研

See also: 硎 and 硏

研 U+7814, 研 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-7814 ← 砓 [U+7813] CJK Unified Ideographs 砕 → [U+7815]

Translingual

Stroke order

Traditional	研
Simplified	研
Japanese	研
Korean	硏

Han character

研 (Kangxi radical 112, 石+4, 9 strokes, cangjie input 一口一廿 (MRMT), four-corner 1164₀, composition ⿰石开)

Derived characters

• 揅, 䊙, 𨨵, 𭱍, 𬪮

See also

• 硏 (Original form of 研)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: not present, would follow page 828, character 24
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 24080
• Dae Jaweon: page 1243, character 3
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2418, character 14
• Unihan data for U+7814

Chinese

simp. and trad.		研
alternative forms		硏 揅

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 研
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
笄	*kŋeː
枅	*kŋeː
蚈	*kŋeː, *ŋ̊ʰeːn
羿	*ŋeːs
栞	*ŋ̊ʰaːn
雃	*ŋaːn, *ŋ̊ʰeːn
詽	*ŋreːn, *tŋ̊ʰeːn
揅	*ŋeːn
幵	*kŋeːn
鳽	*kŋeːn, *ŋeːn, *ŋ̊ʰreːŋ, *ŋreːɡ
豣	*kŋeːn, *ŋeːns
麉	*kŋeːn, *ŋ̊ʰeːn
趼	*kŋeːnʔ, *ŋeːn, *ŋeːns
汧	*ŋ̊ʰeːn, *ŋ̊ʰeːns
岍	*ŋ̊ʰeːn
研	*ŋɡeːn, *ŋeːns
妍	*ŋeːn
訮	*hŋeːn
鈃	*ɡeːŋ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋɡeːn, *ŋeːns): semantic 石 + phonetic 幵 (OC *kŋeːn).

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): yán (yan²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄢˊ

  (Chengdu, SP): nyian¹

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jin⁴, ngaan⁴
• Gan (Wiktionary): nyien³
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): ngân / ngiên / ngiân

  (Meixian, Guangdong): ngan¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): ie¹
• Min Bei (KCR): ngǎing
• Min Dong (BUC): ngiēng / ngiĕng
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): gián / géng / ngúi / gán / ngái

  (Teochew, Peng'im): ngiêng² / ngiang² / ngiêng⁵ / ngiang⁵ / ngoin²

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Shanghainese): ¹gni
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): nyienn¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yán
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yán
    • Wade–Giles: yen²
    • Yale: yán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yan
    • Palladius: янь (janʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɛn³⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: nyian¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: nian
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nʲiɛn⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jin⁴, ngaan⁴
    • Yale: yìhn, ngàahn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jin⁴, ngaan⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: yin⁴, ngan⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːn²¹/, /ŋaːn²¹/

Note:

• jin4 - literary;
• ngaan4 - vernacular (“to grind”).

Gan

• (Nanchang)
  • Wiktionary: nyien³
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲiɛn²¹³/

Hakka

• (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
  • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngân / ngiên
  • Hakka Romanization System: ngan´ / ngien´
  • Hagfa Pinyim: ngan¹ / ngian¹
  • Sinological IPA: /ŋan²⁴/, /ɲi̯en²⁴/
• (Southern Sixian, incl. Meinong)
  • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngân / ngiân
  • Hakka Romanization System: ngan´ / ngian´
  • Hagfa Pinyim: ngan¹ / ngian¹
  • Sinological IPA: /ŋan²⁴/, /ɲi̯an²⁴/
• (Meixian)
  • Guangdong: ngan¹
  • Sinological IPA: /ŋan⁴⁴/

Jin

• (Taiyuan)⁺
  • Wiktionary: ie¹
  • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ie¹¹/

Min Bei

• (Jian'ou)
  • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ngǎing
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋaiŋ²¹/

Min Dong

• (Fuzhou)
  • Bàng-uâ-cê: ngiēng / ngiĕng
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋieŋ³³/, /ŋieŋ⁵⁵/

Note:

• ngiēng - vernacular;
• ngiĕng - literary (used in 研究).

