彼

彼 U+5F7C, 彼 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5F7C ← 彻 [U+5F7B] CJK Unified Ideographs 彽 → [U+5F7D]

Translingual

Stroke order (Chinese)

Stroke order (Japan)

Han character

彼 (Kangxi radical 60, 彳+5, 8 strokes, Cangjie input 竹人木竹水 (HODHE), four-corner 2424₇, composition ⿰彳皮)

Derived characters

• 𠶎, 𢜢, 𢯏, 𣷭, 𣔓, 𥓳, 𩏃, 𩜔, 𡮌, 𦋕, 𠥌, 𣤳, 𩕂, 𥨑, 𠪍

Additional Derived Characters

• 𲙜, 𲤢, 𳈈, 𱝻, 𲪣, 𲟬, 𲼎, 𫖽

Further reading

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 365, character 25
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 10066
• Dae Jaweon: page 685, character 18
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 817, character 10
• Unihan data for U+5F7C

Chinese

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
陂	*pral, *prals, *pʰaːl
詖	*pral, *prals
彼	*pralʔ
柀	*pralʔ
佊	*pralʔ, *prals
貱	*prals
跛	*prals, *paːlʔ
披	*pʰral, *pʰralʔ
鈹	*pʰral
帔	*pʰral, *pʰrals
鮍	*pʰral
耚	*pʰral
狓	*pʰral
翍	*pʰral
旇	*pʰral, *brals
秛	*pʰral, *pʰrals
紴	*pʰralʔ, *paːl
皮	*bral
疲	*bral
被	*bralʔ, *brals
髲	*brals
鞁	*brals
骳	*mbralʔ
波	*paːl
碆	*paːl, *baːl
菠	*paːl
簸	*paːlʔ, *paːls
駊	*paːlʔ, *pʰaːlʔ
頗	*pʰaːl, *pʰaːlʔ, *pʰaːls
坡	*pʰaːl
玻	*pʰaːl
破	*pʰaːls
婆	*baːl
蔢	*baːl

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *pralʔ): semantic 彳 + phonetic 皮 (OC *bral).

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.		彼
alternative forms		佊

Related to 夫 (OC *pa, *ba, “that”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): bǐ (bi³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄧˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): bei² / pei²
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): pí

  (Hailu, HRS): bi^ˊ

• Eastern Min (BUC): bī
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): bi³
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): pí

  (Teochew, Peng'im): bi²

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): bi²

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁵pi; ⁵pe

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: bǐ
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄧˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: bǐ
    • Wade–Giles: pi³
    • Yale: bǐ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bii
    • Palladius: би (bi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi²¹⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: bei² / pei²
    • Yale: béi / péi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: bei² / pei²
    • Guangdong Romanization: béi² / péi²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pei̯³⁵/, /pʰei̯³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: pí
    • Hakka Romanization System: bi^ˋ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: bi³
    • Sinological IPA: /pi³¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: bi^ˊ
    • Sinological IPA: /pi²⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: bī
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi³³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: bi³
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: bî
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi⁴⁵³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: bi³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi³³²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pí
    • Tâi-lô: pí
    • Phofsit Daibuun: pie
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /pi⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /pi⁵⁵⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /pi⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Taipei): /pi⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /pi⁴¹/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: bi²
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: pí
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi⁵²/
  • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: bi²
    • Sinological IPA: /pi³¹/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁵pi; ⁵pe
    • MiniDict: pi^去; pe^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²pi; ²pe
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /pi³⁴/, /pe³⁴/

Note:

• 2pi - vernacular;
• 2pe - literary.

---

• Middle Chinese: pjeX

Rime
Character	彼
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	幫 (1)
Final (韻)	支 (13)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	甫委切
Baxter	pjeX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/pˠiᴇX/
Pan Wuyun	/pᵚiɛX/
Shao Rongfen	/piɛX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/pjiə̆X/
Li Rong	/pjeX/
Wang Li	/pǐeX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/pie̯X/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	bǐ
Expected Cantonese Reflex	bei2

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*pajʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*pralʔ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	彼
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	bǐ
Middle Chinese	‹ pjeX ›
Old Chinese	/*pajʔ/
English	that
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	彼
Reading #	1/1
No.	9690
Phonetic component	皮
Rime group	歌
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	彼
Old Chinese	/*pralʔ/

Definitions

彼

1. (literary) that; those
2. (literary) he; she; it

   • 夫撫劍疾視曰，『彼惡敢當我哉』！此匹夫之勇，敵一人者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     夫抚剑疾视曰，『彼恶敢当我哉』！此匹夫之勇，敌一人者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Fū fǔjiàn jíshì yuē, ‘bǐ wū gǎn dāng wǒ zāi’! Cǐ pǐfūzhīyǒng, dí yīrén zhě yě. [Pinyin]

     If a man brandishes his sword, looks fiercely, and says, "How dare he withstand me?" - this is the courage of a common man, who can be the opponent only of a single individual.

   • 彼用無為有，故謂矯，若有而謂有，夫豈為矯哉！ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     彼用无为有，故谓矫，若有而谓有，夫岂为矫哉！ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mozi, c. 4^th century BCE

     Bǐ yòng wú wéi yǒu, gù wèi jiǎo, ruò yǒu ér wèi yǒu, fū qǐ wèi jiǎo zāi! [Pinyin]

     He made use of what did not exist as if it had existed, and therefore it was called pretension. If he declared to be existent what really existed, how would this be pretension?

