    Synonyms[edit]

    Dialectal synonyms of 妹妹 (“younger sister”) [map]
    Variety Location Words
    Classical Chinese 妹, 女弟
    Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 妹妹
    Mandarin Beijing 妹妹
    Taiwan 妹妹
    Ulanhot 老妹兒
    Tongliao 老妹兒
    Chifeng 妹妹
    Bayanhot 妹妹
    Hulunbuir (Hailar) 老妹兒
    Harbin 妹妹, 妹子
    Shenyang 妹妹
    Yantai (Muping) 妹
    Jinan 妹妹
    Luoyang 妹
    Wanrong 妹子
    Zhengzhou 妹妹
    Xi'an 妹子, 妹妹
    Yinchuan 妹妹
    Lanzhou 妹妹
    Xining 妹子
    Ürümqi 妹妹
    Wuhan 妹妹
    Huanggang 妹兒
    Chengdu 妹兒, 妹妹, 妹
    Guiyang 妹
    Kunming 妹子, 妹妹
    Liuzhou 妹子, 妹, 老妹
    Xuzhou 妹妹
    Yangzhou 妹妹
    Nanjing 妹妹, 妹子
    Hefei 妹妹
    Nantong 妹子, 妹妹
    Malaysia 妹妹
    Singapore 妹妹
    Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) 妹妹
    Cantonese Guangzhou 妹妹, 細妹, 阿妹, 妹
    Hong Kong 妹妹, 細妹, 阿妹, 妹
    Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou) 阿妹
    Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou) 妹
    Hong Kong (Ting Kok) 阿妹
    Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) 阿妹
    Macau 妹
    Guangzhou (Panyu) 細妹, 阿妹
    Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) 妹
    Guangzhou (Conghua) 妹
    Guangzhou (Zengcheng) 阿妹
    Foshan 細妹, 妹
    Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) 阿妹
    Foshan (Shunde) 妹
    Foshan (Sanshui) 妹
    Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) 妹子
    Zhongshan (Shiqi) 妹
    Zhuhai (Qianshan) 妹
    Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka) 阿妹
    Zhuhai (Doumen) 阿妹
    Jiangmen (Baisha) 阿妹
    Jiangmen (Xinhui) 阿妹
    Taishan 阿妹
    Kaiping (Chikan) 阿妹
    Enping (Niujiang) 阿妹
    Heshan (Yayao) 妹
    Dongguan 妹
    Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) 妹
    Shaoguan 阿妹
    Yunfu 阿妹
    Yangjiang 小妹
    Xinyi 老妹
    Lianjiang 老妹, 阿妹
    Danzhou 老姑
    Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) 阿妹
    Singapore (Guangfu) 細妹, 阿妹, 妹
    Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) 細妹
    Gan Nanchang 妹子
    Lichuan 妹
    Pingxiang 老妹, 妹老子
    Hakka Meixian 老妹, 老妹仔
    Xingning 老妹
    Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua) 老妹
    Huiyang 老妹
    Huidong (Daling) 老妹
    Dongguan (Qingxi) 老妹
    Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) 老妹
    Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) 老妹
    Wuhua (Shuizhai) 老妹
    Wuhua (Huacheng) 老妹
    Wuhua (Changbu) 老妹
    Wuhua (Mianyang) 老妹
    Wuhua (Meilin) 老妹
    Heyuan (Bendihua) 老妹
    Wengyuan 老妹
    Shaoguan (Qujiang) 老妹
    Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) 老妹
    Liannan 老妹
    Conghua (Lütian) 老妹
    Jiexi 老妹
    Luhe 老妹
    Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan) 阿妹
    Changting 老妹
    Wuping 老妹
    Wuping (Yanqian) 老妹子
