虹

虹 U+8679, 虹 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8679 ← 虸 [U+8678] CJK Unified Ideographs 虺 → [U+867A]

Translingual

Han character

A rainbow.

虹 (Kangxi radical 142, 虫+3, 9 strokes, cangjie input 中戈一 (LIM), four-corner 5111₀, composition ⿰虫工)

Derived characters

• 渱, 𬁅, 𫕩, 𬀒

References

• KangXi: page 1076, character 40
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 32830
• Dae Jaweon: page 1545, character 23
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2834, character 8
• Unihan data for U+8679

Chinese

simp. and trad.		虹
alternative forms		𧈫 𧈬 𧌫 𧍺 𧊋 𧈫 𧈬 𧌫 𧍺 𧊋 蝎

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 虹
Shang	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Oracle bone script	Small seal script

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

	Old Chinese
缸	*kroːŋ, *ɡroːŋ
篢	*kluːmʔ, *koːŋ
贑	*kluːmʔ
涳	*ŋr'oːŋ, *kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋ
江	*kroːŋ
肛	*kroːŋ, *qʰroːŋ
扛	*kroːŋ
杠	*kroːŋ
豇	*kroːŋ
茳	*kroːŋ
釭	*kroːŋ, *koːŋ, *kuːŋ
矼	*kroːŋ
玒	*kroːŋ, *koːŋ
虹	*kroːŋs, *koːŋs, *ɡoːŋ
腔	*kʰroːŋ
崆	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋ
羫	*kʰroːŋ
控	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋs
椌	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋ
悾	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoːŋ, *kʰoːŋs
跫	*kʰroːŋ, *kʰoŋ, *ɡoŋ
啌	*qʰroːŋ
谾	*qʰroːŋ, *qʰoːŋ
舡	*qʰroːŋ
缻	*ɡroːŋ
項	*ɡroːŋʔ
屸	*ɡ·roːŋ
功	*koːŋ
工	*koːŋ
疘	*koːŋ
魟	*koːŋ, *qʰoːŋ, *ɡoːŋ
攻	*koːŋ, *kuːŋ
愩	*koːŋ
碽	*koːŋ
貢	*koːŋs
羾	*koːŋs
空	*kʰoːŋ, *kʰoːŋs
箜	*kʰoːŋ
硿	*kʰoːŋ
埪	*kʰoːŋ
鵼	*kʰoːŋ
倥	*kʰoːŋ, *kʰoːŋʔ, *kʰoːŋs
鞚	*kʰoːŋs
叿	*qʰoːŋ
嗊	*qʰoːŋʔ
訌	*ɡoːŋ
紅	*ɡoːŋ
仜	*ɡoːŋ
葒	*ɡoːŋ
渱	*ɡoːŋ
鴻	*ɡoːŋ, *ɡoːŋʔ
汞	*ɡoːŋʔ
澒	*ɡoːŋʔ
鞏	*koŋʔ
巩	*koŋʔ
銎	*kʰoŋ, *qʰoŋ
恐	*kʰoŋʔ, *kʰoŋs
蛩	*ɡoŋ
筇	*ɡoŋ
桏	*ɡoŋ
邛	*ɡoŋ

Originally pictographic (象形) in the oracle bone script. The ancient Chinese regarded the rainbow as a two-headed creature.

In the seal script, it has become a phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *kroːŋs, *koːŋs, *ɡoːŋ): semantic 虫 (“insect; creature”) + phonetic 工 (OC *koːŋ).