   • (Can we date this quote?), “使徒信經 [Apostles' Creed]”, in 禮賢會規定禮文:

     後昇天堂，坐在聖父上帝全能之右也，然彼將由天降地，以審判生死者。 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     后升天堂，坐在圣父上帝全能之右也，然彼将由天降地，以审判生死者。 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     hau⁶ sing¹ tin¹ tong⁴, zo⁶ zoi⁶ sing³ fu⁶ soeng⁶ dai³ cyun⁴ nang⁴ zi¹ jau⁶ jaa⁵, jin⁴ bei² zoeng¹ jau⁴ tin¹ gong³ dei⁶, ji⁵ sam² pun³ sang¹ sei² ze². [Jyutping]

     he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Synonyms

• (that):

Dialectal synonyms of 那 (“that”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		彼, 其, 夫, 爾
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		那, 該
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	那
	Taiwan	那
	Chengde	那
	Chifeng	那
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	那
	Heihe	那
	Qiqihar	那
	Harbin	那
	Jiamusi	那
	Baicheng	那
	Changchun	那
	Tonghua	那
	Shenyang	那
	Jinzhou	那
	Malaysia	那
	Singapore	那
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	那
	Tangshan	那
	Cangzhou	那
	Baoding	那
	Shijiazhuang	那
	Lijin	那, 乜
	Jinan	那
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	那
	Dandong	那
	Yantai	那, 乜
	Yantai (Muping)	那
	Zhucheng	那, 乜
Central Plains Mandarin	Lingbao	那
	Wanrong	𠰻, 兀3, 奈
	Linfen	兀
	Shangqiu	那
	Yuanyang	那
	Zhengzhou	那
	Xinyang	那
	Baihe	那
	Xi'an	兀3, 那
	Baoji	那
	Tianshui	那
	Xining	那
	Dunhuang (Hedong dialect)	那
	Xuzhou	那
	Pizhou	那
	Lianyungang (Ganyu)	那
	Donghai	那
	Fuyang	那
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	那, 呶
	Lanzhou	那
	Hami	那
	Ürümqi	那
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	那
	Nanchong	那
	Dazhou	那
	Hanyuan	那
	Xichang	那
	Zigong	那
	Chongqing	那
	Wuhan	那
	Yichang	那
	Xiangyang	那
	Tianmen	那
	Guiyang	那
	Zunyi	那
	Bijie	那
	Liping	那
	Zhaotong	那
	Dali	那
	Kunming	那
	Mengzi	那
	Guilin	那
	Liuzhou	那
	Jishou	那
	Changde	那
	Hanzhong	那
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	那
	Yangzhou	那
	Baoying	那
	Taizhou	那
	Zhenjiang	那
	Lianyungang	那
	Huai'an (Huaiyin)	那
	Lianshui	那
	Nantong	葛
	Rugao	那
	Yancheng	那
	Funing	那
	Sihong	那
	Wuhu	那, 顧
	Hefei	那
	Hong'an	那
Cantonese	Guangzhou	嗰
	Hong Kong	嗰
	Macau	嗰, 嚕
	Taishan	嚀, 𡃕
	Dongguan	嗰
	Yangjiang	那
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	嗰
	Singapore (Guangfu)	嗰
Gan	Nanchang	許
	Nanchang (Wangcheng)	許
	Anyi	爾
	Lushan	爾
	Pengze	爾
	Duchang	爾
	Wuning (Quankou)	爾
	Poyang	爾
	Yugan	爾
	Wannian	那
	Hengfeng	爾
	Yanshan (Hekou)	爾
	Leping	恁
	Fengxin	許
	Wanzai	許
	Fengcheng	許
	Xinyu	許
	Fuzhou (Shangdundu)	恁
	Fuzhou (Dongxiang)	恁
	Nancheng	階
	Nanfeng	許
	Yihuang	里
	Lichuan	許
	Chongren	許
	Pingxiang	恁
	Ji'an	改
	Yongfeng	蓋
	Xiajiang	許
	Yingtan (Yujiang)	里
	Guixi	許
	Jinxian	恁
	Jinxi	恁
	Le'an	許
	Guangchang	該
	Anfu	改
	Wan'an	介
	Jing'an	許
Hakka	Changting	解
	Shanghang	介
	Wuping	解
	Liancheng	解
	Qingliu	介
	Yudu	界
	Shangyou (Shexi)	界
	Dayu	密
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	該
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	該
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	該
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	該
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	該
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	遐
	Hong Kong	哎
	Kuching (Hepo)	嗰
Huizhou	Jixi	那
	Shexian	那
	Wuyuan	箇
	Fuliang	爾
Jin	Taiyuan	兀3, 那
	Yangyuan	那
	Datong	那
	Xinzhou	𠰻
	Lüliang (Lishi)	那, 𠰻
	Changzhi	那
	Linhe	那
	Jining	那
	Hohhot	那
	Erenhot	那
	Pingshan	那
	Zhangjiakou	那
	Handan	那
	Suide	那
Northern Min	Jian'ou	兀4
	Songxi	兀4
	Zhenghe	兀4
	Jianyang	兀4
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	許
	Fuzhou (Changle)	許
	Lianjiang	許
	Fuqing	許
	Pingtan	許
	Yongtai	許
	Minqing	許
	Gutian	許
	Pingnan	許
	Luoyuan	許
	Fu'an	許
	Xiapu	許
	Zherong	那
	Shouning	許
	Zhouning	許
	Fuding	許
	Singapore (Fuqing)	許
Southern Min	Xiamen	彼, 許
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	彼
	Quanzhou	彼, 許
	Jinjiang	彼
	Nan'an	彼
	Shishi	彼
	Hui'an	彼
	Anxi	彼
	Yongchun	彼
	Dehua	彼
	Zhangzhou	彼, 許
	Zhangzhou (Longhai)	彼
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	彼
	Hua'an	彼
	Nanjing	彼
	Pinghe	彼
	Zhangpu	彼
	Yunxiao	彼
	Zhao'an	彼
	Dongshan	彼
	Taipei	彼
	Kaohsiung	彼
	Penghu (Xiyu)	那
	Singapore (Hokkien)	彼
	Manila (Hokkien)	彼, 許
	Datian	彼
	Chaozhou	許
	Shantou	許
	Haifeng	許
	Singapore (Teochew)	許
	Batam (Teochew)	許
	Wenchang	許
	Singapore (Hainanese)	許
Shaojiang Min	Guangze	兀4
	Mingxi	兀4
Wu	Shanghai	埃, 伊
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	威
	Shanghai (Chongming)	艾, 港, 葛 also this
	Suzhou	彎, 歸, 搿 also this
	Suzhou (Lili, Wujiang)	介面
	Wuxi	過
	Changshu	過
	Changzhou	過
	Danyang	過
	Nanjing (Zhongbao, Gaochun)	古
	Wenzhou	許
	Shangrao	麼
	Yushan	忽
Xiang	Changsha	那
	Shuangfeng	喏

