川

See also: 州, 巛, and 𫶧

川 U+5DDD, 川 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5DDD ← 巜 [U+5DDC] CJK Unified Ideographs 州 → [U+5DDE]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

川 (Kangxi radical 47, 巛+0, 3 strokes, Cangjie input 中中中 (LLL), four-corner 2200₀, composition ⿲丿丨丨)

Derived characters

• 𠆯, 𠯀, 圳, 汌, 𦘶, 杊, 𤆑, 㸪, 玔, 甽, 𥃹, 𥐣, 紃(𬘓), 𧈶, 𡔠, 訓(训), 𮙰, 䡅, 𫶨, 𪩢, 釧(钏), 馴(驯), 𩵙, 𩾧, 𦤸, 順(顺), 𡵅, 𡿫, 𪯠, 𣅕, 氚, 𫇨, 𤽃, 𥫨, 𥄊, 𥬂, 𪡢, 𩭁, 𨤅

Descendants

• つ (Hiragana character derived from Man'yōgana)
• ツ (Katakana character derived from Man'yōgana)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 323, character 23
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 8673
• Dae Jaweon: page 624, character 7
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 32, character 2
• Unihan data for U+5DDD

Chinese

simp. and trad.		川
alternative forms		巛

Glyph origin

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

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

	Old Chinese
川	*kʰjon
釧	*kʰjons
巛	*kʰuːn
巡	*sɢljun
馴	*sɢljun
紃	*sɢljun, *ɢljun
甽	*kljuns, *kʷeːnʔ
順	*ɢljuns
訓	*qʰuns

Pictogram (象形) of flowing water – compare 水 (OC *qʰʷljilʔ), 巛, and 𡿧.

Etymology

The Middle and Old Chinese reconstruction of this word is phonologically problematic (STEDT):

• Karlgren (1957) notes that the Middle Chinese form is irregular based on evidence from Shijing rimes.
• Based on velar contacts in the same phonetic series, e.g. 巛, 甽 and 訓, Baxter (1992) and Schuessler (2007) reconstruct the word with a velar initial (Handel, 1998; Sagart, 1999), which undergoes irregular palatalization in the development to Middle Chinese (Baxter, 1992).
• Based on other characters in the same phonetic series, e.g. 順 and 馴, Sagart (1999), and later, Baxter and Sagart (2014), reconstructs 川 with a lateral initial and suggests that only a *t- prefix would account for the Middle Chinese initial /t͡ɕʰ/.

Schuessler (2007) relates this word to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kl(j)u(ŋ/k) (“river; valley”), whence 江 (OC *kroːŋ, “river”), 谷 (OC *kloːɡ, “valley”), Tibetan ཀླུང (klung, “river”), Burmese ချောင်း (hkyaung:, “stream”). STEDT notes that this does not account for the *-n coda.

STEDT instead compares it to Proto-Tibeto-Burman *m-t(w)əj-n ~ m-ti-s (“water; fluid; liquid; river; soak; spit”), whence 涕 (OC *tʰiːlʔ, “tears”), Proto-Kuki-Chin *tuj (“water; fluid; liquid”), Chepang तीः (“water; rain; river”); this depends on a reconstruction with a dental initial and requires positing an *‑n suffix not present in Tibeto-Burman languages.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): chuān (chuan¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄔㄨㄢ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): cuan¹

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): pfǎn

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): чүан (čüan, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): cyun¹

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): coen¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): cun¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): con¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): chhôn

  (Hailu, HRS): chon^ˋ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): con¹

  (Changting, Changting Pinyin): chung¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): cuan¹
• Northern Min (KCR): chṳ́ing
• Eastern Min (BUC): chuŏng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): coeng¹ / cyoeng¹ / cieng¹ / cuei¹ / cuai¹ / cuinn¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chhoan / soan / chhng / chhuiⁿ / suiⁿ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): cuang¹ / cuêng¹ / ceng¹

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): qieng¹ / cui¹

• Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): cyun¹
• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ¹tshoe / ¹tshie / ¹tshe / ¹tshuon / ¹tsheen / ¹tshoen
  • (Jinhua): ¹chioe; ¹chiuan
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): qyenn¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: chuān
    • Zhuyin: ㄔㄨㄢ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: chuan
    • Wade–Giles: chʻuan¹
    • Yale: chwān
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chuan
    • Palladius: чуань (čuanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än⁵⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: cuan¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: cuan
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰuan⁵⁵/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: pfǎn
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /p͡fʰã²¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: чүан (čüan, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰyæ̃²⁴/

