王

See also: 𤣩, 玉, and 主

王	U+738B, 王 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-738B

← 玊
[U+738A]

CJK Unified Ideographs

玌 →
[U+738C]

Translingual[edit]

Stroke order

Japanese stroke order

Stroke order

Han character[edit]

See images of
Radical 96 王

王 (radical 96, 玉+0, 4 strokes, cangjie input 一土 (MG), four-corner 1010₄)

Derived characters[edit]

Index:Chinese radical/王

References[edit]

KangXi: page 727, character 2
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 20823
Dae Jaweon: page 1137, character 1
Hanyu Da Zidian: volume 2, page 1099, character 10
Unihan data for U+738B

Chinese[edit]

simp. and trad.		王
variant forms		𠙻

Wikipedia has articles on:

• 王姓 (Written Standard Chinese^?)

• Wang (surname) (English)

Glyph origin[edit]

Historical forms of the character 王

Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)

Liushutong (compiled in Ming)

Bronze inscriptions

Oracle bone script

Bronze inscriptions

Chu Slip and silk script

Qin slip script

Ancient script

Small seal script

Transcribed ancient scripts

**Oracle bone script**
60px j00555	60px j00556	60px j00557	60px j00558	60px j00559	60px j00560	60px j00561	60px j00562
60px j00563	60px j00564	60px j00565	60px j00566	60px j00567	60px j00568	60px j00569	60px j00570
60px j00571	60px j00572	60px j00573	60px j00574	60px j00575	60px j00576	60px j00577	60px j00578
60px j00579	60px j00580	60px j00581	60px j00582	60px j00583	60px j00584	60px j00585	60px j00586
60px j00587	60px j00588	60px j00589	60px j00590	60px j00591	60px j00592	60px j00593	60px j00594
60px j00595	60px j00596	60px j00597	60px j00598	60px j00599	60px j00600	60px j00601	60px j00602
60px j00603	60px j00604	60px j00605	60px j00606	60px j00607	60px j00608	60px j00609	60px j00610
60px j00611	60px j00612	60px j00613	60px j00614	60px j00615	60px j00616	60px j00617	60px j00618
60px j00619	60px j00620	60px j00621	60px j00622	60px j00623	60px j00624	60px j00625	60px j00626
60px j00627	60px j00628	60px j00629	60px j00630	60px j00631	60px j00632	60px j00633	60px j00634
60px j00635	60px j00636	60px j00637	60px j00638	60px j00639	60px j00640	60px j00641	60px j00642
60px j00643	60px j00644	60px j00645	60px j00646	60px j00647	60px j00648	60px j00649	60px j00650
60px j00651	60px j00652	60px j00653	60px j00654	60px j00655	60px j00656	60px j00657	60px j00658
60px j00659	60px j00660	60px j00661	60px j00662	60px j00663	60px j00664	60px j00665	60px j00666
60px j00667	60px j00668	60px j00669	60px j00670	60px j00671	60px j00672	60px j00673	60px j00674
60px j00675	60px j00676	60px j00677	60px j00678	60px j00679	60px j00680	60px j00681	60px j00682
60px j00683	60px j00684	60px j00685	60px j00686	60px j00687	60px j00688	60px j00689	60px j00690
60px j00691	60px j00692	60px j00693	60px j00694	60px j00695	60px j00696	60px j00697	60px j00698
60px j00699	60px j00700	60px j00701	60px j00702	60px j00703	60px j00704	60px j00705	60px j00706
60px j00707	60px j00708	60px j00709	60px j00710	60px j00711	60px j00712	60px j00713	60px j00714
60px j00715	60px j00716	60px j00717	60px j00718	60px j00719	60px j00720	60px j00721	60px j00722
60px j00723	60px j00724	60px j00725	60px j00726	60px j00727	60px j00728	60px j00729	60px j00730
60px j00731	60px j00732	60px j00733	60px j00734	60px j00735	60px j00736	60px j00737	60px j00738
60px j00739	60px j00740	60px j00741	60px j00742	60px j00743	60px j00744	60px j00745	60px j00746
60px j00747	60px j00748	60px j00749	60px j00750	60px j00751	60px j00752	60px j00753	60px j00754
60px j00755	60px j00756	60px j00757	60px j00758	60px j00759	60px j00760	60px j00761	60px j00762
60px j00763	60px j00764	60px j00765	60px j00766	60px j00767	60px j00768	60px j00769	60px j00770
60px j00771	60px j00772	60px j00773	60px j00774	60px j00775	60px j00776	60px j00777	60px j00778
60px j00779	60px j00780	60px j00781	60px j00782	60px j00783	60px j00784	60px j00785	60px j00786
60px j00787	60px j00788	60px j00789	60px j00790	60px j00791	60px j00792	60px j00793	60px j00794
60px j00795	60px j00796	60px j00797	60px j00798	60px j00799	60px j00800	60px j00801	60px j00802
60px j00803	60px j00804	60px j00805	60px j00806	60px j00807	60px j00808	60px j00809	60px j00810
60px j00811	60px j00812	60px j00813	60px j00814	60px j00815	60px j00816	60px j00817	60px j00818
60px j00819	60px j00820	60px j00821	60px j00822	60px j00823	60px j00824