Min Nan

• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gián
  • Tâi-lô: gián
  • Phofsit Daibuun: giern
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /ɡiɛn⁵⁵⁴/
  • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei): /ɡiɛn⁵³/
  • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɡiɛn⁴¹/
• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Sanxia, Yilan, Hsinchu, Taichung)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: géng
  • Tâi-lô: gíng
  • Phofsit Daibuun: geang
  • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɡiɪŋ⁴¹/
  • IPA (Xiamen, Tainan, Yilan): /ɡiɪŋ⁵³/
• (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ngúi
  • Tâi-lô: nguí
  • Phofsit Daibuun: nguie
  • IPA (Lukang): /ŋuĩ⁵⁵/
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /ŋuĩ⁵⁵⁴/
• (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Magong)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gán
  • Tâi-lô: gán
  • Phofsit Daibuun: garn
  • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɡan⁵³/
• (Hokkien: Taipei, Kinmen)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ngái
  • Tâi-lô: ngái
  • Phofsit Daibuun: ngae
  • IPA (Taipei, Kinmen): /ŋãi⁵³/

Note:

• gián - literary;
• géng/nguí/gán/ngái - vernacular.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: ngiêng² / ngiang² / ngiêng⁵ / ngiang⁵ / ngoin²
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ngiéng / ngiáng / ngiêng / ngiâng / ngóiⁿ
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋieŋ⁵²/, /ŋiaŋ⁵²/, /ŋieŋ⁵⁵/, /ŋiaŋ⁵⁵/, /ŋõĩ⁵²/

Note:

• ngiêng2/ngiang2/ngiêng5/ngiang5 - literary (ngiêng2/ngiêng5 - Chaozhou);
• ngoin2 - vernacular.

Wu

• (Shanghainese)
  • Wugniu: ¹gni
  • Wiktionary Romanisation: ¹nyi
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲi⁵³/

Xiang

• (Changsha)
  • Wiktionary: nyienn¹
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲɪ̯ẽ³³/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 研
Mandarin	Beijing	/ian³⁵/
	Harbin	/ian²⁴/
	Tianjin	/ian⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/iã⁴²/
	Qingdao	/iã⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/ian⁴²/
	Xi'an	/iã²⁴/
	Xining	/iã²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ian⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/iɛ̃n⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/ian⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/niɛn⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/ȵian⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/nian⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/iɛ̃³¹/
	Nanjing	/ien²⁴/
	Hefei	/iĩ⁵⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/ie¹¹/
	Pingyao	/ȵie̞¹³/
	Hohhot	/ie³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ȵi⁵³/
	Suzhou	/ȵiɪ¹³/
	Hangzhou	/ȵiẽ̞³³/
	Wenzhou	/ȵi³¹/
Hui	Shexian	/ne³⁵/
	Tunxi	/ȵiɛ⁴⁴/
Xiang	Changsha	/ȵiẽ³³/
	Xiangtan	/ȵiẽ³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/ȵiɛn²¹³/
Hakka	Meixian	/ŋan⁴⁴/
	Taoyuan	/ŋien²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/jin²¹/
	Nanning	/in²¹/
	Hong Kong	/jin²¹/
Min	Xiamen (Min Nan)	/gian³⁵/ /giŋ⁵³/ 俗
	Fuzhou (Min Dong)	/ŋieŋ³²/
	Jian'ou (Min Bei)	/ŋaiŋ²¹/
	Shantou (Min Nan)	/ŋiaŋ⁵³/
	Haikou (Min Nan)	/ŋin²³/ ～究 /ŋai²¹³/ ～碎

---

• Middle Chinese: ngenH

Rime
Character	研
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	疑 (31)
Final (韻)	先 (85)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	吾甸切
Baxter	ngenH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ŋenH/
Pan Wuyun	/ŋenH/
Shao Rongfen	/ŋɛnH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ŋɛnH/
Li Rong	/ŋenH/
Wang Li	/ŋienH/
Bernard Karlgren	/ŋienH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yàn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jin6

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ŋ]ˤe[r]/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ŋɡeːn/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	研
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yán
Middle Chinese	‹ ngen ›
Old Chinese	/*[ŋ]ˁe[r]/
English	grind; examine
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	研
Reading #	1/2
No.	6171
Phonetic component	幵
Rime group	元
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	姸
Old Chinese	/*ŋɡeːn/

Definitions

研

1. to grind; to rub; to sharpen
2. to investigate; to study; to research

   Synonym: 究 (jiū)