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

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: cyun¹
    • Yale: chyūn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsyn¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: qun¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰyːn⁵⁵/
  • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: coen¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰøn²¹³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: cun¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰun³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: con¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɵn⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhôn
    • Hakka Romanization System: con^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: con¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰon²⁴/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: chon^ˋ
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡ʃʰon⁵³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: con¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰɔn⁴⁴/
  • (Changting)
    • Changting Pinyin: chung¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡ʃʰuŋ³³/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: cuan¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sʰuæ̃¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: chṳ́ing
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰyiŋ⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chuŏng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰuoŋ⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Jiangkou, Nanri)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: coeng¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: che̤ng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰœŋ⁵³³/
  • (Youyang)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: coeng¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰœŋ⁵⁴⁴/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: cyoeng¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰyøŋ⁵⁴⁴/
  • (Fengting)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: cieng¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰieŋ⁵⁴⁴/
  • (Putian, Nanri)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: cuei¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: choiⁿ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰuei⁵³³/
  • (Jiangkou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: cuai¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰuɐi⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou, Youyang, Fengting)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: cuinn¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰũĩ⁵⁴⁴/

Note:

• coeng1/cyoeng1/cieng1 - literary;
• cuei1/cuai1/cuinn1 - vernacular (only used in 尻川).

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Yongchun, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhoan
    • Tâi-lô: tshuan
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zhoafn
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Yongchun, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰuan⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an): /t͡sʰuan³³/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangpu)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: soan
    • Tâi-lô: suan
    • Phofsit Daibuun: soafn
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangpu): /suan⁵⁵/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Yongchun, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Hsinchu, Lukang, Sanxia, Kinmen, Magong)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhng
    • Tâi-lô: tshng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zhngf
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Lukang): /t͡sʰŋ̍³³/
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Yongchun, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Kinmen): /t͡sʰŋ̍⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Yilan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhuiⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: tshuinn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zhvuy
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou, Yilan): /t͡sʰuĩ⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangpu)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: suiⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: suinn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: svuy
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangpu): /suĩ⁵⁵/

Note:

• chhoan/soan - literary;
• chhng/chhuiⁿ/suiⁿ - vernacular (only used in 尻川).

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: cuang¹ / cuêng¹ / ceng¹
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tshuang / tshueng / tshṳng
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰuaŋ³³/, /t͡sʰueŋ³³/, /t͡sʰɯŋ³³/

Note:

• cuang1/cuêng1 - literary (cuêng1 - Chaozhou);
• ceng1 - vernacular (only used in 尻川).

• (Leizhou)
  • Leizhou Pinyin: qieng¹ / cui¹
  • Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰieŋ³⁵/, /t͡sʰui³⁵/

Note:

• qieng1 - literary;
• cui1 - vernacular (only used in 尻川).

• Southern Pinghua
  • (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
    • Jyutping++: cyun¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰyn⁵³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Chongming, Suzhou, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Ningbo)
    • Wugniu: ¹tshoe
    • MiniDict: tshoe^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tshoe
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰø⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /t͡sʰø⁵⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /t͡sʰø⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /t͡sʰɵ⁵⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /t͡sʰɤə⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /t͡sʰø⁵²/
  • (Northern: Jiading)
    • Wugniu: ¹tshie
    • MiniDict: tshie^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /t͡sʰɪ⁵³/
  • (Northern: Songjiang)
    • Wugniu: ¹tshe
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /t͡sʰe⁵³/
  • (Northern: Hangzhou)
    • Wugniu: ¹tshuon
    • MiniDict: tshuon^平
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /t͡sʰɹ̩ʷõ³³⁴/
  • (Northern: Shaoxing)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsheen
    • MiniDict: tshen^平
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /t͡sʰẽ⁵²/
  • (Northern: Shaoxing, Zhoushan)
    • Wugniu: ¹tshoen
    • MiniDict: tshoeon^平
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /t͡sʰø̃⁵²/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /t͡sʰø⁵³/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ¹chioe; ¹chiuan
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /t͡ɕʰyɤ³³⁴/, /t͡ɕʰyã³³⁴/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: qyenn¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰy̯ẽ³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: tsyhwen

Rime
Character	川
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	昌 (24)
Final (韻)	仙 (78)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	昌緣切
Baxter	tsyhwen
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡ɕʰiuᴇn/
Pan Wuyun	/t͡ɕʰʷiɛn/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡ɕʰjuæn/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/cʰwian/
Li Rong	/t͡ɕʰiuɛn/
Wang Li	/t͡ɕʰĭwɛn/
Bernhard Karlgren	/t͡ɕʰi̯wɛn/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chuān
Expected Cantonese Reflex	cyun1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*t.l̥u[n]/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kʰjon/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	川
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	chuān
Middle Chinese	‹ tsyhwen ›
Old Chinese	/*t.l̥u[n]/ (MC -jwen is irregular)
English	stream, river
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	川
Reading #	1/1
No.	1628
Phonetic component	川
Rime group	元
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	穿
Old Chinese	/*kʰjon/