    Wuping (Pingyu) 老妹
    Liancheng 老妹
    Ninghua 老妹
    Yudu 妹子
    Ningdu 妹
    Ruijin 老妹
    Shicheng 老妹, 妹
    Shangyou (Shexi) 老妹
    Tonggu (Sandu) 老妹
    Ganzhou (Panlong) 老妹
    Dayu 妹佬
    Miaoli (N. Sixian) 老妹
    Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 老妹
    Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 老妹
    Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 老妹
    Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 老妹
    Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 阿妹
    Hong Kong 老妹
    Yangxi (Tangkou) 老妹
    Yangchun (Sanjia) 老妹
    Xinyi (Sihe) 老妹
    Xinyi (Qianpai) 老妹
    Gaozhou (Xindong) 老妹
    Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai) 老妹
    Huazhou (Xin'an) 老妹
    Lianjiang (Shijiao) 老妹
    Lianjiang (Qingping) 老妹
    Mengshan (Xihe) 老妹
    Luchuan 老妹
    Sabah (Bao'an) 老妹
    Sabah (Longchuan) 老妹
    Senai (Huiyang) 老妹
    Sungai Tapang, Batu Kawa (Hepo) 老妹
    Singkawang 阿妹, 老妹
    Huizhou Jixi 妹
    Shexian 妹妹, 女妹
    Tunxi 令妹兒
    Xiuning 令妹, 令妹兒
    Yixian 奶妹兒
    Qimen 妹吶
    Wuyuan 女妹仂, 女妹, 妹
    Fuliang 小妹, 妹哩
    Dexing 妹子
    Jin Taiyuan 妹妹
    Pingyao 妹妹, 妹子
    Xinzhou 姊妹
    Taibus (Baochang) 妹妹
    Linhe 妹妹
    Jining 妹妹
    Hohhot 妹妹
    Baotou 妹妹
    Dongsheng 妹妹
    Haibowan 妹妹
    Min Bei Jian'ou 妹仔
    Jian'ou (Dikou) 妹仔
    Songxi 妹仔
    Zhenghe 妹
    Zhenghe (Zhenqian) 妹
    Jianyang 妹仔
    Wuyishan 妹仔
    Pucheng (Shibei) 妹仔
    Min Dong Fuzhou 依妹, 妹
    Changle 依妹
    Fuqing 阿妹
    Yongtai 依妹
    Gutian 妹
    Fu'an 妹
    Ningde 妹
    Shouning 姊妹
    Zhouning 阿妹
    Fuding 阿妹
    Matsu 依妹
    Min Nan Xiamen 小妹, 阿妹 face-to-face
    Quanzhou 小妹, 阿妹 face-to-face
    Zhangzhou 小妹, 阿妹 face-to-face
    Zhao'an 細妹子
    Taipei 小妹
    New Taipei (Sanxia) 小妹
    Kaohsiung 小妹
    Tainan 小妹
    Kinmen 小妹
    Penghu (Magong) 小妹
    Penang (Hokkien) 小妹
    Singapore (Hokkien) 小妹, 阿妹 face-to-face
    Manila (Hokkien) 小妹
    Chaozhou 阿妹
    Shantou 妹
    Jieyang 阿妹
    Haifeng 妹, 妹妹, 阿妹
    Bangkok (Teochew) 阿妹
    Johor Bahru (Teochew) 阿妹
    Singapore (Teochew) 阿妹
    Leizhou 尼妹, 妹
    Wenchang 姑𡠤 of a male, 姨𡠤 of a female
    Haikou 姑𡠤 of a male, 姨𡠤 of a female
    Puxian Min Putian 阿妹
    Xianyou 阿妹, 小妹
    Zhongshan Min Shaxi (Longdu) 妹
    Southern Pinghua Nanning (Tingzi) 妹
    Shehua Fu'an 妹
    Fuding 阿妹
    Luoyuan 妹
    Sanming 妹
    Shunchang 阿妹
    Hua'an 妹
    Guixi (Zhangping) 妹
    Cangnan 妹
    Jingning 妹
    Lishui 妹
    Longyou 妹
    Chaozhou 妹
    Fengshun 妹
    Wu Shanghai 阿妹, 妹妹, 姊妹
    Shanghai (Chongming) 姊妹
    Suzhou 妹子, 妹妹
    Wuxi 妹子, 妹妹
    Danyang 妹子
    Hangzhou 阿妹, 妹妹
    Ningbo 阿妹, 妹妹
    Wenzhou 阿妹
    Jinhua 妹, 妹妹
    Xiang Changsha 老妹, 妹妹
    Xiangtan 老妹
    Loudi 妹妹
    Shuangfeng 妹妹