**Bronze inscriptions**
60px b00376	60px b00377	60px b00378	60px b00379	60px b00380	60px b00381	60px b00382	60px b00383
60px b00384	60px b00385	60px b00386	60px b00387	60px b00388	60px b00389	60px b00390	60px b00391
60px b00392	60px b00393	60px b00394	60px b00395	60px b00396	60px b00397	60px b00398	60px b00399
60px b00400	60px b00401	60px b00402	60px b00403	60px b00404	60px b00405	60px b00406	60px b00407
60px b00408	60px b00409	60px b00410	60px b00411	60px b00412	60px b00413	60px b00414	60px b00415
60px b00416	60px b00417	60px b00418	60px b00419	60px b00420	60px b00421	60px b00422	60px b00423
60px b00424	60px b00425	60px b00426	60px b00427	60px b00428	60px b00429	60px b00430	60px b00431
60px b00432	60px b00433	60px b00434	60px b00435	60px b00436	60px b00437	60px b00438	60px b00439
60px b00440	60px b00441	60px b00442	60px b00443	60px b00444	60px b00445	b00446	b00447
b00448	b00449	60px b00450	b00451	60px b00452	b00453	b00454	60px b00455

**Small seal script**
s00099	s00100

**Transcribed ancient scripts**
60px L32854	60px L32855	60px L32856	60px L32857	60px L32853	60px L09781	60px L09782	60px L09783
60px L09784	60px L09785	60px L09786	60px L09787	60px L09788	60px L09789	60px L09790	60px L09791
60px L09792	60px L09793	60px L09794	60px L09795