• (he):

Dialectal synonyms of 他 (“he”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		伊1, 彼, 其, 厥, 渠, 夫, 之 object, 乃
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		他
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	他, 怹 honorific
	Taiwan	他
	Chengde	他
	Ulanhot	他
	Tongliao	他
	Chifeng	他
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	他
	Heihe	他
	Qiqihar	他
	Harbin	他
	Jiamusi	他
	Baicheng	他
	Changchun	他
	Tonghua	他
	Shenyang	他
	Jinzhou	他
	Malaysia	他
	Singapore	他
	Olginsky (Mikhaylovka)	他
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	他
	Tangshan	他
	Cangzhou	他
	Lijin	他
	Weifang (Weicheng)	他
	Weifang (Fangzi)	他
	Changle	他
	Shouguang	他
	Wulian	他
	Jinan	他
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	他
	Dandong	他
	Yantai	他
	Yantai (Muping)	他
	Qingdao	他
	Weifang (Hanting)	他
	Changyi	他
	Gaomi	他
	Zhucheng	他
	Anqiu	他
	Linqu	他
	Qingzhou	他
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	他
	Lingbao	他
	Wanrong	他, 伢
	Linfen	他
	Shangqiu	他
	Yuanyang	他
	Zhengzhou	他
	Xinyang	他
	Ankang	他
	Ankang (Xianhe, Hanbin)	他
	Baihe	他
	Baihe (Maoping)	他
	Xi'an	他
	Dingbian	他
	Baoji	他
	Tianshui	他
	Xining	家, 他
	Dunhuang (Hedong dialect)	他
	Xuzhou	他
	Pizhou	他
	Lianyungang (Ganyu)	他
	Donghai	他
	Fuyang	他
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	他
	Masanchin (Shaanxi Dungan)	他
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	他
	Bayanhot	他
	Lanzhou	他, 那
	Hami	他
	Ürümqi	他
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	他
	Nanchong	他
	Dazhou	他
	Hanyuan	他
	Xichang	他
	Zigong	他
	Chongqing	他
	Wuhan	他, 他家
	Yichang	他
	Xiangyang	他
	Tianmen	他
	Guiyang	他
	Zunyi	他
	Bijie	他
	Liping	他
	Zhaotong	他
	Dali	他
	Kunming	他
	Mengzi	他
	Guilin	他
	Guilin (Lingui)	他
	Pingle	他
	Liuzhou	他
	Liuzhou (Luorong)	他
	Luzhai	他
	Nanning (Xiakuojie)	他
	Nanning (Fujian)	他
	Nanning (Wuming)	他
	Nanning (Fucheng, Wuming)	他
	Binyang (Nanjie)	他
	Jishou	他
	Changde	他
	Xiangtan (Jiangnan Industries Group koine)	他
	Shiquan	他
	Ziyang	他
	Hanzhong	他
	Kokang	他
	Dagudi (Maliba)	他
	Reshuitang (Longling)	他
	Mae Salong (Lancang)	他
	Mae Sai (Tengchong)	他
	Oudomxay	他
	Pematangsiantar	他
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	他
	Yangzhou	他
	Baoying	他
	Taizhou	他
	Zhenjiang	他
	Lianyungang	他
	Huai'an (Huaiyin)	他
	Lianshui	他
	Xuyi	他
	Xinghua	他
	Nantong	他
	Rugao	他
	Yancheng	他
	Funing	他
	Sihong	他
	Anqing	他
	Wuhu	他
	Hefei	他
	Hong'an	他
Mandarin	Qinzhou (Longmengang)	他
	Fuzhou (Qinjiang, Changle)	他
	Nanping (Yanping)	他
Cantonese	Guangzhou	佢
	Hong Kong	佢
	Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)	佢
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	佢
	Hong Kong (Shek Pik; Weitou)	佢
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	佢
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	佢
	Macau	佢
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	佢
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	佢
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	佢
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	佢
	Foshan	佢
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	佢
	Foshan (Shunde)	佢
	Foshan (Sanshui)	佢
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	佢
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	佢
	Zhongshan (Huancheng)	佢
	Zhongshan (Nanlang)	佢
	Zhongshan (Xiaolan)	佢
	Zhongshan (Dongsheng, Xiaolan)	佢
	Zhongshan (Tanbei, Xiaolan)	佢
	Zhongshan (Henglan)	佢
	Zhongshan (Dongfeng)	佢
	Zhongshan (Nantou)	佢
	Zhongshan (Fusha)	佢
	Zhongshan (Shalang)	佢
	Zhongshan (Gangkou)	佢
	Zhongshan (Huangpu)	佢
	Zhongshan (Sanjiao)	佢
	Zhongshan (Langwang, Minzhong)	佢
	Zhongshan (Minzhong)	佢
	Zhongshan (Guzhen)	佢
	Zhongshan (Banfu)	佢
	Zhongshan (Tanzhou)	佢
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	佢
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	佢
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	佢
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	佢
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	佢
	Taishan	佢
	Taishan (Guanghai)	佢
	Kaiping (Chikan)	佢
	Enping (Niujiang)	佢
	Heshan (Yayao)	佢
	Dongguan	佢
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	佢
	Shenzhen (Dapeng)	佢
	Shenzhen (Pingdong, Longgang; Shehua)	其
	Shenzhen (Pingshan; Zhanmi)	佢
	Qingyuan	佢
	Fogang	佢
	Yingde (Hanguang)	佢
	Yangshan	佢
	Lianshan (Butian)	佢
	Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui)	佢