Etymology

Probably non-Sino-Tibetan; compare Proto-Mien *kluŋᴬ (“rainbow”), Thai รุ้ง (rúng, “rainbow”), Zhuang duzdoengz (“rainbow”), saidoengz (“rainbow”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Benedict (1986) and Carr (1990) relate this to 龍 (OC *b·roŋ, *mroːŋ, “dragon”) and 紅 (OC *ɡoːŋ, “red”).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): hóng, jiàng, gàng (hong², jiang⁴, gang⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄏㄨㄥˊ, ㄐㄧㄤˋ, ㄍㄤˋ

  (Chengdu, SP): gang⁴ / hong²

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): гон (gon, III)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): hung⁴, gong³

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): huung³, kuung³

• Gan (Wiktionary): gong⁴ / fung⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): fùng

  (Meixian, Guangdong): fung²

• Jin (Wiktionary): jion² / hung¹
• Min Bei (KCR): gô̤ng / ǒng
• Min Dong (BUC): kê̤ṳng / hùng
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): khēng / khěng / hông

  (Teochew, Peng'im): kêng⁶ / hong⁵

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Shanghainese): ⁶ghon
• Xiang (Wiktionary): gan⁴ / hong²

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, literary, standard in Mainland and Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: hóng
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄨㄥˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: hóng
    • Wade–Giles: hung²
    • Yale: húng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: horng
    • Palladius: хун (xun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xʊŋ³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, colloquial, standard in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jiàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄤˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jiàng
    • Wade–Giles: chiang⁴
    • Yale: jyàng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jianq
    • Palladius: цзян (czjan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵¹/
      
  • (Beijing dialect)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄤˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gàng
    • Wade–Giles: kang⁴
    • Yale: gàng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ganq
    • Palladius: ган (gan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɑŋ⁵¹/

Note: jiàng, gàng - only used as a standalone word.

• • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: gang⁴ / hong²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: gang / xung
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaŋ²¹³/, /xoŋ²¹/

Note:

• gang4 - vernacular;
• hong2 - literary.

• (Dungan)
  • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: гон (gon, III)
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): //

  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

Cantonese

• (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  • Jyutping: hung⁴, gong³
  • Yale: hùhng, gong
  • Cantonese Pinyin: hung⁴, gong³
  • Guangdong Romanization: hung⁴, gong³
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hʊŋ²¹/, /kɔːŋ³³/

Note: gong3 - used in 天虹 (tin¹ gong³).

• • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: huung³, kuung³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɵŋ²²/, /kʰɵŋ²²/

Note: kuung3 - used in 水虹 (sui² kuung³).

• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: gong⁴ / fung⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔŋ³⁵/, /fuŋ³⁵/

Note:

• gong4 - vernacular;
• fung4 - literary.

Hakka

• (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: fùng
  • Hakka Romanization System: fungˇ
  • Hagfa Pinyim: fung²
  • Sinological IPA: /fuŋ¹¹/
• (Meixian)
  • Guangdong: fung²
  • Sinological IPA: /fʊŋ¹¹/

Jin

• (Taiyuan)⁺
  • Wiktionary: jion² / hung¹
  • Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡ɕiɒ̃⁵³/, /xũŋ¹¹/

Note:

• jion2 - vernacular;
• hung1 - literary.

Min Bei

• (Jian'ou)
  • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: gô̤ng / ǒng
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔŋ³³/, /ɔŋ²¹/

Note:

• gô̤ng - vernacular;
• ǒng - literary.

Min Dong

• (Fuzhou)
  • Bàng-uâ-cê: kê̤ṳng / hùng
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰøyŋ²⁴²/, /huŋ⁵³/

Note:

• kê̤ṳng - vernacular;
• hùng - literary.

Min Nan

• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Hsinchu, Sanxia, Yilan, Kinmen, Magong, Singapore)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khēng
  • Tâi-lô: khīng
  • Phofsit Daibuun: qeng
  • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan): /kʰiɪŋ³³/
  • IPA (Singapore): /kʰeŋ²²/
  • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kinmen): /kʰiɪŋ²²/
• (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Lukang)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khěng
  • Tâi-lô: khǐng
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰiɪŋ²²/
  • IPA (Jinjiang, Lukang): /kʰiɪŋ³³/
• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hông
  • Tâi-lô: hông
  • Phofsit Daibuun: hoong
  • IPA (Kaohsiung): /hɔŋ²³/
  • IPA (Zhangzhou): /hɔŋ¹³/
  • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Taipei): /hɔŋ²⁴/

Note:

• khēng/khěng - vernacular;
• hông - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: kêng⁶ / hong⁵
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khĕng / hông
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰeŋ³⁵/, /hoŋ⁵⁵/

Note:

• kêng6 - vernacular;
• hong5 - literary.