    Dialectal synonyms of 女孩子 (“girl”) [map]
    Variety Location Words
    Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 女孩, 女孩子, 女童
    Mandarin Beijing 女孩兒, 小女孩兒, 小姑娘, 小閨女, 小丫頭, 妞兒, 小妞兒
    Taiwan 女孩, 女孩子
    Weifang (Weicheng) 閨女兒, 小妮兒
    Weifang (Fangzi) 小閨女
    Weifang (Hanting) 小閨女
    Changyi 閨女, 小嫚兒
    Gaomi 小嫚兒
    Zhucheng 小閨女子兒
    Anqiu 閨女
    Changle 閨女, 妮兒
    Linqu 閨女
    Qingzhou 小閨女, 小閨妮兒
    Shouguang 妮子
    Wulian 識字班
    Jinan 小閨女兒, 小妮兒
    Kaifeng 女孩兒
    Xi'an 女子娃, 女子, 女娃子
    Wuhan 女伢, 姑娘伢
    Chengdu 女娃子, 女娃兒, 女娃娃
    Guilin 女把爺
    Guanyang 妹崽家
    Yangzhou 女霞子
    Xinghua 姑娘, 丫頭, 外家裡
    Hefei 丫頭
    Yanping 女子崽
    Singapore 女孩子
    Dagudi (Maliba) 小姑娘
    Reshuitang (Longling) 小姑娘
    Mae Salong (Lancang) 小姑娘
    Mae Sai (Tengchong) 小姑娘
    Cantonese Guangzhou 女仔, 細路女 child
    Hong Kong 女仔, 細路女 child
    Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou) 女仔
    Macau 女仔
    Guangzhou (Panyu) 女仔
    Guangzhou (Zengcheng) 女仔
    Foshan 女仔
    Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) 女仔
    Foshan (Shunde) 女仔
    Foshan (Sanshui) 女仔
    Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) 女仔
    Zhongshan (Shiqi) 女仔
    Zhuhai (Qianshan) 女仔
    Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka) 女仔
    Zhuhai (Doumen) 女仔
    Jiangmen (Baisha) 女仔
    Jiangmen (Xinhui) 女仔
    Taishan 女仔, 細路女 child, 細民女 child
    Kaiping (Chikan) 女仔, 細佬女 child, 細民女 child
    Enping (Niujiang) 女仔
    Heshan (Yayao) 女仔
    Dongguan 女仔
    Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) 婦娘妹
    Qingyuan 女仔
    Fogang 女仔
    Yingde (Hanguang) 女仔
    Yangshan 妹仔
    Lianshan (Butian) 妹仔兒
    Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui) 女仔
    Shaoguan 女仔
    Shaoguan (Qujiang) 女仔, 妹仔
    Renhua 女仔
    Lechang 女仔
    Yangjiang 妹, 妹仔
    Nanning 女仔, 妹仔, 妹丁
    Dongxing 妹仔
    Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) 女仔
    Singapore (Guangfu) 女仔
    Gan Nanchang 女崽子
    Pengze 女妹
    Hakka Meixian 細妹仔
    Xingning 細妹哩
    Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua) 女仔
    Huidong (Daling) 阿僬妹仔
    Dongguan (Qingxi) 僬妹
    Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) 老妹仔
    Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) 女仔, 僬妹仔
    Shaoguan (Qujiang) 細妹子
    Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) 細妹仔
    Conghua (Lütian) 妹仔
    Changting 細妹子
    Wuping 細妹子
    Wuping (Pingyu) 細妹子
    Liancheng 妹子人
    Ninghua 女子薩
    Ruijin 女客子, 細女子
    Shicheng 細女女子
    Miaoli (N. Sixian) 細妹仔
    Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 細妹仔
    Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 細妹仔
    Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 細妹
    Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 細妹仔, 細妹
    Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 妹子, 妹子人
    Jin Taiyuan 妮子, 女娃娃
    Min Bei Jian'ou 阿娘囝仔
    Min Dong Fuzhou 諸娘囝
    Matsu 諸娘囝
    Min Nan Xiamen 查某囡仔
    Xiamen (Tong'an) 查某囡仔
    Quanzhou 查某囡仔
    Zhangzhou 查某囡仔, 查某嬰
    Taipei 查某囡仔
    New Taipei (Sanxia) 查某囡仔
    Kaohsiung 查某囝
    Yilan 查某囡仔
    Changhua (Lukang) 查某囡仔
    Taichung 查某囡仔
    Tainan 查某囡仔
    Hsinchu 查某囡仔
    Kinmen 查某囡仔
    Penghu (Magong) 查某囡仔
    Penang (Hokkien) 查某囡仔
    Singapore (Hokkien) 查某囡仔
    Manila (Hokkien) 查某囡仔
    Chaozhou 諸娘囝
    Shantou 諸娘囝, 查某囝
    Shantou (Chenghai) 諸娘囝
    Jieyang 諸娘囝
    Lufeng 查某囡仔
    Haifeng 查某囡仔
    Johor Bahru (Teochew) 查某囝
    Singapore (Teochew) 查某囝
    Leizhou 查某囝
    Wenchang 查某囝
    Haikou 查某囝
    Zhongshan Min Shaxi (Longdu) 女囝
    Waxiang Guzhang (Gaofeng) 女子
    Wu Shanghai 女小囡, 小鬼丫頭
    Shanghai (Chongming) 丫頭, 小娘
    Suzhou 小娘兒, 女小干
    Ningbo 小娘, 小娘屄, 小娘頭, 娘子
    Wenzhou 女兒, 媛子兒
    Xiang Changsha 妹子, 細妹子, 妹伢子
    Shuangfeng 妹唧, 細妹唧
    Dialectal synonyms of 女兒 (“daughter”) [map]
    Variety Location Words
    Classical Chinese 女
    Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 女兒
    Mandarin Beijing 女兒, 女花兒, 閨女, 姑娘, 丫頭
    Taiwan 女兒
    Tianjin 女兒, 閨女, 小棉襖 humorous
    Langfang 閨妮
    Tangshan 閨女
    Cangzhou 閨女
    Baoding 閨女
    Shijiazhuang 閨女
    Daming 妮兒
    Bayanhot 丫頭
    Hulunbuir (Hailar) 女兒
    Harbin 女兒, 姑娘, 閨女, 閨娘, 丫頭
    Shenyang 姑娘, 丫頭
    Yantai (Muping) 閨娘, 閨娘子, 女兒
    Qingdao 閨女
    Weifang (Weicheng) 閨女
    Weifang (Fangzi) 閨女, 嫚兒
    Weifang (Hanting) 閨女
    Changyi 閨女, 嫚姑子
    Gaomi 閨女, 嫚兒, 嫚兒姑子
    Zhucheng 閨女
    Anqiu 閨女
    Changle 閨女兒
    Linqu 閨女
    Qingzhou 閨女
    Shouguang 閨女
    Wulian 閨女, 丫頭, 嫚兒, 識字班
    Jinan 閨女
    Wanrong 女子
    Zhengzhou 閨女, 妞
    Xi'an 女, 女兒
    Yinchuan 女兒, 丫頭
    Lanzhou 女兒
    Xining 姑娘, 丫頭
    Ürümqi 女兒, 丫頭
    Wuhan 姑娘, 丫頭
    Huanggang 女兒
    Chengdu 女兒, 女, 姑娘兒
    Guiyang 姑娘, 女娃娃, 女娃兒, 幺女, 幺姑娘, 小丫頭, 小姑娘
    Kunming 囡兒, 姑娘
    Guilin 女兒
    Liuzhou 女, 丫頭
    Sanjiang (Danzhou) 妹崽
    Xuzhou 女兒, 閨女
    Yangzhou 女兒, 姑娘
    Nanjing 女兒, 姑娘
    Hefei 女兒, 丫頭
    Nantong 丫頭
    Malaysia 女兒
    Singapore 女兒
    Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) 女兒, 姑娘兒
    Cantonese Guangzhou 女
    Hong Kong 女, 女女, 阿女
    Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou) 女, 妹仔
    Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou) 女
    Hong Kong (Ting Kok) 阿女
    Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) 阿女
    Macau 女
    Guangzhou (Panyu) 女
    Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) 女
    Guangzhou (Conghua) 女
    Guangzhou (Zengcheng) 女
    Foshan 女
    Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) 女
    Foshan (Shunde) 女
    Foshan (Sanshui) 女
    Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) 女