	Shaoguan	佢
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	佢
	Renhua	佢
	Lechang	佢
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	佢
	Sihui	佢
	Guangning	佢
Deqing	佢
Huaiji	佢
Fengkai (Nanfeng)	佢
Yunfu	佢
Xinxing	佢
Luoding	佢
Yunan (Pingtai)	佢
Yangjiang	佢
Xinyi	佢
Lianjiang	佢
Nanning	佢
Wuzhou	佢
Yulin	佢
Hepu (Lianzhou)	佢
Guiping	佢
Guiping (Jintian)	佢
Guiping (Jiangkou)	佢
Guiping (Madong)	佢
Guiping (Mule)	佢
Pingnan	佢
Pingnan (Danzhu)	佢
Mengshan (Xihe)	佢
Guigang (Gangcheng)	佢
Guigang (Nanjiang)	佢
Guigang (Pingdong)	惹
Beiliu (Tangliao)	佢
Baise	佢
Bobai	佢
Lingshan	佢
Pubei	佢
Qinzhou	佢
Qinzhou (Changtan)	佢
Qinzhou (Xiniujiao)	佢
Beihai	佢
Beihai (Nankang)	佢
Beihai (Yingpan)	佢
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	佢
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	佢
Ningming	佢
Hengzhou	佢
Hezhou (Pumen, Babu)	佢
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	佢
Chongzuo (Laituan)	佢
Fusui (Qujiu)	佢
Danzhou	佢
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	佢
Penang (Guangfu)	佢
Singapore (Guangfu)	佢
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	佢
Móng Cái	佢
Yangon (Taishan)	佢
Mandalay (Taishan)	佢
Gan	Nanchang	渠
	Nanchang (Wangcheng)	渠
	Anyi	渠仂
	Lushan	渠
	Pengze	渠
	Duchang	渠, 渠儂
	Wuning (Quankou)	渠
	Poyang	渠
	Yugan	渠, 渠郎
	Wannian	渠
	Hengfeng	渠, 渠仂
	Yanshan (Hekou)	渠, 渠仂
	Leping	渠
	Yichun	渠
	Yifeng	渠
	Gao'an	渠
	Fengxin	渠
	Shanggao	渠
	Wanzai	渠
	Fengcheng	渠
	Xinyu	渠
	Fuzhou (Shangdundu)	渠
	Fuzhou (Dongxiang)	渠仂
	Nancheng	渠
	Nanfeng	渠仂, 渠
	Yihuang	渠
	Lichuan	渠
	Chongren	渠
	Pingxiang	他
	Lianhua	渠
	Ji'an	渠
	Yongfeng	渠
	Taihe	渠
	Xiajiang	渠
	Yongxin	渠
	Yingtan (Yujiang)	渠
	Guixi	渠, 渠仂
	Jianning	使
	Ankang (Niuti)	渠
	Jinxian	渠
	Jinxi	渠
	Le'an	渠
	Guangchang	渠
	Anfu	渠
	Suichuan	渠
	Wan'an	渠
	Jing'an	渠
	Zhangshu	渠
	Xingan	渠
	Fenyi	渠
Hakka	Meixian	佢
	Xingning	佢
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	佢
	Huidong (Daling)	佢
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	佢
	Boluo (Bendihua)	佢
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	佢
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	佢
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	佢
	Wuhua (Meilin)	佢
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	佢
	Longchuan (Tuocheng; Bendihua)	佢
	Heping (Linzhai; Bendihua)	佢
	Lianping (Longjie; Bendihua)	佢
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	佢
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	佢
	Liannan	佢
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	佢
	Jiexi	佢
	Changting	佢
	Shanghang	佢
	Longyan (Yongding)	佢
	Wuping	佢
	Wuping (Pingyu)	佢
	Liancheng	佢
	Ninghua	佢
	Qingliu	佢
	Yudu	佢
	Ruijin	佢
	Shicheng	佢
	Shangyou (Shexi)	佢
	Ganzhou (Nankang)	佢
	Dingnan	佢
	Longnan	佢
	Xunwu	佢
	Huichang	佢
	Chongyi	佢
	Xingguo	佢
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	佢
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	佢
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	佢
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	佢
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	佢
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	佢
	Hong Kong	佢
	Luchuan	佢
	Bobai (Shahe)	佢
	Bobai (Longtan)	佢
	Bobai (Lingping)	佢
	Bobai (Lingjiao)	佢
	Beiliu (Tang'an)	佢
	Mashan (Pianlian)	佢
	Guigang (Wule)	佢
	Guigang (Qiaoxu)	佢
	Guigang (Batang)	佢
	Guiping (Jintian)	佢
	Guiping (Dongxin)	佢
	Pingnan (Guo'an)	佢
	Guilin (Xiaojiang, Lingui)	佢
	Sabah (Longchuan)	佢
	Senai (Huiyang)	佢
	Kuching (Hepo)	佢
	Singkawang	佢
	Bangkok (Meixian)	佢
Huizhou	Jixi	渠, 渠仂
	Dexing	渠
	Chun'an (Qiandaohu)	渠
	Jiande (Meicheng)	渠
	Jiande (Shouchang)	渠, 渠儂
Jin	Taiyuan	他
	Yangyuan	他
	Datong	他
	Xinzhou	他
	Lüliang (Lishi)	他
	Changzhi	他
	Taibus (Baochang)	他
	Linhe	他
	Jining	他
	Hohhot	他
	Baotou	他
	Dongsheng	他
	Haibowan	他
	Erenhot	他
	Pingshan	他
	Zhangjiakou	他
	Handan	他
	Anyang	他
	Linzhou	他
	Suide	他
	Shenmu	他
Jiuxing Yumin	Jiande	渠, 渠儂
	Jinhua	渠, 渠儂
	Lanxi	渠, 渠儂
	Tunxi	渠
Northern Min	Jian'ou	渠
	Jian'ou (Dikou)	渠
	Songxi	渠
	Zhenghe	渠
	Zhenghe (Zhenqian)	渠
	Jianyang	渠
	Pucheng (Shibei)	渠
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	伊1
	Fuzhou (Changle)	伊1
	Lianjiang	伊1
	Fuqing	伊1
	Pingtan	伊1
	Yongtai	伊1
	Minqing	伊1
	Gutian	伊1
	Pingnan	伊1
	Luoyuan	伊1
	Fu'an	伊1
	Ningde	伊1
	Xiapu	伊1
	Zherong	伊1
	Shouning	伊1
	Zhouning	伊1
	Fuding	伊1