Definitions

川

1. (archaic, poetic) river; stream; brook

   川流不息  ―  chuānliúbùxī  ―  to flow continuously

   • 子在川上，曰：「逝者如斯夫！不舍晝夜。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子在川上，曰：「逝者如斯夫！不舍昼夜。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zǐ zài chuān shàng, yuē: “Shì zhě rúsī fū! Bù shè zhòuyè.” [Pinyin]

     The Master standing by a stream, said, "It passes on just like this, not ceasing day or night!"

2. (archaic, poetic) plain

   一馬平川／一马平川  ―  yīmǎpíngchuān  ―  wide expanse of flat land

3. short for 四川 (Sìchuān, “Sichuan Province, China”)

   川菜  ―  chuāncài  ―  Sichuan cuisine

4. (Taiwanese Mandarin) to boil briefly
5. (colloquial) alternative form of 穿 (chuān)
6. (Internet slang) short for 川普 (Chuānpǔ, “Donald Trump”)

   挺川  ―  tǐngchuān  ―  to support Donald Trump

   川粉  ―  chuānfěn  ―  Trumpster

7. a surname

See also

• 河 (hé), 江 (jiāng), 溪 (xī), and usage note.
• (to boil briefly): 汆 (cuān), 焯 (chāo), 灼 (coek3), 涮 (shuàn)