Wu

• (Shanghainese)
  • Wugniu: ⁶ghon
  • Wiktionary Romanisation: ³hhon
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɦoŋ²³/

Xiang

• (Changsha)
  • Wiktionary: gan⁴ / hong²
  • Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /kan⁴⁵/, /xʊŋ¹³/
  • Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /kan⁴⁵/, /xən¹³/

Note:

• gan4 - vernacular;
• hong2 - literary.

---

• Middle Chinese: huwng, kaewngH

Rime
Character	虹	虹
Reading #	1/3	3/3
Initial (聲)	匣 (33)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	東 (1)	江 (9)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	I	II
Fanqie	戸公切	古巷切
Baxter	huwng	kaewngH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦuŋ/	/kˠʌŋH/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦuŋ/	/kᵚɔŋH/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣuŋ/	/kɔŋH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦəwŋ/	/kaɨwŋH/
Li Rong	/ɣuŋ/	/kɔŋH/
Wang Li	/ɣuŋ/	/kɔŋH/
Bernard Karlgren	/ɣuŋ/	/kɔŋH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	hóng	jiàng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hung4	gong3

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*m-kˤoŋ/, /*kˤroŋ-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɡoːŋ/, /*kroːŋs/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	虹	虹
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	hóng	jiàng
Middle Chinese	‹ huwng ›	‹ kæwngH ›
Old Chinese	/*m-kˁoŋ/	/*kˁroŋ-s/
English	rainbow	rainbow
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	虹	虹
Reading #	3/3	1/3
No.	4056	4004
Phonetic component	工	工
Rime group	東	東
Rime subdivision	0	0
Corresponding MC rime	洪	絳
Old Chinese	/*ɡoːŋ/	/*kroːŋs/

Definitions

虹

1. rainbow; primary rainbow (Classifier: 條／条 m c; 道 m)

   彩虹  ―  cǎihóng  ―  rainbow

   天上出虹了。  ―  Tiānshàng chū jiàng le.  ―  There's a rainbow in the sky.

2. (literary, figurative) bridge

Synonyms

• (rainbow):