	Matsu	伊1
	Taishun	伊1
	Cangnan (Qianku)	伊1
	Sitiawan (Gutian)	伊1
Southern Min	Xiamen	伊1
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	伊1
	Quanzhou	伊1
	Jinjiang	伊1
	Nan'an	伊1
	Shishi	伊1
	Hui'an	伊1
	Anxi	伊1
	Yongchun	伊1
	Dehua	伊1
	Zhangzhou	伊1
	Zhangzhou (Longhai)	伊1
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	伊1
	Hua'an	伊1
	Nanjing	伊1
	Pinghe	伊1
	Zhangpu	伊1
	Yunxiao	伊1
	Zhao'an	伊1
	Dongshan	伊1
	Taipei	伊1
	Taipei (Wanhua)	伊1
	Kaohsiung	伊1
	Kaohsiung (Cijin)	伊1
	Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang)	伊1
	Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang)	伊1
	Yilan	伊1
	Changhua (Lukang)	伊1
	Taichung	伊1
	Taichung (Wuqi)	伊1
	Tainan	伊1
	Taitung	伊1
	Hsinchu	伊1
	Kinmen	伊1
	Penghu (Magong)	伊1
	Penang (Hokkien)	伊1
	Singapore (Hokkien)	伊1
	Manila (Hokkien)	伊1
	Medan (Hokkien)	伊1
	Longyan	伊1
	Zhangping	伊1
	Datian	伊1
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	他, 伊1
	Pingnan (Pingtian)	伊1
	Pingnan (Sijie)	伊1
	Guiping (Xiaowen)	伊1
	Guiping (Dongsheng)	伊1
	Guilin (Biyange)	伊1
	Pingle (Zhoutang)	伊1
	Lechang (Tatou)	伊1
	Renhua (Changshabei)	伊1
	Yingde (Yuzui)	伊1
	Yunan (Liantan)	伊1
	Cangnan	伊1
	Chaozhou	伊1
	Shantou	伊1
	Shantou (Chenghai)	伊1
	Shantou (Chaoyang)	伊1
	Nan'ao (Houzhai)	伊1
	Nan'ao (Yun'ao)	伊1
	Jieyang	伊1
	Haifeng	伊1
	Bangkok (Teochew)	伊1
	Chiang Mai (Teochew)	伊1
Hat Yai (Teochew)	伊1
Johor Bahru (Teochew)	伊1
Singapore (Teochew)	伊1
Pontianak (Teochew)	伊1
Leizhou	伊1
Wenchang	伊1
Haikou	伊1
Qionghai	伊1
Singapore (Hainanese)	伊1
Puxian Min	Putian	伊1
	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	伊1
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	伊1
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	伊1
	Xianyou	伊1
	Xianyou (Fengting)	伊1
	Xianyou (Youyang)	伊1
Central Min	Yong'an	渠
	Sanming (Sanyuan)	渠
	Sanming (Shaxian)	渠
	Nanping (Wangtai, Yanping)	渠
Shaojiang Min	Shaowu	𠇼
	Guangze	𠇼
	Jiangle	渠
	Mingxi	渠
	Shunchang	渠
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	伊1
	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	伊1
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	佢
	Nanning (Shajing)	佢
	Binyang	那
	Binyang (Xinqiao)	那
	Wuxuan (Laishan)	那
	Wuxuan (Zhangcun)	那
	Chongzuo (Laituan)	佢
	Chongzuo (Xinhe)	佢
	Fusui (Longtou)	佢
	Liucheng (Yangmei)	他
	Liucheng (Guzhai)	那
	Liucheng (Liming)	他
	Rongshui	他
	Hechi (Desheng, Yizhou)	他
	Luocheng (Niubi)	他
	Baise (Nabi)	佢
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	他
	Guilin (Chaoyang)	他
	Guilin (Dongbianzhou)	他
	Guilin (Zhuyuan)	他
	Guilin (Wutong, Lingui)	他
	Lingchuan (Sanjie)	他
	Lingchuan (Tanxia)	他
	Pingle (Zhangjia)	佢
	Pingle (Xintangmian)	佢
	Yongfu (Tangbao)	他
	Zhongshan (Gong'an)	佢
Shehua	Jingning (Hexi)	渠
Wu	Shanghai	伊2
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	是渠, 是渠, 渠, 是伊
	Shanghai (Fengxian)	是伊, 渠伊
	Shanghai (Jinshan)	是伊, 渠伊
	Shanghai (Jiading)	伊2
	Shanghai (Yuepu, Baoshan)	是伊
	Shanghai (Chongming)	伊2
	Suzhou	俚, 俚倷, 唔倷
	Suzhou (Shengze, Wujiang)	伊2, 伊奴
	Wuxi	佗
	Changshu	伊2
	Nantong (Haimen)	他, 伊2
	Jiaxing	伊內
	Jiashan	伊2, 伊儂
	Pinghu	伊儂
	Haining (Yanguan)	伊2
	Tongxiang	伊2, 夷儂
	Haiyan	伊2, 葉內, 候內
	Changzhou	佗
	Danyang	他
	Nanjing (Gaochun)	他
	Huzhou	是其
	Changxing	是夷, 夷
	Anji	其
	Deqing	夷
	Hangzhou	他
	Hangzhou (Yuhang)	夷, 其
	Hangzhou (Lin'an)	夷, 是夷, 其
	Hangzhou (Fuyang)	夷, 是夷
	Hangzhou (Xiaoshan)	夷
	Tonglu	夷, 是夷
	Tonglu (Wusheng)	夷, 他
	Shaoxing	夷
	Zhuji	其
	Shengzhou	夷
	Xinchang	其
	Ningbo	渠, 渠儂
	Ningbo (Zhenhai)	其
	Ningbo (Fenghua)	其
	Yuyao	渠
	Cixi	渠
	Xiangshan	其, 像其
	Ninghai	其, 其儂
	Zhoushan	其
	Taizhou (Huangyan)	渠
	Tiantai	渠
	Xianju	渠
	Sanmen	渠
	Linhai	渠
	Wenling	渠
	Wenzhou	渠
	Yueqing	渠
	Yongjia (Fenglin)	渠
	Rui'an	渠
	Pingyang	渠
	Taishun	其
	Wencheng	渠
	Lishui	渠
	Qingtian	渠
	Jinyun	渠
	Wuyi (Liucheng)	渠
	Songyang (Xiping)	渠
	Yunhe	他, 其
	Jingning	他, 渠
Qingyuan	渠
Longquan	渠
Quzhou	渠
Suichang	渠
Jiangshan	渠
Changshan	渠
Kaihua	渠
Longyou	渠, 渠儂
Jinhua	渠
Jinhua (Tangxi)	渠, 渠儂
Yiwu	渠
Yongkang	渠
Pujiang	其, 徐
Dongyang	渠
Wuyi	渠
Lanxi	渠, 渠儂
Xiang	Changsha	他
	Loudi	他
	Shuangfeng	他
	Hengyang	其
	Quanzhou	他
	Guanyang (Wenshi)	他
Note	In spoken language, Chinese varieties in general do not distinguish gender/animacy in the third-person pronoun; distinctions are only sometimes made in writing. 佢 is commonly used in Yue, Hakka and Pinghua, while 渠 is more common in other varieties