    Zhongshan (Shiqi) 女
    Zhuhai (Qianshan) 女
    Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka) 女
    Zhuhai (Doumen) 女
    Jiangmen (Baisha) 女
    Jiangmen (Xinhui) 女
    Taishan 女
    Kaiping (Chikan) 女
    Enping (Niujiang) 女
    Heshan (Yayao) 女
    Dongguan 女
    Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) 女
    Shenzhen (Dapeng) 阿女
    Qingyuan 女
    Fogang 女
    Yingde (Hanguang) 女
    Yangshan 妹仔
    Lianshan (Butian) 女
    Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui) 女
    Shaoguan 女
    Shaoguan (Qujiang) 女
    Renhua 女
    Lechang 女
    Zhaoqing (Gaoyao) 女
    Sihui 女
    Guangning 女
    Deqing 女
    Huaiji 女
    Fengkai (Nanfeng) 女
    Yunfu 女
    Xinxing 女
    Luoding 女
    Yunan (Pingtai) 女
    Yangjiang 桓仔, 妹仔
    Xinyi 女
    Maoming (Xinpo) 女
    Lianjiang 女
    Wuchuan (Wuyang) 康女兒, 夫娘儂
    Nanning 女
    Wuzhou 女
    Yulin 女
    Hepu (Lianzhou) 女
    Guiping 女
    Mengshan (Xihe) 女
    Guigang (Nanjiang) 女
    Beiliu (Tangliao) 女
    Baise 女
    Bobai 女
    Lingshan 女
    Pubei 女
    Qinzhou 女
    Beihai 女
    Beihai (Nankang) 女
    Beihai (Yingpan) 女
    Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) 女, 妹仔
    Ningming 女
    Hengxian 女
    Hezhou (Pumen) 女仔
    Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) 女
    Danzhou 女
    Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) 女
    Singapore (Guangfu) 女
    Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) 女
    Móng Cái 女
    Gan Nanchang 女, 姑娘
    Lichuan 女
    Pingxiang 女, 妹仔
    Hakka Meixian 妹仔
    Xingning 妹哩
    Dabu (Xihe) 妹兒, 女
    Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua) 阿女
    Huiyang 妹子
    Huidong (Daling) 妹仔
    Dongguan (Qingxi) 妹主
    Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) 妹主
    Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) 妹子
    Wuhua (Shuizhai) 妹哩
    Wuhua (Huacheng) 妹哩
    Wuhua (Changbu) 妹哩
    Wuhua (Mianyang) 妹哩
    Heyuan (Bendihua) 阿女
    Wengyuan 妹子
    Shaoguan (Qujiang) 妹子
    Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) 妹仔
    Liannan 妹子
    Conghua (Lütian) 女
    Jiexi 妹
    Luhe 妹仔, 阿女
    Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan) 阿女
    Changting 妹子, 女
    Wuping 妹子
    Wuping (Yanqian) 女哩
    Wuping (Pingyu) 妹子
    Liancheng 妹子娘
    Ninghua 女
    Yudu 女, 女子
    Ningdu 女
    Ruijin 女, 女子
    Shicheng 女
    Shangyou (Shexi) 女
    Tonggu (Sandu) 妹子
    Ganzhou (Panlong) 女
    Dayu 女哩
    Miaoli (N. Sixian) 妹仔, 妹子
    Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 妹仔, 妹子
    Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 妹仔, 妹子
    Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 妹, 妹子, 細妹
    Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 妹仔, 妹子
    Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 阿女
    Hong Kong 妹子
    Yangxi (Tangkou) 妹子
    Yangchun (Sanjia) 女
    Xinyi (Sihe) 女
    Xinyi (Qianpai) 女
    Gaozhou (Xindong) 女
    Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai) 女
    Huazhou (Xin'an) 女子
    Lianjiang (Shijiao) 妹𧊅, 女子
    Lianjiang (Qingping) 女
    Mengshan (Xihe) 妹子
    Luchuan 女
    Luchuan (Daqiao) 女
    Bobai (Shahe) 女
    Beiliu (Tang'an) 妹
    Mashan (Pianlian) 妹子
    Sabah (Bao'an) 妹子
    Sabah (Longchuan) 妹哩
    Kuala Lumpur (Dabu) 妹
    Senai (Huiyang) 妹子
    Singkawang 妹子
    Huizhou Jixi 女
    Shexian 女
    Tunxi 囡, 囡囝
    Xiuning 囡兒
    Yixian 囡兒
    Qimen 女, 女兒
    Wuyuan 女, 女兒, 囡
    Fuliang 女崽
    Dexing 𡚴姑
    Jingde 女伲
    Shitai (Xianyu) 女兒
    Jin Taiyuan 閨女, 姑娘, 妮子
    Pingyao 閨女, 女子
    Xinzhou 閨女
    Hohhot 閨女, 女子
    Zhangjiakou 閨女
    Handan 閨女
    Min Bei Jian'ou 阿娘囝
    Jian'ou (Dikou) 娘囝
    Songxi 阿娘囝
    Zhenghe 阿娘囝
    Zhenghe (Zhenqian) 娘囝
    Jianyang 阿娘囝
    Wuyishan 阿娘囝
    Pucheng (Shibei) 阿娘囝
    Min Dong Fuzhou 諸娘囝
    Changle 諸娘囝
    Fuqing 諸娘囝
    Yongtai 諸娘囝
    Gutian 諸娘囝
    Pingnan 諸娘囝
    Fu'an 諸娘囝
    Ningde 諸母囝
    Shouning 諸母囝
    Zhouning 諸娘囝
    Fuding 諸母囝
    Matsu 諸娘囝
    Min Nan Xiamen 查某囝, 查某仔
    Quanzhou 查某仔
    Yongchun 查某囝
    Zhangzhou 查某仔, 灶雞
    Zhangzhou (Changtai) 查某仔
    Pinghe 查某囝, 查某仔 Xiazhai, Jiufeng, Luxi
    Zhangpu 查某仔
    Dongshan 查囝
    Taipei 查某囝
    New Taipei (Sanxia) 查某囝
    Kaohsiung 查某囡仔, 查某囝
    Yilan 查某囝
    Changhua (Lukang) 查某囝
    Taichung 查某囝
    Taichung (Wuqi) 查某囝
    Tainan 查某囝
    Taitung 查某囝
    Hsinchu 查某囝
    Kinmen 查某囡仔
    Penghu (Magong) 查某囝
    Penang (Hokkien) 查某囝, 查某仔
    Singapore (Hokkien) 查某囝
    Manila (Hokkien) 查某仔, 查某囝
    Longyan 查某仔
    Zhangping 查某仔
    Zhangping (Yongfu) 查某仔
    Datian 阿使
    Pingnan (Shangdu) 女
    Chaozhou 走囝
    Shantou 走囝
    Shantou (Chenghai) 走囝
    Jieyang 走囝
    Haifeng 查某囝
    Bangkok (Teochew) 走囝
    Johor Bahru (Teochew) 走囝
    Singapore (Teochew) 查某囝, 走囝
    Batam (Teochew) 查某囝, 走囝
    Pontianak (Teochew) 查某囝
    Leizhou 查某囝
    Wenchang 查某囝
    Haikou 查某囝, 查囝
    Qionghai 查某囝
    Puxian Min Putian 嬸娘囝
    Xianyou 子囝
    Min Zhong Yong'an 娘囝
    Zhongshan Min Shaxi (Longdu) 中母囝
    Southern Pinghua Nanning (Tingzi) 女
    Northern Pinghua Guilin (Dahe) 女
    Shehua Fu'an 女
    Fuding 女
    Luoyuan 女
    Sanming 女
    Shunchang 女
    Hua'an 妹仔
    Guixi (Zhangping) 女
    Cangnan 女
    Jingning 女
    Lishui 女
    Longyou 女
    Chaozhou 女
    Fengshun 女
    Wu Shanghai 囡兒, 囡 dated, 囡兒大細 dated, 小鬼丫頭 endearing
    Shanghai (Chongming) 丫頭
    Suzhou 囡兒
    Wuxi 囡兒
    Danyang 女兒
    Hangzhou 女兒
    Ningbo 囡
    Wenzhou 奶兒
    Jinhua 囡兒, 囡, 女兒
    Xiang Changsha 女, 妹子
    Xiangtan 女, 妹唧
    Loudi 女
    Shuangfeng 女
    Jiangyong 女
    Quanzhou 女崽

