Translingual [ edit ]
Stroke order
Han character [ edit ]
為 (Kangxi radical 86, 火 +5, 9 strokes, cangjie input 戈大弓火 (IKNF ), four-corner 20227 , composition ⿵⿻𬼀 ⿳㇇ ㇇𠃌 灬 )
Derived characters [ edit ]
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 later became 爪 (“hand; claw”).
Shuowen Jiezi interprets the character as a representation of the female macaque.
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 *ɢʷan , “ape”). STEDT considers this word to be a possible descendant of Proto-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 Beijing (Pinyin)
wéi
Middle Chinese
‹ hjwe ›
Old Chinese
/*ɢʷ(r)aj/
English
make, do, act as
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
為
Reading #
1/2
Phonetic component
爲
Rime group
歌
Rime subdivision
1
Corresponding MC rime
爲
Old Chinese
/*ɢʷal/
Notes
俗 爲 字
Definitions [ edit ]
為
to do ; to make
為 所欲為 / 为 所欲为 ― wéi suǒyùwéi ― to do whatever one wants to do
to administer ; to govern
to construct ; to make
to become ; to turn into
分為 / 分为 ― fēnwéi ― to divide into, to split into
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. ― He was promoted to colonel.
to be ( equivalent to, equal to )
失業率 為 20%。 / 失业率 为 20%。 ― Shīyèlǜ wéi 20%. ― Unemployment 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. ― It is 7 metres in width.
一 公斤 為 兩 磅 。 / 一 公斤 为 两 磅 。 ― Yī gōngjīn wéi liǎng bàng. ― A kilogram is two pounds.
to take something as
to act as; to serve as; to behave as
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
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 , circa 5th – 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.
by
不 為 社會 所 接受 / 不 为 社会 所 接受 ― bù wéi shèhuì suǒ jiēshòu ― to not be accepted by society
Suffix used after a single-character adjective to form an adverb
大為 不滿 / 大为 不满 ― dàwéi bùmǎn ― greatly dissatisfied
廣 為 流傳 / 广 为 流传 ― guǎng wéi liúchuán ― widely circulated
Suffix used after a single-character adverb for emphasis
頗為 激動 / 颇为 激动 ― pōwéi jīdòng ― very emotional
極為 緊張 / 极为 紧张 ― jíwéi jǐnzhāng ― extremely nervous
Compounds [ edit ]
Pronunciation 2 [ edit ]
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
為
Reading #
2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
wèi
Middle Chinese
‹ hjweH ›
Old Chinese
/*ɢʷ(r)aj-s/
English
for, because
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
為
Reading #
2/2
Phonetic component
爲
Rime group
歌
Rime subdivision
1
Corresponding MC rime
爲
Old Chinese
/*ɢʷals/
Definitions [ edit ]
為
for
為 民 服務 / 为 民 服务 ― wèi mín fúwù ― to serve the people
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! ― I am really happy for you!
because of
你 為 這 生氣 哦 。 / 你 为 这 生气 哦 。 ― Nǐ wèi zhè shēngqì o. ― So that's what you're upset about?
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.
for the sake of
為 公平 起見 / 为 公平 起见 ― wèi gōngpíng qǐjiàn ― for the sake of fairness
不為 五斗米折腰 / 不为 五斗米折腰 ― bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhéyāo ― don't bow down for the sake of five pecks (or decalitres) of rice
為 實現 理想 而 奮鬥 [MSC , trad. ] 为 实现 理想 而 奋斗 [MSC , simp. ] wèi shíxiàn lǐxiǎng ér fèndòu [Pinyin] to strive to make one’s dream come true
( literary ) to
不足為 外人道 / 不足为 外人道 ― bùzú wèi wàirén dào ― not worth saying to outsiders
Compounds [ 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 . (This term, 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 readings: vi , vị , vĩ
This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation , then remove the text {{rfdef }}
.