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “that”): 此 (cǐ)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (彼):

• → Japanese: 彼(ひ) (hi)
• → Korean: 피(彼) (pi)
• → Vietnamese: bỉ (彼)

Compounds

• 不分彼此 (bùfēnbǐcǐ)
• 何彼襛矣 / 何彼𰳺矣
• 厚彼薄此
• 厚此薄彼 (hòucǐbóbǐ)
• 彼倡此和
• 彼唱此和
• 彼岸 (bǐ'àn)
• 彼得 (Bǐdé)
• 彼得大帝 (Bǐdé Dàdì)
• 彼此 (bǐcǐ)
• 彼眾我寡 / 彼众我寡 (bǐzhòngwǒguǎ)
• 彼竭我盈 (bǐjiéwǒyíng)
• 彼蒼 / 彼苍
• 彼長我消 / 彼长我消
• 挹彼注此
• 挹彼注茲 / 挹彼注兹 (yìbǐzhùzī)
• 此仆彼起
• 此唱彼和
• 此問彼難 / 此问彼难
• 此發彼應 / 此发彼应
• 此起彼伏 (cǐqǐbǐfú)
• 此起彼落 (cǐqǐbǐluò)
• 瞻彼洛矣
• 知己知彼 (zhījǐzhībǐ)
• 知彼知己 (zhībǐzhījǐ)
• 聖彼得堡 / 圣彼得堡 (Shèng Bǐdébǎo)
• 誓彼襟靈 / 誓彼襟灵
• 顧此失彼 / 顾此失彼 (gùcǐshībǐ)

Etymology 2

Related to 許／许 (hí, hír, “that”); see there for more.

Pronunciation 2 is a fusion word of 許／许 (hí, hír, “that”) + 一 (it, “one”); compare Mandarin 那 (nèi), from 那 (nà, “that”) + 一 (yī, “one”) (Mei and Yang, 1995).

Pronunciation 1

simp. and trad.		彼
alternative forms		許／许 赫

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): hé / he

---

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hé
    • Tâi-lô: hé
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hea
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /he⁵³/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: he
    • Tâi-lô: he
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hef
    • Sinological IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /he⁴⁴/

Definitions

彼

1. (Zhangzhou and Taiwanese Hokkien) that (demonstrative pronoun)

   這是阮老母，彼是阮老爸。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
   这是阮老母，彼是阮老爸。 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

   Che sī goán lāu-bó, he sī goán lāu-pē. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   This is my mother; that is my father.

   • 2022, “遊臺灣”, 武雄 (lyrics), 張三 [Zion Chang] and 曹雅雯 [Olivia Tsao] (music), performed by 陳亞蘭 [Chen Ya Lan] and 曹雅雯 [Olivia Tsao]:

     雅雯：你是誰　亞蘭：彼是台北人 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
     雅雯：你是谁　亚兰：彼是台北人 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

     Ngá-bûn: lí sī siáng, A-lân: he sī Tâi-pak lâng [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

     Ya-Lan: "'Who are you?'" / Olivia: "That's a Taipei person"