Dialectal synonyms of 虹 (“rainbow”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		虹, 螮蝀, 雩, 隮
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		彩虹, 虹
Mandarin	Beijing	虹
	Taiwan	彩虹
	Tianjin	虹
	Langfang	虹
	Tangshan	虹
	Cangzhou	虹
	Xianxian (Xiaoying)	彩虹, 虹
	Baoding	虹
	Shijiazhuang	虹
	Daming	虹
	Ulanhot	七彩虹
	Tongliao	彩虹
	Chifeng	虹
	Bayanhot	彩虹, 虹
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	彩虹
	Harbin	虹
	Wuchang (Yingchengzi)	虹
	Shenyang	虹
	Yantai (Muping)	虹
	Qingdao	虹
	Rizhao	虹
	Jinan	虹
	Luoyang	虹
	Wanrong	虹
	Zhengzhou	虹
	Kaifeng	虹
	Ankang	虹
	Ankang (Xianhe)	虹
	Baihe (Maoping)	虹
	Shiquan	虹
	Ziyang	虹
	Xi'an	虹
	Dingbian	彩虹
	Yinchuan	虹
	Yongning (Najiahu)	虹
	Wuzhong	虹
	Yanchi	虹
	Tongxin	虹
	Zhongwei	虹
	Guyuan	虹
	Longde	虹
	Jingyuan	虹
	Lanzhou	虹
	Xining	虹
	Ürümqi	虹
	Ürümqi (Xigou)	彩虹
	Ürümqi (Changshanzi)	虹
	Yanqi	虹
	Wuhan	虹
	Huanggang	虹
	Hong'an	虹
	Chengdu	虹, 天橋, 彩虹, 天龍
	Chengdu (Xindu)	虹
	Muli	虹
	Guiyang	虹
	Kunming	虹
	Guilin	虹, 彩虹
	Guilin (Lingui)	虹
	Pingle	龍虹, 彩虹
	Liuzhou	虹, 彩虹
	Liuzhou (Luorong)	虹
	Luzhai	彩虹
	Nanning (Wuming)	彩虹
	Yizhou	龍虹
Luocheng (Dongmen)	龍虹 dated, 彩虹
Tianlin (Langping)	虹
Tianlin (Pingtang)	虹
Xiangzhou (Nalu)	虹槓東
Xuzhou	虹
Yangzhou	虹
Nanjing	虹
Hefei	虹
Chuzhou	虹
Nantong	鱟, 虹
Qimen (Anling Junhua)	虹
Jiangshan (Nianbadu)	虹
Kaihua (Huabu)	虹
Yushan (Huaiyu)	虹
Singapore	彩虹
Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	虹
Masanchin (Shaanxi Dungan)	虹
Kokang	虹吃水, 龍虹
Dagudi (Maliba)	彩虹
Reshuitang (Longling)	老虹
Mae Salong (Lancang)	老虹, 彩虹
Mae Sai (Tengchong)	老虹
Olginsky (Mikhaylovka)	虹
Cantonese	Guangzhou	虹, 天虹, 龍拱
	Hong Kong	彩虹, 天虹
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	天弓
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	虹
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	天弓
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	天虹
	Macau	虹
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	虹
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	龍
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	龍虹
	Foshan	鑊耳龍
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	龍
	Foshan (Shunde)	拱篷
	Foshan (Sanshui)	鑊耳龍
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	龍
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	虹拱
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	播虹
	Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)	龍孔
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	龍孔
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	叫虹
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	鑊耳, 水拱
	Taishan	鑊耳, 水虹
	Taishan (Guanghai)	龍生水, 鑊耳虹, 彩虹
	Kaiping (Chikan)	鑊耳龍, 水拱
	Enping (Niujiang)	鑊耳龍
	Heshan (Yayao)	虹
	Dongguan	虹
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	虹
	Shenzhen (Dapeng)	天弓
	Qingyuan	虹
	Fogang	虹, 龍
	Yingde (Hanguang)	天弓
	Yangshan	虹
	Lianshan (Butian)	汗龍
	Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui)	天虹
	Shaoguan	虹
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	虹
	Renhua	天虹
	Lechang	天虹
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	龍
	Sihui	龍
	Guangning	龍
	Deqing	龍
	Huaiji	虹
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	旱龍
	Yunfu	龍
	Xinxing	龍
	Yunan (Pingtai)	龍
	Yangjiang	破篷
	Xinyi	湴更
	Lianjiang	虹
	Nanning	虹, 雙虹
	Nanning (Tanka)	彩虹
	Wuzhou	彩虹
	Yulin	龐虹
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	天虹, 虹
	Hepu (Shatian)	拱
	Guiping	虹
	Guiping (Jintian)	虹
