Translingual [ edit ]
Stroke order
Han character [ edit ] 為 (radical 86, 火 +5, 9 strokes, cangjie input IKNF ), four-corner 20227 )
Descendants [ edit ] References [ edit ] KangXi: not present , would follow page 669 , character 10
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 18981
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2198, character 11
Unihan data for U+70BA Chinese [ edit ] Glyph origin [ edit ]
Old Chinese
譌 *ŋʷaːl
嬀 *kʷral
潙 *kʷral, *ɢʷal
蟡 *kʷralʔ, *qʷral
僞 *ŋʷrals
噅 *qʰʷral
撝 *qʰʷral
爲 *ɢʷal, *ɢʷal, *ɢʷals
鄬 *ɢʷal, *ɢʷalʔ
蔿 *ɢʷalʔ
儰 *ɢʷalʔ
寪 *ɢʷalʔ
蘤 *ɢʷalʔ
Simplified from 爲
In the oracle bone script, it is an ideogrammic compound (會意 又 ( “ hand ” ) + 象 ( “ elephant ” ) — a hand holding an elephant. The 又 爪
Shuowen Jiezi
Etymology [ edit ] The two pronunciations below (“to make; to do; to be”, “for; to; because”) are cognate; the latter is the *–s derivative of the former. Words meaning “to make, to do” often have secondary meanings of “for, as” – compare 作
Etymology not certain. Starostin compared this word with Tibetan བགྱིད ( bgyid , “ to make, to manufacture ” ) , བགྱི་བ ( bgyi ba , “ action, deed ” ) , ཡིན ( yin , “ is, be ” ) and Burmese ဝေ ( we , “ to distribute, to share ” ) . Schuessler (2007) listed *ʔaajh ( “ to give ” ) (> Khmer ឲ្យ ( ʼaoy , “ to give, to donate ” ) ) and Khmer ធ្វើ ( thvəə , “ to do, to make ” ) , although the vowels do not match.
The graphic representation using a monkey or an elephant probably stems from a homophonic or near-homophonic etymon which was rarely attested; compare Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b/g-woj-n Jingpho woi ( “ monkey ” ) and possibly 猿 OC *ɢʷanProto-Sino-Tibetan *m-gwi(j) ( “ elephant ” ) . Outside Sino-Tibetan, compare Proto-Vietic *-vɔːj ( “ elephant ” ) > Vietnamese voi ( “ elephant ” ) .
Pronunciation 1 [ edit ]
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
為
Reading #
1/2
Modern
wéi
Middle
‹ hjwe ›
Old
/*ɢʷ(r)aj/
English
make, do, act as
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
為
Reading #
1/2
Phonetic
爲
Rime
歌
Rime
1
Corresponding
爲
Old
/*ɢʷal/
Notes
俗 爲 字
Definitions [ edit ] 為
to do ; to make
為 所欲為 为 所欲为 wéi suǒyùwéi do whatever one wants to do
to administer ; to govern
to construct ; to make
( to turn, to transform ) into ; to
分為 分为 fēnwéi 那 兩 個 組織 已 合併 為 一 個 組織 。[MSC , trad. 那 两 个 组织 已 合并 为 一 个 组织 。[MSC , simp. Nà liǎng ge zǔzhī yǐ hébìng wéi yī ge zǔzhī. [Pinyin] Those two organizations have been amalgamated into single one. 它 將 重新 結晶 為 原來 的 結構 。[MSC , trad. 它 将 重新 结晶 为 原来 的 结构 。[MSC , simp. Tā jiāng chóngxīn jiéjīng wéi yuánlái de jiégòu. [Pinyin] It will recrystallize into the original structure. 他 被 晉升 為 上校 。他 被 晋升 为 上校 。Tā bèi jìnshēng wéi shàngxiào. to colonel.to be ( equivalent to, equal to )
失業率 為 20%。失业率 为 20%。Shīyèlǜ wéi 20%. is running at 20 per cent.它 的 寬度 為 7 米 。它 的 宽度 为 7 米 。Tā de kuāndù wéi 7 mǐ. is 7 metres in width.一 公斤 為 兩 磅 。一 公斤 为 两 磅 。Yī gōngjīn wéi liǎng bàng. is two pounds.