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 那個 (“that; that one”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		那個
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	那個
	Taiwan	那個
	Harbin	那個
	Singapore	那個
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	那個
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	那個
	Wanrong	兀個
	Xi'an	兀個, 奈個
	Xining	奈個
	Xuzhou	那個
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	那個
	Ürümqi	那個
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	那個
	Wuhan	那個
	Guiyang	那個
	Liuzhou	那個
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	那個
	Yangzhou	那個
	Hefei	那個
Cantonese	Guangzhou	嗰個
	Hong Kong	嗰個
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	嗰個
	Macau	嗰個, 嚕個
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	嗰個, 嚕個
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	個個
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	嗰隻
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	嗰個
	Foshan	嗰個
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	嚕個
	Foshan (Shunde)	嚕個
	Foshan (Sanshui)	嗰個
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	嗰個
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	呶個
	Zhongshan (Huancheng)	呶個
	Zhongshan (Nanlang)	呶個
	Zhongshan (Xiaolan)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Dongsheng, Xiaolan)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Tanbei, Xiaolan)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Henglan)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Dongfeng)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Nantou)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Fusha)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Shalang)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Gangkou)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Sanjiao)	嗰個
	Zhongshan (Guzhen)	嚀個
	Zhongshan (Banfu)	嚕個
	Zhongshan (Tanzhou)	嚕個
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	嗰個
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	嗰個
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	嚀個
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	嚀個
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	嚀個
	Taishan	𡃕個, 嚀個
	Kaiping (Chikan)	嚀個
	Enping (Niujiang)	嚀個
	Dongguan	嗰個
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	嗰個
	Qingyuan	嗰個
	Fogang	嗰個
	Yingde (Hanguang)	嗰個
	Yangshan	嗰拉
	Shaoguan	嗰個
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	嗰個
	Renhua	嗰個
	Lechang	嗰個
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	那個
	Sihui	嗰個, 嗰呢
	Guangning	嗰呢
	Deqing	阿個
	Yunfu	嗰個
	Luoding	嗰個
	Yunan (Pingtai)	阿個
	Yangjiang	那個
	Xinyi	那隻
	Maoming (Xinpo)	那隻
	Singapore (Guangfu)	嗰個
Gan	Lichuan	那個
	Pingxiang	那個
Hakka	Meixian	該個, 該隻
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	蓋隻
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	哎隻
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	蓋隻
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	伊隻
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	蓋隻
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	該個, 該隻
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	該個, 該隻
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	該個, 該隻
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	該個
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	該個, 該隻
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	遐個, 遐隻
Huizhou	Jixi	那個
Jin	Taiyuan	兀個, 那個
Northern Min	Jian'ou	兀隻
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	許隻, 許一隻, 許回
Southern Min	Xiamen	彼個
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	彼個
	Quanzhou	彼個, 响個
	Jinjiang	彼個, 响個
	Nan'an	彼個
	Shishi	彼個
	Hui'an	彼個
	Anxi	彼個
	Yongchun	彼個
	Dehua	彼個
	Zhangzhou	彼個
	Zhangzhou (Longhai)	彼個
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	彼個
	Hua'an	彼個
	Nanjing	彼個
	Pinghe	彼個
	Zhangpu	彼個
	Yunxiao	彼個
	Zhao'an	彼個
	Dongshan	彼個
	Taipei	彼個
	Kaohsiung	彼個
	Yilan	彼個
	Changhua (Lukang)	彼個
	Taichung	彼個
	Taichung (Wuqi)	彼個
	Tainan	彼
	Taitung	彼個
	Hsinchu	彼個
	Kinmen	彼個
	Penghu (Magong)	彼個
	Singapore (Hokkien)	彼個
	Manila (Hokkien)	彼個, 响個
	Datian	彼個
	Chaozhou	許個
	Shantou	許個
	Shantou (Chenghai)	許個
	Jieyang	許個
	Singapore (Teochew)	許個
	Batam (Teochew)	許個
	Wenchang	許個, 許枚
	Haikou	許個, 許枚
	Singapore (Hainanese)	許個, 許枚
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	許個
Wu	Shanghai	埃個, 伊個
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	威個
	Shanghai (Chuansha, Pudong)	伊個
	Shanghai (Fengxian)	哀一個
	Shanghai (Qingpu)	哀一個
	Shanghai (Jiading)	一格
	Shanghai (Shuangcaodun, Baoshan)	葛個, 伊個, 接個
	Shanghai (Luodian, Baoshan)	伊個
	Shanghai (Chongming)	格個, 哀個
	Suzhou	歸格
	Hangzhou	那個, 那葛
	Wenzhou	海個
Xiang	Changsha	那個, 那隻
	Loudi	那個
	Shuangfeng	喏個

Pronunciation 2

simp. and trad.		彼
alternative forms		許／许 迄

• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): heh⁶
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): hit

---

• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: heh⁶
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: heh
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɛʔ²¹/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: heh⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɛʔ²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hit
    • Tâi-lô: hit
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hid
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /hit̚³²/
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /hit̚⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /hit̚³²/
    • Sinological IPA (Taipei): /hit̚³²/
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /hit̚³²/

Definitions

彼

1. (Southern Min, Puxian Min) that (demonstrative determiner)

   彼本冊／彼本册 [Taiwanese Hokkien]  ―  hit pún chheh [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  that book

Further reading

• “彼”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2026.

Japanese

Kanji

彼

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: ひ (hi, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: ひ (hi, Jōyō)
• Kun: あ (a, 彼)、あの (ano, 彼の)、あれ (are, 彼)、あれ (are, 彼れ)、か (ka, 彼)、かれ (kare, 彼, Jōyō)、かの (kano, 彼, Jōyō ^†)
• Nanori: その (sono)

Compounds

Compounds

• 彼処(あそこ) (asoko, “that place over there, that organization over there”)
• 彼方(あちら, かなた) (achira, kanata, “that way, that over there; far away”)
• 彼女(かのじょ) (kanojo, “she, girlfriend”)
• 彼我(ひが) (higa, “friend and foe”)
• 彼(ひ)岸(がん) (higan)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
彼
か Grade: S
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka̠]
• (Tokyo) か [káꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])

Pronoun

彼(か) • (ka) 

1. distal demonstrative, something far off removed from both speaker and listener: that, yon

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 彼(かの) (kano), 彼(か)の (kano, “his; that”)
• 彼(かれ) (kare, “he”)