	Guiping (Jiangkou)	虹, 彩虹
	Guiping (Madong)	龐虹
	Pingnan (Danzhu)	龍
	Mengshan (Xihe)	龍
	Guigang (Nanjiang)	虹
Beiliu	湴界, 彩虹
Beiliu (Tangliao)	虹
Baise	虹, 雙虹
Bobai	虹
Lingshan	龐虹
Pubei	龐虹
Qinzhou	天虹, 虹, 彩虹
Qinzhou (Xiaodong)	龐虹
Qinzhou (Changtan)	龐虹
Qinzhou (Nasi)	龐虹
Qinzhou (Xiniujiao)	虹
Beihai	天虹, 天橋
Beihai (Nankang)	拱
Beihai (Yingpan)	拱
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	拱
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	篷拱
Ningming	虹
Hezhou (Pumen)	虹
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	天弓
Chongzuo (Laituan)	天虹
Fusui (Qujiu)	蛤筒食水
Lingchuan (Yangjia)	龍虹
Pingle (Majia)	彩虹
Pingle (Shuishan)	虹
Danzhou	天虹
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	彩虹, 彩龍
Sarikei (Xinhui)	龍拱
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	彩虹
Móng Cái	天弓
Yangon (Taishan)	虹
Mandalay (Taishan)	鑊耳虹
Bangkok (Guangfu)	虹
Gan	Nanchang	虹
	Pengze	虹
	Yanshan	虹
	Lichuan	天虹, 天吊, 虹
	Pingxiang	虹
	Guixi	虹
Hakka	Meixian	天弓
	Xingning	天弓
	Fengshun (Liuhuang)	彩虹, 虹仔
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	彩虹, 青里
	Huidong (Daling)	天弓
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	天弓
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	天弓
	Zengcheng (Zhengguo)	天弓
	Zhongshan (Wuguishan)	天弓食水
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	虹
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	天弓
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	天弓
	Wuhua (Changbu)	天弓
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	天弓
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	虹
	Zijin	天弓
	Nanxiong (Zhuji)	虹
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	天弓
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	龍
	Liannan	天虹
	Conghua (Lütian)	虹
	Jiexi	弓
	Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan)	虹
	Changting	虹
	Wuping	天弓
	Wuping (Yanqian)	天弓
	Wuping (Pingyu)	天弓
	Liancheng	虹
	Liancheng (Peitian)	天門神
	Ninghua	虹
	Yudu	虹
	Ningdu	虹
	Ruijin	虹
	Shicheng	虹
	Shangyou (Shexi)	虹
	Tonggu (Sandu)	天虹
	Ganzhou (Panlong)	虹
	Dayu	虹
	Taoyuan	天弓
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	天弓, 虹
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	天弓
	Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian)	天弓
	Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian)	天弓
	Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian)	天弓
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	虹
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	天弓
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	虹
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	虹
	Hong Kong	天弓
	Mengshan (Xihe)	虹
	Luchuan	天公虹
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	天公降水
	Bobai (Shahe)	天弓
	Bobai (Longtan)	天弓
	Bobai (Lingping)	天弓
	Beiliu (Tang'an)	天公食水
	Beiliu (Gonghe)	天弓
	Xingye (Gaofeng)	天弓
	Mashan (Pianlian)	天公食水
	Guilin (Xiaojiang, Lingui)	虹
	Lipu (Shuangduitun)	彩虹
	Lipu (Dashigu)	彩虹, 月龍
	Pingle (Tong'an)	彩龍
	Guidong	天虹
Chengdu (Longtan)	天弓
Chengdu (Shiling)	天弓
Chengdu (Longwang)	天弓
Chengdu (Shibantan)	天弓
Chengdu (Xindu Subdistrict)	天弓, 虹
Sabah (Longchuan)	天弓
Senai (Huiyang)	天弓, 彩虹
Sungai Tapang, Batu Kawa (Hepo)	弓
Singkawang	天弓
Pontianak (Meixian)	天弓
Mempawah (Meixian)	天弓
Medan (Metal - Meixian)	彩虹
Singapore (Meixian)	天弓
Singapore (Dabu)	彩虹
Bangkok (Meixian)	彩虹, 天弓
Bangkok (Fengshun)	弓
Bangkok (Jiexi)	弓
Huizhou	Jixi	日頭紅虹, 虹