to take something as
to act as; to serve as; to behave as
子 曰 ：「溫 故 而 知 新 ，可以 為 師 矣 。」[Classical Chinese , trad. 子 曰 ：“温 故 而 知 新 ，可以 为 师 矣 。”[Classical Chinese , simp. From: The Analects of ConfuciusBCE James Legge 's versionZǐ yuē: “Wēn gù ér zhī xīn, kěyǐ wéi shī yǐ.” [Pinyin] The Master said, "If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others." 孟 嘗 君 為 相 數十 年 。[Classical Chinese , trad. 孟 尝 君 为 相 数十 年 。[Classical Chinese , simp. From: Zhanguo Ce th – 3rd centuries BCE Mèngcháng Jūn wéi xiàng shùshí nián. [Pinyin] Lord Mengchang served as the prime minister for decades. 其 竹節 度 三 尺 ，柔細 可 為 索 ，亦 以 皮 為 麻 。[Classical Chinese , trad. 其 竹节 度 三 尺 ，柔细 可 为 索 ，亦 以 皮 为 麻 。[Classical Chinese , simp. From: Tang Dynasty , Fan Chuo , Manshu chapter 7, part 7 Qí zhújié duó sān chǐ, róuxì kě wéi suǒ, yì yǐ pí wéi má. [Pinyin] Each joint measures three chi ; thin and supple, it may be used as a rope, and its skin may also be used as linen.
as (in the capacity of)
以 習 近 平 同志 為 總書記 的 黨 中央 [MSC , trad. 以 习 近 平 同志 为 总书记 的 党 中央 [MSC , simp. yǐ Xí Jìnpíng tóngzhì wéi zǒngshūjì de dǎng zhōngyāng [Pinyin] Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary by
Compounds [ edit ] Pronunciation 2 [ edit ]
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
為
Reading #
2/2
Modern
wèi
Middle
‹ hjweH ›
Old
/*ɢʷ(r)aj-s/
English
for, because
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
為
Reading #
2/2
Phonetic
爲
Rime
歌
Rime
1
Corresponding
爲
Old
/*ɢʷals/
Definitions [ edit ] 為
for ; to
我 能 為 你 做 點 什麼 嗎 ？[MSC , trad. 我 能 为 你 做 点 什么 吗 ？[MSC , simp. Wǒ néng wèi nǐ zuò diǎn shénme ma? [Pinyin] Can I do something for you? 我 真 為 你 高興 ！我 真 为 你 高兴 ！Wǒ zhēn wèi nǐ gāoxìng! for you!他 為 自己 的 錯誤 道歉 。[MSC , trad. 他 为 自己 的 错误 道歉 。[MSC , simp. Tā wèi zìjǐ de cuòwù dàoqiàn. [Pinyin] He gave an apology for his mistake. because of
你 為 這 生氣 哦 。你 为 这 生气 哦 。Nǐ wèi zhè shēngqì o. for the sake of
不為 五斗米折腰 不为 五斗米折腰 bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhéyāo for the sake of five pecks (or decalitres) of riceCompounds [ edit ] Japanese [ edit ] 為
(common “Jōyō” kanji , shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 爲 )
do , perform , carry out Readings [ edit ] Go-on い ( i , Jōyō ) ←ゐ ( wi , historical ) Kan-on い ( i , Jōyō ) ←ゐ ( wi , historical ) Kun する ( su ru為る ) ; ため ( tame 為 ) ; たり ( tari 為 ) ; つくる ( tsuku ru為る ) ; なす ( na su為す ) ; なり ( nari 為 ) ; なる ( na ru為る ) Nanori さだ ( sada ) ; しげ ( shige ) ; す ( su ) ; すけ ( suke ) ; た ( ta ) ; ち ( chi ) ; なり ( nari ) ; びい ( bii ) ; ゆき ( yuki ) ; よし ( yoshi ) ; より ( yori ) Compounds [ edit ] Etymology 1 [ edit ]
Alternative spelling
爲 ( kyūjitai )
For pronunciation and definitions of 為 – see the following entry.
(This term, 為 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
Etymology 2 [ edit ]
Alternative spelling
爲 ( kyūjitai )
For pronunciation and definitions of 為 – see た 為 , is an alternative spelling of the above terms.)
(The following entry is uncreated: た
Etymology 3 [ edit ]
Alternative spelling
爲 ( kyūjitai )
For pronunciation and definitions of 為 – see the following entry.
(This term, 為 , is an alternative spelling of the above term.)
Usage notes [ edit ] Used as 借音 ( shakuon ) kana for ⟨su⟩ . Etymology 4 [ edit ]
Alternative spelling
爲 ( kyūjitai )
/wi/ → /i/
From Middle Chinese 為 MC ɦˠiuᴇ
為( い ) • (i ←ゐ ( wi ) ? kyūjitai 爲
the twelfth string on a koto ( Japanese zither )
a fingering method for playing the shakuhachi ( Japanese flute ) 為( い ) • (i ←ゐ ( wi ) ? kyūjitai 爲
do ; perform ; carry out Derived terms [ edit ] 為 (eum 위 ( wi ) )
This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation , then remove the text {{rfdef }}. Vietnamese [ edit ] Han character [ edit ] 為 : Hán Nôm vi vị vĩ
This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation , then remove the text {{rfdef }}. 