See also

Classical Japanese pronouns and demonstratives

	a-/wa- “I, we” (first person)	na-/-ma- “you, ye, thou” (second person)	k- “this” (close to speaker)	s- “that” (close to listener)	a-/ka- “that over there” (far from both)	i-/ta-/nani- “who, what, where, how, when” (interrogative)	ono- “oneself” (reflexive)
Person	あ (a) あれ (are) わ (wa) われ (ware) まろ (maro)	な (na) なれ (nare) なんぢ (nanji) まし (mashi) いまし (imashi) みまし (mimashi) きみ (kimi)	こ (ko) これ (kore)	そ (so) それ (sore)	あ (a) あれ (are) か (ka) かれ (kare)	た (ta) たれ (tare) なにがし (nanigashi)	おの (ono) おのれ (onore)
Thing			こ (ko) これ (kore)	そ (so) それ (sore)	あ (a) あれ (are) か (ka) かれ (kare)	いづれ (izure) なに (nani)
Location			ここ (koko)	そこ (soko)	あしこ (ashiko) かしこ (kashiko)	いづく (izuku) いづこ (izuko) いどこ (idoko) どこ (doko)
Direction			こち (kochi) こなた (konata)	そち (sochi) そなた (sonata)	あち (achi) あなた (anata) かなた (kanata)	いづち (izuchi) いづら (izura) いづかた (izukata)
Manner			か (ka) かく (kaku) かくて (kakute) かう (kō)	さ (sa) さて (sate) しか (shika)		いか (ika)
Time						いつ (itsu)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
彼
かれ Grade: S
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
儂 (rare)

From Old Japanese. Compound of 彼 (ka, “that, yon”) +‎ れ (-re, nominalizing suffix for demonstratives). Found in the Man'yōshū compiled around 759.

The sense development seems to have proceeded from "that thing over there" to "that person over there [of indeterminate gender]". The specifically male sense of "he" only arose later during the late Edo period and early Meiji period, influenced by translations of texts from European languages.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka̠ɾe̞]
• (Tokyo) かれ [káꜜrè] (Atamadaka – [1])

Pronoun

彼(かれ) • (kare) 

1. distal demonstrative, something far off removed from both speaker and listener: that, yon
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 18, poem 4045:

     於伎敝欲里 美知久流之保能 伊也麻之尓 安我毛布支見我 弥不根可母加礼

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. third person pronoun: he, she
   1. particularly, male personal third person pronoun: he

      Coordinate term: 彼女 (kanojo, “she”)

   2. by extension from he: boyfriend

      Synonym: 彼氏 (kareshi)

      Coordinate term: 彼女 (kanojo, “girlfriend”)

Derived terms

• 彼氏(かれし) (kareshi, “boyfriend”)

See also

Classical Japanese pronouns and demonstratives

	a-/wa- “I, we” (first person)	na-/-ma- “you, ye, thou” (second person)	k- “this” (close to speaker)	s- “that” (close to listener)	a-/ka- “that over there” (far from both)	i-/ta-/nani- “who, what, where, how, when” (interrogative)	ono- “oneself” (reflexive)
Person	あ (a) あれ (are) わ (wa) われ (ware) まろ (maro)	な (na) なれ (nare) なんぢ (nanji) まし (mashi) いまし (imashi) みまし (mimashi) きみ (kimi)	こ (ko) これ (kore)	そ (so) それ (sore)	あ (a) あれ (are) か (ka) かれ (kare)	た (ta) たれ (tare) なにがし (nanigashi)	おの (ono) おのれ (onore)
Thing			こ (ko) これ (kore)	そ (so) それ (sore)	あ (a) あれ (are) か (ka) かれ (kare)	いづれ (izure) なに (nani)
Location			ここ (koko)	そこ (soko)	あしこ (ashiko) かしこ (kashiko)	いづく (izuku) いづこ (izuko) いどこ (idoko) どこ (doko)
Direction			こち (kochi) こなた (konata)	そち (sochi) そなた (sonata)	あち (achi) あなた (anata) かなた (kanata)	いづち (izuchi) いづら (izura) いづかた (izukata)
Manner			か (ka) かく (kaku) かくて (kakute) かう (kō)	さ (sa) さて (sate) しか (shika)		いか (ika)
Time						いつ (itsu)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
彼
か(の) Grade: S
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 彼 – see the following entry.

【かの】 [adnominal] that [one] (distant from both speaker and listener) [pronoun] (obsolete) you-know-who, you-know-what Alternative spelling 彼の

(This term, 彼, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
彼
あ Grade: S
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 彼 – see the following entry.

【あ】 [pronoun] distal demonstrative, something far off removed from both speaker and listener: that, yon

(This term, 彼, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
彼
あれ Grade: S
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 彼 – see the following entry.

【あれ】 [pronoun] distal demonstrative, something far off removed from both speaker and listener: that, yon [pronoun] (deictically) that one over there (far from the speaker and the addressee) [pronoun] (anaphorically) that one we both know (both the speaker and the addressee know) [pronoun] (chiefly derogatory) third-person personal pronoun: he, she, that person [pronoun] you-know-what; a thing whose name the speaker does not want to mention [pronoun] sex [pronoun] cockroach [pronoun] (archaic) second-person pronoun: you [interjection] huh? (expression of surprise and confusion when talking to yourself) Alternative spelling 彼れ

(This term, 彼, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

References

• “彼”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 彼 (MC pjeX). Recorded as Middle Korean 피〯 (phǐ) (Yale: phi) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

彼 (eumhun 저 피 (jeo pi))

1. hanja form^? of 피 (“that; those”)

Compounds

Compounds

• 피변 (彼邊, pibyeon)
• 피아 (彼我, pia)
• 피안 (彼岸, pian)
• 피인 (彼人, piin)
• 피일 (彼日, piil)
• 피척 (彼隻, picheok)
• 지피 (持彼, jipi)
• 곡재피 (曲在彼, gokjaepi)
• 어차피 (於此彼, eochapi)
• 이차피 (以此彼, ichapi)
• 어차어피 (於此於彼, eocha'eopi)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

Vietnamese

Han character

彼: Hán Nôm readings: bỉ, bể, bở

1. chữ Hán form of bỉ (“that, over there”)
   • 1820, 阮攸 [Nguyễn Du], compiled by Liễu Văn Đường, 傳翹 [Truyện Kiều], published 1866, line 5:

     𨔍(Lạ)之(gì)彼(bỉ)嗇(sắc)斯(tư)豊(phong)

     It's not strange that beauty may beget misery.

Compounds

• 彼嗇斯豐 (bỉ sắc tư phong)