Compounds

• 一川
• 一馬平川 / 一马平川 (yīmǎpíngchuān)
• 三川
• 中川 (Zhōngchuān)
• 九川
• 乾川 / 干川
• 二川
• 伊川 (Yīchuān)
• 伊川先生
• 伊川翁
• 信濃川 / 信浓川
• 傍矣川
• 兩川 / 两川
• 八川
• 八水三川
• 共川鼻飲 / 共川鼻饮
• 冰川 (bīngchuān)
• 冰川期 (bīngchuānqī)
• 利川 (Lìchuān)
• 利川小曲
• 南川 (Nánchuān)
• 口壅若川
• 口川
• 名山勝川 / 名山胜川
• 名山大川 (míngshāndàchuān)
• 名川
• 吳川 / 吴川 (Wúchuān)
• 吸川
• 四川 (Sìchuān)
• 四川盆地 (Sìchuān Péndì)
• 四川胡椒 (Sìchuān hújiāo)
• 回川
• 地平川
• 均川 (Jūnchuān)
• 大川 (dàchuān)
• 大金川
• 大陸冰川 / 大陆冰川
• 婺川
• 媚川都
• 寒川
• 小川 (Xiǎochuān)
• 山崩川竭
• 山川 (shānchuān)
• 山川米聚
• 山止川行
• 巖居川觀 / 岩居川观
• 川人
• 川光
• 川劇 / 川剧 (chuānjù)
• 川原
• 川口 (Chuānkǒu)
• 川吏
• 川后
• 川土
• 川地 (chuāndì)
• 川坻
• 川域
• 川堂
• 川塗 / 川涂 (chuāntú)
• 川塞
• 川境
• 川壑
• 川奠
• 川守
• 川室
• 川岑
• 川岡 / 川冈
• 川岫
• 川岳
• 川崎 (Chuānqí)
• 川崎症
• 川嶽 / 川岳
• 川巖 / 川岩
• 川川
• 川師 / 川师
• 川府
• 川店 (Chuāndiàn)
• 川底下 (Chuāndǐxià)
• 川柳
• 川梁
• 川椒
• 川歸 / 川归
• 川氣 / 川气
• 川水
• 川沚
• 川河
• 川流 (chuānliú)
• 川流不息 (chuānliúbùxī)
• 川涂 (chuāntú)
• 川渚
• 川湄
• 川游
• 川渟嶽峙 / 川渟岳峙
• 川澤 / 川泽 (chuānzé)
• 川澤納汙 / 川泽纳污
• 川瀆 / 川渎
• 川甽
• 川界
• 川砥
• 川祇
• 川禽
• 川程
• 川穀 / 川谷
• 川紅 / 川红
• 川色
• 川芎
• 川華 / 川华
• 川藪 / 川薮
• 川蜀
• 川衡
• 川谷
• 川貝 / 川贝 (chuānbèi)
• 川貨 / 川货
• 川費 / 川费 (chuānfèi)
• 川資 / 川资 (chuānzī)
• 川路
• 川軍 / 川军 (chuānjūn)
• 川途 (chuāntú)
• 川連 / 川连
• 川逝
• 川阜
• 川防
• 川陸 / 川陆
• 川靈 / 川灵
• 川館 / 川馆
• 川騖 / 川骛
• 川鱗 / 川鳞
• 川鹽 / 川盐
• 川墨
• 川黨 / 川党
• 巨川
• 巨川材
• 常川 (chángchuān)
• 平川 (píngchuān)
• 徂川
• 德川 (Déchuān)
• 德川幕府 (Déchuān Mùfǔ)
• 支川
• 斜川
• 星宿川
• 晴川
• 晴川閣 / 晴川阁
• 枝川
• 梅川 (Méichuān)
• 樊川
• 樊川翁
• 橫川 / 横川
• 武陵川
• 江川 (jiāngchuān)
• 汶川 (Wènchuān)
• 沈釀川
• 汶陽川 / 汶阳川
• 泗川
• 河川 (héchuān)
• 河川襲奪 / 河川袭夺
• 洛川 (Luòchuān)
• 流川
• 流血成川
• 涇川 / 泾川 (Jīngchuān)
• 海川螺
• 淅川 (Xīchuān)
• 渭川
• 湘川
• 渭川千畝 / 渭川千亩
• 潁川 / 颍川 (Yǐngchuān)
• 漢川 / 汉川 (Hànchuān)
• 潁川四長 / 颍川四长
• 潁川集 / 颍川集
• 濟川 / 济川
• 濬川
• 玄川
• 玉川
• 玉川奴
• 玉川子
• 玉雞川 / 玉鸡川
• 琴川
• 瑤川 / 瑶川
• 瘴川花
• 百二山川
• 百川 (bǎichuān)
• 百川學海 / 百川学海
• 百川朝海
• 百川歸海 / 百川归海 (bǎichuānguīhǎi)
• 盤川 / 盘川 (pánchuān)
• 眠川
• 眾川赴海 / 众川赴海
• 禊川
• 秦川
• 秦川女
• 稚川
• 穰川
• 簞醪投川 / 箪醪投川
• 米糧川 / 米粮川 (mǐliángchuān)
• 經川 / 经川
• 綠川 / 绿川
• 練川三老 / 练川三老
• 臨川 / 临川 (línchuān)
• 臨川四夢 / 临川四梦
• 臨川派 / 临川派
• 臨川羡魚 / 临川羡鱼
• 臨川羨魚 / 临川羡鱼
• 芥川賞 / 芥川赏
• 荊川集 / 荆川集
• 蛉川
• 蛟川
• 蜀川
• 行川
• 裸川
• 謝臨川 / 谢临川
• 跋履山川
• 跋山涉川
• 跋涉山川
• 輞川 / 辋川 (Wǎngchuān)
• 輞川圖 / 辋川图
• 迷川
• 迴川 / 回川
• 通川
• 逝川
• 遼川 / 辽川
• 邢川 (Xíngchuān)
• 金川 (Jīnchuān)
• 釣川 / 钓川
• 銀川 / 银川 (Yínchuān)
• 錦川 / 锦川
• 鎮川 / 镇川 (Zhènchuān)
• 鏡川 / 镜川
• 長川 / 长川 (chángchuān)
• 閩川 / 闽川
• 閱川 / 阅川
• 防川 (Fángchuān)
• 陸川 / 陆川 (Lùchuān)
• 隄川
• 雲川 / 云川 (yúnchuān)
• 雲貴川 / 云贵川 (Yúnguìchuān)
• 霅川
• 霞川
• 霸川
• 靈川 / 灵川 (Língchuān)
• 青川 (Qīngchuān)
• 驚川 / 惊川
• 魏國山川 / 魏国山川
• 麓川
• 麗川 / 丽川

References

• “川”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[3], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• 李如龙 [Li, Ru-long]; 刘福铸 [Liu, Fu-zhu]; 吴华英 [Wu, Hua-ying]; 黄国城 [Huang, Guo-cheng] (2019), “川”, in 莆仙方言调查报告 [Investigation Report on Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), Xiamen University Press, →ISBN, page 226.
• 周存 [Zhōu, Cún], editor (2023), “川”, in 长汀话词典 CHANGTINGHUA CIDIAN [Dictionary of Changting Dialect] (overall work in Hakka and Mandarin), Guangzhou: 世界图书出版有限公司 [World Book Publishing Co., Ltd.], →ISBN, page 87.