References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the same phonetic series (王) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
	Old Chinese
皇	*ɡʷaːŋ
惶	*ɡʷaːŋ
遑	*ɡʷaːŋ
堭	*ɡʷaːŋ
煌	*ɡʷaːŋ
餭	*ɡʷaːŋ
騜	*ɡʷaːŋ
艎	*ɡʷaːŋ
隍	*ɡʷaːŋ
湟	*ɡʷaːŋ
徨	*ɡʷaːŋ
篁	*ɡʷaːŋ
蝗	ɡʷaːŋ, ɡʷraːŋ, *ɡʷraːŋs
凰	*ɡʷaːŋ
偟	*ɡʷaːŋ
媓	*ɡʷaːŋ
韹	ɡʷaːŋ, ɡʷraːŋ
葟	*ɡʷaːŋ
皝	*ɡʷaːŋʔ
汪	qʷaːŋ, qʷaːŋs, *qʷaŋʔ
尪	*qʷaːŋ
迋	kʷaŋʔ, kʰʷaŋ, ɡʷaŋ, ɢʷaŋs
逛	*kʷaŋʔ
誑	kʷaŋs, ɡʷaŋ, *kʷaŋs
匡	*kʰʷaŋ
筐	*kʰʷaŋ
框	*kʰʷaŋ
眶	*kʰʷaŋ
誆	kʰʷaŋ, ɡʷaŋs
邼	*kʰʷaŋ
恇	*kʰʷaŋ
劻	*kʰʷaŋ
洭	*kʰʷaŋ
軭	kʰʷaŋ, ɡʷaŋ
狂	ɡʷaŋ, ɡʷaŋs
軖	*ɡʷaŋ
鵟	*ɡʷaŋ
俇	*ɡʷaŋʔ
王	ɢʷaŋ, ɢʷaŋs
蚟	*ɢʷaŋ
彺	*ɢʷaŋ
旺	*ɢʷaŋs
諻	*qʰʷraːŋ
喤	qʰʷraːŋ, ɡʷraːŋ
瑝	*ɡʷraːŋ
锽
揘	*ɡʷaŋ

The traditional interpretation is that the three horizontal strokes represent Heaven, Man and Earth. The vertical stroke is the king, the one who connects them together. Older representation of the character shows a man like 大 or 天 above a horizontal stroke.

The modern interpretation is that the character is a pictogram (象形) of either an axe or a crown, one of two symbols of the king's power. A ceremonial axe was kept near the throne, and was used for performing rituals in ancient China.

Compare the unrelated 玉 (“jade”) and 主 (“master”).

Pronunciation 1[edit]

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): wáng (wang²)

(Zhuyin): ㄨㄤˊ

(Dungan, Cyrillic): вон (I)
Cantonese (Jyutping): wong⁴
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): vòng
Min Bei (KCR): uâng
Min Dong (BUC): uòng
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): ông

(Teochew, Peng'im): uang⁵ / hêng⁵
Wu (Wiktionary): hhuaan (T3)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: wáng
  - Zhuyin: ㄨㄤˊ
  - Wade–Giles: wang²
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wang
  - IPA ^(key): /u̯ɑŋ³⁵/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic: вон (I)
  - IPA ^(key): /vɔ̃²⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: wong⁴
  - Yale: wòhng
  - Cantonese Pinyin: wong⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: wong⁴
  - IPA ^(key): /wɔːŋ²¹/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: vòng
  - Hakka Romanization System: vongˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: vong²
  - IPA: /voŋ¹¹/
Min Bei
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: uâng
  - IPA ^(key): /uaŋ³³/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: uòng
  - IPA ^(key): /uoŋ⁵³/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ông
  - Tâi-lô: ông
  - Phofsit Daibuun: oong
  - IPA (Xiamen): /ɔŋ²⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /ɔŋ²⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɔŋ¹³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /ɔŋ²⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɔŋ²³/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: uang⁵ / hêng⁵
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: uâng / hêng
  - IPA ^(key): /uaŋ⁵⁵/, /heŋ⁵⁵/

Note: hêng5 - surname.

Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: hhuaan (T3)
  - IPA ^(key): /ɦɯɑ̃²³/

Middle Chinese: /ɦʉɐŋ/▼

Rime
Character	王
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	云 (35)
Final (韻)	陽 (106)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	雨方切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦʉɐŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦʷiɐŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣiuɑŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦuaŋ/
Li Rong	/ɣiuaŋ/
Wang Li	/ɣĭwaŋ/
Bernard Karlgren	/iwaŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	wáng

Old Chinese▼
(Baxter–Sagart): /*ɢʷaŋ/

(Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷaŋ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	王
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	wáng
Middle Chinese	‹ hjwang ›
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷaŋ/
English	king
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	王
Reading #	1/2
No.	12742
Phonetic component	王
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	王
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷaŋ/