	Shexian	虹, 彩虹
	Shexian (Xianggao)	虹
	Shexian (Daguyun)	虹
	Tunxi	虹
	Yixian	虹
	Qimen	虹
	Qimen (Anling Minhua)	虹
	Wuyuan	虹
	Fuliang	虹
	Dexing	彩虹
	Shitai (Xianyu)	虹
Jin	Taiyuan	虹
	Pingyao	虹
	Datong	虹
	Datong (Xicetian, Yunzhou)	虹
	Xinzhou	虹
	Changzhi	虹
	Taibus (Baochang)	虹
	Linhe	虹
	Jining	虹
	Hohhot	虹
	Baotou	虹
	Dongsheng	虹
	Haibowan	虹
	Zhangjiakou	虹
	Handan	虹
Jiuxing Yumin	Jiande	鱟
	Jinhua	鱟
	Lanxi	鱟
	Tunxi	虹
Min Bei	Jian'ou	虹
	Jian'ou (Dikou)	虹
	Zhenghe (Zhenqian)	虹
	Pucheng (Shibei)	虹, 攔溪仔 dated
Min Dong	Fuzhou	虹
	Fuqing	虹
	Gutian	虹
	Shouning	虹
	Matsu	虹
Min Nan	Xiamen	虹
	Quanzhou	虹
	Jinjiang	虹
	Yongchun	虹
	Zhangzhou	虹
	Hua'an	虹
	Dongshan	虹
	Taipei	虹
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	虹
	Kaohsiung	虹
	Yilan	虹
	Changhua (Lukang)	虹
	Taichung	虹
	Taichung (Wuqi)	虹
	Tainan	虹
	Taitung	虹
	Hsinchu	虹
	Kinmen	虹
	Penghu (Magong)	虹
	Penang (Hokkien)	虹
	Singapore (Hokkien)	虹
	Manila (Hokkien)	彩虹
	Zhangping (Yongfu)	天虹
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	虹
	Pingnan (Pingtian)	虹
	Pingnan (Sijie)	虹
	Guiping (Xiaowen)	虹, 彩虹
	Guiping (Dongsheng)	發紅雲
	Guilin (Biyange)	龍公
	Pingle (Zhoutang)	龍, 天橋
	Lechang (Tatou)	天虹
	Renhua (Changshabei)	天虹
	Yingde (Yuzui)	虹
	Yunan (Liantan)	龍, 虹
	Yuhuan (Kanmen)	虹
	Chaozhou	虹
	Shantou	虹
	Shantou (Chenghai)	虹
	Shantou (Chaoyang)	虹, 彩虹
	Jieyang	虹
	Haifeng	虹
	Bangkok (Teochew)	虹
	Chiang Mai (Teochew)	彩虹
	Hat Yai (Teochew)	虹
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	虹
	Pontianak (Teochew)	虹
	Leizhou	虹
	Wenchang	虹
	Haikou	虹
	Wanning	虹
Puxian Min	Putian	虹
	Putian (Donghai)	虹
	Putian (Jiangkou)	虹
	Putian (Nanri)	虹
	Xianyou	虹
	Xianyou (Fengting)	虹
	Xianyou (Youyang)	虹
	Fuding (Aoyao)	虹
Min Zhong	Yong'an	虹
	Sanyuan	虹
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	播虹
	Sanxiang	跨篷
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	虹
	Nanning (Shajing)	虹
	Nanning (Gejiayuan)	虹
	Nanning (Zhegulu)	虹, 拱橋
	Nanning (Silian)	虹, 天虹
	Nanning (Xiuxiang)	虹
	Nanning (Sucun)	虹, 幹筒
	Binyang	虹, 龍虹
	Binyang (Xinqiao)	虹
	Hengzhou (Baihe)	龐虹
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	虹
	Guilin (Chaoyang)	虹
	Guilin (Dongbianzhou)	虹
	Guilin (Zhuyuan)	虹
	Guilin (Dabu)	雨界
	Guilin (Yangjia)	龍
	Guilin (Qianjing)	雨虹
	Guilin (Wutong, Lingui)	江東龍, 龍虹
	Guilin (Huangsha, Lingui)	龍虹
	Guilin (Liangjiang, Lingui)	天龍, 彩圈
	Guilin (Liutang, Lingui)	虹
	Lingchuan (Sanjie)	虹
	Lingchuan (Gaoqiao)	虹
	Lingchuan (Gudong)	龍虹
	Lingchuan (Tanxia)	虹
	Lingchuan (Shuangzhou)	彩虹, 虹
	Lingchuan (Gongping)	龍虹
	Guanyang (Guanyinge)	龍虹
	Pingle (Zhangjia)	虹
	Yangshuo (Putao)	雨虹
	Liucheng (Yangmei)	虹
	Luocheng (Niubi)	長虹
Shehua	Ningde	蛟龍
	Fu'an	蛟龍
	Fuding	蛟龍
	Zhouning	蛟龍
	Xiapu	蛟龍
	Shouning	虹
	Gutian	蛟龍
	Luoyuan	蛟龍
	Sanming	蛟龍
	Shunchang	蛟龍
	Hua'an	蛟龍
	Guixi (Zhangping)	蛟龍
	Yanshan (Taiyuan)	蛟龍
	Cangnan	蛟龍
	Jingning	蛟龍
	Lishui	蛟龍
	Longyou	蛟龍
	Hangzhou (Lin'an)	蛟龍
	Chaozhou	蛟龍
	Fengshun	蛟龍
Wu	Shanghai	虹, 彩虹, 鱟 dated
	Shanghai (Chongming)	鱟
	Suzhou	鱟, 彩虹, 虹
	Wuxi	彩虹, 虹, 鱟
	Danyang	虹
	Hangzhou	鱟, 彩虹
	Hangzhou (Fuyang)	鱟
	Ningbo	鱟, 虹
	Linhai	鱟
	Yuhuan (Damaiyu)	鱟
	Yuhuan (Chumen)	鱟
	Wenzhou	鱟
	Songyang (Gushi)	鱟
	Longquan	鱟
	Jinhua	鱟, 彩虹
	Jinhua (Tangxi)	熯
Xiang	Changsha	虹
	Xiangtan	虹
	Xiangxiang	虹
	Xiangxiang (Meiqiao)	彩虹
	Loudi	虹
	Shuangfeng	虹
	Hengshan	虹, 雲虹
	Hengshan (Baiguo)	斗雨
	Jiangyong	蟲
	Quanzhou	彩虹
	Guanyang (Wenshi)	虹
	Qinglong (Changliu Laba Miao)	虹