3. Short for 研究生 (yánjiūshēng, “postgraduate studies or student”).

Compounds

• 中研 (Zhōngyán)
• 作業研究／作业研究
• 個案研究／个案研究 (gè'àn yánjiū)
• 學術研究／学术研究
• 工研院
• 極深研幾／极深研几
• 焚研
• 研京練都／研京练都
• 研修 (yánxiū)
• 研判 (yánpàn)
• 研商 (yánshāng)
• 研幾探賾／研几探赜
• 研幾析理／研几析理
• 研擬／研拟 (yánnǐ)
• 研末
• 研析
• 研桑心計／研桑心计
• 研深覃精
• 研發／研发 (yánfā)
• 研磨 (yánmó)
• 研磨機／研磨机 (yánmójī)
• 研究 (yánjiū)
• 研究員／研究员 (yánjiūyuán)
• 研究室
• 研究所 (yánjiūsuǒ)
• 研究生 (yánjiūshēng)
• 研究院 (yánjiūyuàn)
• 研窮／研穷
• 研精苦思
• 研精覃奧／研精覃奥
• 研精覃思
• 研精鉤深／研精钩深
• 研精靜慮／研精静虑
• 研經鑄史／研经铸史
• 研習／研习 (yánxí)
• 研習營／研习营
• 研習班／研习班
• 研製／研制 (yánzhì)
• 研覈
• 研訂／研订
• 研討／研讨 (yántǎo)
• 研詰／研诘
• 研議／研议
• 研讀／研读 (yándú)
• 研墨 (yánmò)
• 精研 (jīngyán)
• 考研 (kǎoyán)
• 讀研／读研 (dúyán)
• 鑽研／钻研 (zuānyán)

 

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of 研 – see 硯 (“inkstone”). (This character, 研, is a variant form of 硯.)

Japanese

Shinjitai	研
Kyūjitai	硏

Kanji

研

(grade 3 “Kyōiku” kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 硏)

1. to polish

   Synonym: 磨

2. study of ...
3. to sharpen
4. inkstone

   Synonym: 硯

5. a surname

Readings

From Middle Chinese 研 (MC ngen); compare Mandarin 研 (yán):

• Go-on: げん (gen)
• Kan-on: げん (gen)
• Kan’yō-on: けん (ken, Jōyō)

From Middle Chinese 研 (MC ngenH); compare Mandarin 研 (yàn):

• Go-on: げん (gen)
• Kan-on: げん (gen)
• Kan’yō-on: けん (ken, Jōyō)

From native Japanese roots:

• Kun: とぐ (togu, 研ぐ, Jōyō); する (suru, 研る); みがく (migaku, 研く)
• Nanori: あき (aki); かず (kazu); きし (kishi); きよ (kiyo); よし (yoshi)

Compounds

Derived terms

• 研(けん)学(がく) (kengaku)
• 研(けん)究(きゅう) (kenkyū): research, investigate
  • 研(けん)究(きゅう)者(しゃ) (kenkyūsha): researcher
  • 研(けん)究(きゅう)室(しつ) (kenkyūshitsu): laboratory
  • 研(けん)究(きゅう)員(いん) (kenkyūin): research fellow, lab worker
  • 研(けん)究(きゅう)所(しょ) (kenkyūsho): research institute
• 研(けん)鑽(さん) (kensan)
• 研(けん)修(しゅう) (kenshū): training, induction
  • 研(けん)修(しゅう)生(せい) (kenshūsei): trainee
• 研(けん)磨(ま), 研(けん)摩(ま) (kenma)
• 薬(や)研(げん) (yagen)

Korean

Hanja

研 (eumhun 갈 연 (gal yeon))

1. Alternative form of 硏 (“Hanja form^? of 연 (“grinding”).”)

Vietnamese

Han character

研: Hán Việt readings: nghiên, nghiễn
研: Nôm readings: nghiên, nghiền, nghiện, tên

1. chữ Hán form of nghiên (“to study, to research”).
2. Nôm form of nghiền (“to grind”).

References

• Thiều Chửu : Hán Việt Tự Điển Hà Nội 1942
• Vũ Văn Kính: Đại Tự Điển Chữ Nôm, NXB Văn Nghệ, Ho Chi Minh Ville, 1999