Definitions[edit]

王

king; monarch
- 這位男孩被擁立為王。 [MSC, trad.]
  这位男孩被拥立为王。 [MSC, simp.]
  Zhè wèi nánhái bèi yōnglì wéi wáng. [Pinyin]
  The boy was proclaimed king.
champion
棋王 ― qíwáng ― chess champion

拳王 ― quánwáng ― boxing champion
^† grand; great
^† (of feudal monarchs) to see the emperor
A surname: Wang; Wong (Hong Kong)

Descendants[edit]

Sino-Xenic (王):

Japanese: 王 (おう) (ō)
Korean: 왕 (王, wang)
Vietnamese: vương (王)

Others:

→ Manchu: ᠸᠠᠩ (wang)
→ Mongolian: ᠸᠠᠩ (wang) / ван (van)
→ Tagalog: Ong, Wong
→ Thai: อ๋อง (ɔ̌ɔng)
→ Zhuang: vuengz

Compounds[edit]

Derived terms from 王

燒王船／烧王船
牛皮大王 (niúpí dàwáng)
牛魔王
猢猻大王／猢狲大王
猢猻王／猢狲王
猴孫王／猴孙王
王事 (wángshì)
王人
王位 (wángwèi)
王佐之才
王侯 (wánghóu)
王侯將相／王侯将相 (wánghóujiàngxiàng)
王儲／王储 (wángchǔ)
王八 (wángba)
王八羔子
王八蛋 (wángbadàn)
王八辮兒／王八辫儿
王公 (wánggōng)
王公大人
王公貴人／王公贵人
王公貴戚／王公贵戚
王冠 (wángguān)
王制
王化
王吉
王后 (wánghòu, “queen”)
王命 (wángmìng)
王命旗牌
王喬／王乔
王喬騎鶴／王乔骑鹤
王國／王国 (wángguó)
王城 (wángchéng)
王女
王妃 (wángfēi)
王子 (wángzǐ, “prince”)
王子喬／王子乔
王子店 (Wángzǐdiàn)
王子晉／王子晋
王孫／王孙
王孫公子／王孙公子
王官
王室 (wángshì)
王宮／王宫
王家橋／王家桥 (Wángjiāqiáo)
王師／王师
王府
王度
王座 (wángzuò, “throne”)
王庭
王建
王敦擊壺／王敦击壶
王族 (wángzú)
王朝 (wángcháo)
王條／王条
王業／王业
王母 (wángmǔ)
王母娘娘
王母蟠桃
王氣／王气 (wángqì)
王水 (wāngshuǐ)
王法 (wángfǎ)
王海 (Wánghǎi)
王漿／王浆
王父
王爺／王爷 (wángye)
王牌 (wángpái)
王瓜
王田
王留
王畿 (wángjī)
王祥臥冰／王祥卧冰
王綱／王纲 (wánggāng)
王義貞／王义贞 (Wángyìzhēn)
王老五 (wánglǎowǔ)
王考
王者 (wángzhě)
王者師／王者师

Pronunciation 2[edit]

Mandarin
(Pinyin): wàng (wang⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄨㄤˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): wong⁶
Min Nan (Teochew, Peng'im): uang⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: wàng
  - Zhuyin: ㄨㄤˋ
  - Wade–Giles: wang⁴
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wanq
  - IPA ^(key): /u̯ɑŋ⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: wong⁶
  - Yale: wohng
  - Cantonese Pinyin: wong⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: wong⁶
  - IPA ^(key): /wɔːŋ²²/
Min Nan
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: uang⁶
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: uăng
  - IPA ^(key): /uaŋ³⁵/