See also

• 霓 (ní)

Compounds

• 丹虹
• 副虹
• 垂虹
• 垂虹亭
• 垂虹橋／垂虹桥
• 天虹 (tiānhóng)
• 宛虹
• 幡虹
• 彩虹 (cǎihóng)
• 攄虹／摅虹
• 文虹
• 斷虹／断虹
• 日虹
• 星虹
• 晴虹
• 月虹 (yuèhóng)
• 梁虹
• 橋虹／桥虹
• 殘虹／残虹
• 氣勢如虹／气势如虹 (qìshìrúhóng)
• 氣吐虹霓／气吐虹霓
• 氣吞虹蜺／气吞虹蜺
• 氣貫長虹／气贯长虹
• 煙虹／烟虹
• 玉泉垂虹
• 玉虹
• 白虹
• 白虹貫日／白虹贯日
• 直虹
• 荊虹／荆虹
• 虹丹
• 虹伸
• 虹光
• 虹勢／虹势
• 虹吸作用
• 虹吸現象／虹吸现象
• 虹吸管
• 虹女
• 虹帶／虹带
• 虹彩 (hóngcǎi)
• 虹彩膜
• 虹旃
• 虹旆
• 虹旌
• 虹旍
• 虹旗
• 虹星
• 虹映
• 虹梁
• 虹棧／虹栈
• 虹樓／虹楼
• 虹橋／虹桥 (hóngqiáo)
• 虹橋板／虹桥板
• 虹氣／虹气
• 虹泉
• 虹沴
• 虹洞
• 虹燭錠／虹烛锭
• 虹玉
• 虹申
• 虹絲／虹丝
• 虹腰
• 虹膜 (hóngmó)
• 虹舸
• 虹草
• 虹蝀／虹𬟽
• 虹蜺 (hóngní)
• 虹蜺閣／虹蜺阁
• 虹裳
• 虹輝／虹辉
• 虹采
• 虹陛
• 虹雨
• 虹霓 (hóngní)
• 虹飲／虹饮
• 虹鱒／虹鳟 (hóngzūn)
• 蛇虹
• 蝦虹／虾虹
• 謀虹／谋虹
• 貫虹／贯虹
• 跨虹
• 長虹／长虹 (chánghóng)
• 長虹貫日／长虹贯日
• 陰虹／阴虹
• 隱虹／隐虹
• 雄虹
• 雌虹
• 雰虹／氛虹
• 電虹／电虹
• 霓虹 (níhóng)
• 霓虹燈／霓虹灯 (níhóngdēng)
• 霞虹
• 青虹
• 風虹／风虹
• 飲虹／饮虹
• 鬐虹