    Compounds[edit]

    Derived terms from 妹

    Descendants[edit]

    • → Thai: หมวย (mǔai, “younger sister”) (said by Chinese race)

    References[edit]

    Japanese[edit]

    Kanji[edit]

    妹

    (grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

    Readings[edit]

    Compounds[edit]

    Compounds

    Etymology 1[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    妹
    いも
    Grade: 2
    kun’yomi

    ⟨imo1⟩ → */imʷo/ → /imo/

    From Old Japanese 妹 (imo1).

    The medial /-m-/ means "woman, female", found in a number of related terms such as 女 (me, onna, “woman”), 嫗 (omina, “elderly woman”), and 母 (omo, “mother”, archaic).

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    妹(いも) • (imo) 

    1. (archaic, said from a male speaker) a close female companion
      1. one's sister regardless of age difference
      2. one's lover or sweetheart who is the subject of marriage or is already married
        • 905–914, Kokin Wakashū (book 11, poem 485)
          かりごもの思(おも)ひ乱(みだ)れて我(われ)恋(こ)ふといも知(し)るらめや人(ひと)し告(つ)げずは
          karigomo no omoimidarete ware kou to imo shirurame ya hito shi tsugezu wa
          (please add an English translation of this example)
    2. (archaic, said from a female speaker) a close female companion
    Antonyms[edit]
    Derived terms[edit]
    Derived terms

    Etymology 2[edit]

    /imo ɸito/ → /imowito/ → */imowuto/ → /imoːto/

    Originally a compound of 妹 (imo, “sister, close female companion”) +‎ 人 (hito, “person”).[2][3]

    This is an instance of ウ音便 (u onbin, “u sound shift”), found in terms with bilabial consonants (/m/, /b/, /w/) followed by i; commonly seen in terms such as 玄人 (kurōto, “professional”), 素人 (shirōto, “amateur”), or possibly, 相撲 (sumō, “sumo”).

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    妹(いもうと) • (imōto) 

    1. one's own younger sister
      • 2005 January 10, Izawa, Hiroshi; Yamada, Kotaro, “第(だい)34話(わ)　復(ふく)讐(しゅう)の槍(やり) [Chapter 34: The Lance of Vengeance]”, in ファイアーエムブレム 覇者の剣 [Fire Emblem: Sword of Champions], volume 9 (fiction), Tokyo: Shueisha, →ISBN, page 60:
        妹(いもうと)の仇(かたき)だ！何(なん)万(まん)人(にん)だろうが地(じ)獄(ごく)へ送(おく)ってやる‼
        Imōto no kataki da! Nanmannin darō ga jigoku e okutte yaru‼
        This is for my sister! Keep coming, all of you! I’ll send you all straight to hell‼
      • 2014 January 17, Yoshitoki, Ōima, “第(だい)14話(わ)　西(にし)宮(みや)結(ゆ)絃(づる) [Chapter 14: Nishimiya Yuzuru]”, in 聲(こえ)の形(かたち) [A Silent Voice], volume 2 (fiction), Tokyo: Kodansha, →ISBN, page 60:
        永(なが)束(つか)君(くん)　「少(しょう)年(ねん)」じゃない…西(にし)宮(みや)の妹(いもうと)だってよ
        Nagatsuka-kun “Shōnen” ja nai… Nishimiya no imōto da tte yo
        Nagatsuka-kun. That's not a "boy"… Nishimiya said that's her sister.
      Antonym: 姉 (ane)
    2. the wife of one's younger brother; one's sister-in-law
      Synonym: 義妹 (gimai)
    3. a younger female
    4. (archaic, said from a male speaker) one's sister regardless of age difference
      Antonym: 兄人 (shōto)

    (alternative reading hiragana いもっ, rōmaji imo')

    1. (Kagoshima) younger sister
    Derived terms[edit]
    Derived terms

    Etymology 3[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    妹
    いもと
    Grade: 2
    irregular

    Appears in The Tale of Heiji, written around the mid-12th century.