Japanese

Kanji

川

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

1. river

Readings

• Go-on: せん (sen, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: せん (sen, Jōyō)
• Kun: かわ (kawa, 川, Jōyō)^{←かは (kafa, 川, historical)}
• Nanori: か (ka)、こ (ko)、さわ (sawa)

Compounds

• 川岸(かし) (kashi)
• 川(せん)柳(りゅう) (senryū, “comic haiku”)
• 河(か)川(せん) (kasen, “rivers”)
• 山(さん)川(せん) (sansen, “mountains and rivers”)

Etymology

Kanji in this term
川
かわ Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Alternative spellings
河 水

From Old Japanese 川 (kapa), from Proto-Japonic *kapa.

First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka̠β̞a̠]
• (Tokyo) かわ [kàwáꜜ] (Odaka – [2])

• (Kyōto, Ōsaka) か​わ [káꜜwà] (Kōki)

• (Tarui) かわ​ [kàwáꜜ] (Teiki)

• (Kyūshū) か​わ [káwà] (type A)
• (Kagoshima) IPA^(key): [ko̞o̞]

• (Kagoshima) こ​お [kóò] (type A)

Noun

川(かわ) • (kawa) ^{←かは (kafa)?}

1. river, stream, brook

   Synonym: 河川 (kasen)

Derived terms

• 川明(かわあ)かり (kawākari)
• 川遊(かわあそ)び (kawāsobi)
• 川(かわ)獺(うそ) (kawauso, “otter”)
• 川(かわ)上(かみ) (kawakami, “upstream”)
• 川(かわ)岸(ぎし) (kawagishi, “river bank”)
• 川(かわ)下(くだ)り (kawakudari, “going downstream”)
• 川(かわ)口(ぐち) (kawaguchi, “mouth of river”)
• 川蜘蛛(かわぐも) (kawagumo)
• 川(かわ)下(しも) (kawashimo, “downstream”)
• 川洲(かわす) (kawasu)
• 川(かわ)瀬(せ) (kawase, “rapids”)
• 川(かわ)蝉(せみ) (kawasemi, “kingfisher”)
• 川(かわ)沿(ぞ)い (kawazoi, “along the river”)
• 川(かわ)端(ばた) (kawabata, “riverbank”)
• 川(かわ)縁(ぶち) (kawabuchi)
• 川辺(かわべ) (kawabe)
• 川(かわ)縁(べり) (kawaberi, “riverside”)
• 川柳(かわやぎ) (kawayagi)
• 川柳(カワヤナギ) (kawayanagi)
• 川(かわ)嫁(よめ) (kawayome, “river nymph”)
• 川(かわ)原(ら) (kawara, “riparian plain, flats alongside a river”)
• 天(あま)の川(がわ) (Ama no gawa, “Milky Way”)
• 小(お)川(がわ) (ogawa, “brook”)
• 滝(たき)川(がわ) (takigawa, “rapids”)
• 谷(たに)川(がわ) (tanigawa, “mountain stream”)
• 溝川(どぶがわ) (dobugawa)
• 堀(ほり)川(かわ) (horikawa, “canal”)
• 山川(やまかわ) (yamakawa)

References

• “川”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[4] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 川 (MC tsyhwen).

Historical readings
Dongguk Jeongun reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᄎᆑᆫ (Yale: chywèn)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
	Gloss (hun)	Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[5]	내〯 (Yale: nǎy)	쳔 (Yale: chyèn)

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean ᄌᆑᆫ (Yale: cywuyen) in Gugeupbangeonhae (救急方諺解 / 구급방언해), 1466.
• Recorded as Middle Korean ᄎᆑᆫ (Yale: chywuyen) in Gugeupbangeonhae (救急方諺解 / 구급방언해), 1466.
• Recorded as Middle Korean 쳔 (Yale: chyen) in Gugeupgan'ibang (救急簡易方 / 구급간이방), 1489.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕʰʌ̹n]
• Phonetic hangul: [천]

Hanja

川 (eumhun 내 천 (nae cheon))

1. hanja form^? of 천 (“river; stream”) [affix]

Compounds

• 산천 (山川, sancheon)
• 인천 (仁川, Incheon)
• 천렵 (川獵, cheollyeop)
• 하천 (河川, hacheon)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [6]

Vietnamese

Han character

川: Hán Nôm readings: xuyên

1. chữ Hán form of xuyên (“river”)

Compounds

• 四川 (Tứ Xuyên)
• 川芎 (xuyên khung)
• 常川 (thường xuyên)