Middle Chinese: /ɦʉɐŋ^H/▼

Rime
Character	王
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	云 (35)
Final (韻)	陽 (106)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	于放切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦʉɐŋ^H/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦʷiɐŋ^H/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣiuɑŋ^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦuaŋ^H/
Li Rong	/ɣiuaŋ^H/
Wang Li	/ɣĭwaŋ^H/
Bernard Karlgren	/iwaŋ^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	wàng

Old Chinese▼
(Baxter–Sagart): /*ɢʷaŋ-s/

(Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷaŋs/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	王
Reading #	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	wàng
Middle Chinese	‹ hjwang^H ›
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷaŋ-s/
English	be king
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	王
Reading #	2/2
No.	12746
Phonetic component	王
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	迋
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷaŋs/

Definitions[edit]

王

^† to reign; to rule
^† Alternative form of 旺 (wàng, “flourishing; prosperous”).

Compounds[edit]

Derived terms from 王

王天下

王長／王长

Japanese[edit]

Kanji[edit]

Readings[edit]

Goon: おう (ō, Jōyō)^{←わう (wau, historical)}
Kan’on: おう (ō, Jōyō)^{←わう (wau, historical)}
Kun: おおきみ (ōkimi, 王)^{←おほきみ (ofokimi, historical)}; きみ (kimi, 王)

Etymology[edit]

Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:

王

Wikipedia ^ja

Kanji in this term
王
おう Grade: 1
on’yomi

From Middle Chinese 王 (hjwang, “king”).

Pronunciation[edit]

On’yomi
- (Tokyo) おー [óꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]^[2]
- IPA^(key): [o̞ː]

Noun[edit]

王 (hiragana おう, rōmaji ō, historical hiragana わう)

a king
- 1999 March 6, “緑りょく樹じゅの霊れい王おう [Spirit King of Greenery]”, in Starter Boxスターターボックス (in Japanese), Konami:
  青 (あお)々 (あお)と生 (お)い茂 (しげ)る木 (き)に囲 (かこ)まれて暮 (く)らす、森 (もり)を治 (おさ)める若 (わか)き王 (おう)。
  Aoao to oishigeru ki ni kakomarete kurasu, mori o osameru wakaki ō.
  The youthful king of the forest, living within thriving evergreen trees.
- 1999 August 26, “紅こう葉ようの女じょ王おう [Queen of Autumn Leaves]”, in BOOSTER 4, Konami:
  鮮 (あざ)やかな紅 (こう)葉 (よう)に囲 (かこ)まれて暮 (く)らす、緑 (りょく)樹 (じゅ)の霊 (れい)王 (おう)のお妃 (ひ)。
  Azayaka na kōyō ni kakomarete kurasu, Ryokuju no Reiō no ohi.
  The consort of the Spirit King of Greenery, living within vibrant autumn leaves.

Derived terms[edit]

女 (じょお)王 (う) (joō), 女 (じょう)王 (おう) (jōō), 女 (にょお)王 (う) (nyoō, “queen”)
王 (おう)女 (じょ) (ōjo), 王 (おう)女 (にょ) (ōnyo, “princess”)
帝 (てい)王 (おう) (teiō, “emperor”)

References[edit]

^ 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ 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]

王 (eumhun 임금 왕 (imgeum wang))

Noun[edit]

王 • (wang) (hangeul 왕)

Hanja form^? of 왕 (“king, monarch”).

Vietnamese[edit]

Han character[edit]

王 (vương, vướng)

king

王 (Vương)

A surname

[DJR-1] 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[NHK-2] 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN

[1]

[2]

王

Contents

Translingual[edit]

Han character[edit]

Derived characters[edit]

References[edit]

Chinese[edit]

Glyph origin[edit]

Pronunciation 1[edit]

Definitions[edit]

Descendants[edit]

Compounds[edit]

Pronunciation 2[edit]

Definitions[edit]

Compounds[edit]

Japanese[edit]

Kanji[edit]

Readings[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Korean[edit]

Hanja[edit]

Noun[edit]

Vietnamese[edit]

Han character[edit]

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