    Likely a variant shift from compound 妹 (imo, “sister, close female companion”) +‎ 人 (hito, “person”) or a further shift from imōto above. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

    Noun[edit]

    妹(いもと) • (imoto) 

    1. (rare) Same as いもうと (imōto) above

    Proper noun[edit]

    妹(いもと) • (Imoto) 

    1. a placename

    Etymology 4[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    妹
    まい
    Grade: 2
    goon

    From Middle Chinese 妹 (MC muʌiH).

    Affix[edit]

    妹(まい) • (mai) 

    1. Same as いもうと (imōto) above

    Proper noun[edit]

    妹(まい) • (Mai) 

    1. a female given name

    References[edit]

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1974, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Second Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō
    2. ^ 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
    3. ^ 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
    4. ^ 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
    5. ^ 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN

    Korean[edit]

    Hanja[edit]

    妹 (eumhun 누이 매 (nu'i mae))

    1. Hanja form? of 매 (“younger sister”).

    Old Japanese[edit]

    Etymology 1[edit]

    The medial /-m-/ means "woman, female", found in a number of related terms such as 女 (me1, womi1na, “woman”), 嫗 (omi1na, “elderly woman”), and 母 (omo1, “mother”).

    Noun[edit]

    妹 (imo1 → imo) (kana いも)

    1. said from a male speaker:
      1. one's sister regardless of age difference
        • c. 759, Man'yōshū (book 6, poem 1007), text here
          言不問木尚妹與兄有云乎直獨子尓有之苦者
          ko2to2 to1panu ki2 sura imo to2 se ari to2 ipu wo tada pi1to2riko1 ni aru ga kurusisa
          (please add an English translation of this usage example)
      2. one's lover or sweetheart who is the subject of marriage or is already married
        • c. 759, Man'yōshū (book 3, poem 464), text here
          秋去者見乍思跡妹之殖之屋前乃石竹開家流香聞
          aki1 saraba mi1tutu sino1pe1 to2 imo ga uwesi nipa no2 nadesiko1 saki1nike1ru ka mo
          (please add an English translation of this usage example)
    2. said from a female speaker:
      1. a close female companion
        • c. 759, Man'yōshū (book 4, poem 782), text here
          風高邊者雖吹為妹袖左倍所沾而苅流玉藻焉
          kaze takaku pe1 ni pa pukedo2mo imo ga tame2 so1de sape2 nurete kareru tamamo so2
          (please add an English translation of this usage example)
      2. one's sister regardless of age difference
    3. a daughter
      • 711–712, Kojiki (poem 51)
        ...母登弊波岐美袁淤母比傅須恵幣波伊毛袁淤母比傅...
        ...mo2to2pe1 pa ki1mi1 wo omo2pi1de suwepe1 pa imo1 wo omo2pi1de...
        (please add an English translation of this usage example)
    Antonyms[edit]
    Derived terms[edit]
    Derived terms
    Descendants[edit]
    • Japanese: 妹 (imo)

    Etymology 2[edit]

    Shift from imo1 above, due to either for poetic reasons, haplology, or reduction of vowel clusters; the latter which seen in 吾妹 (wagi1mo1).

    Noun[edit]

    妹 (mo1 → mo) (kana も)

    1. Same as いも (imo1) above
      • c. 759, Man'yōshū (book 20, poem 4388), text here
        多妣等弊等麻多妣爾奈理奴以弊乃母加枳世之己呂母爾阿加都枳爾迦理
        tabi1 to2 pe1do2 ma-tabi1 ni narinu ipe1 no2 mo ga ki1sesi ko2ro2mo ni aka tuki1nikari
        (please add an English translation of this usage example)

    Etymology 3[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    妹 (imu) (kana いむ)

    1. (regional, Eastern Old Japanese) Same as いも (imo1) above
      • c. 759, Man'yōshū (book 20, poem 4321), text here
        可之古伎夜美許等加我布理阿須由利也加曳我牟多祢牟伊牟奈之爾志弖
        kasiko1ki1 ya mi1-ko2to2 kagapuri asu yuri ya kaye ga muta nemu imu nasi ni site
        (please add an English translation of this usage example)

    Vietnamese[edit]

    Han character[edit]

    妹: Hán Nôm readings: muội

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