 

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): hòng (hong⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄏㄨㄥˋ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: hòng
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄨㄥˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: hòng
    • Wade–Giles: hung⁴
    • Yale: hùng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: honq
    • Palladius: хун (xun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xʊŋ⁵¹/

Definitions

虹

1. ^† to fester
2. Only used in 虹洞.

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): gòng (gong⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄨㄥˋ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gòng
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄨㄥˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gòng
    • Wade–Giles: kung⁴
    • Yale: gùng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gonq
    • Palladius: гун (gun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʊŋ⁵¹/

---

• Middle Chinese: kuwngH

Rime
Character	虹
Reading #	2/3
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	東 (1)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	古送切
Baxter	kuwngH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kuŋH/
Pan Wuyun	/kuŋH/
Shao Rongfen	/kuŋH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kəwŋH/
Li Rong	/kuŋH/
Wang Li	/kuŋH/
Bernard Karlgren	/kuŋH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	gòng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gung3

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*koːŋs/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	虹
Reading #	2/3
No.	4032
Phonetic component	工
Rime group	東
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	貢
Old Chinese	/*koːŋs/
Notes	原注今音絳

Definitions

虹

1. (historical) A county in modern Anhui, China

Japanese

Kanji

虹

(common “Jōyō” kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: ぐ (gu); ぐう (gū); こう (kō)
• Kan-on: こう (kō)^{←かう (kau, historical)}; こう (kō)
• Kun: にじ (niji, 虹, Jōyō)

Compounds

Compounds

• 虹(こう)橋(きょう) (kōkyō)
• 虹(こう)霓(げい), 虹(こう)蜺(げい) (kōgei)
• 虹(こう)彩(さい) (kōsai)
• 虹(こう)梁(りょう) (kōryō)
• 月(げっ)虹(こう) (gekkō)
• 彩(さい)虹(こう) (saikō)
• 断(だん)虹(こう) (dankō)
• 白(はっ)虹(こう) (hakkō)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
虹
にじ Grade: S
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
霓

虹 (niji): a rainbow.

⟨nizi⟩ → /niʑi/

From Old Japanese 虹 (nizi), from Proto-Japonic *nonsi. first attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.

Also attested as man’yōgana form 爾自 in the 金光明最勝王経音義 (Konkōmyō Saishōō-kyō Ongi) of 1079. May be a shift from earlier ぬじ (nuji) or のじ (noji) readings.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) にじ [nìjí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ɲ̟iʑi]

Noun

虹(にじ) • (niji) 

1. a rainbow

   Synonym: 虹霓 (kōgei)

   春雨(はるさめ)がやんだ途(と)端(たん)に、美(うつく)しい虹(にじ)が現(あらわ)れた。

   Harusame ga yanda totan ni, utsukushii niji ga arawareta.

   Just as the spring shower passed, a beautiful rainbow appeared.

   • 931–938, Minamoto no Shitagō, Wamyō Ruijushō (book 1)

     虹　毛詩註云：「螮蝀虹也帝董。」二音螮又作蝃。［和名：爾之］
     　　兼名苑云：「虹，一名蜺。」五稽反與鯢同又五結倪撃二反。
     　　今按雄曰虹雌曰蜺也。

     Rainbow - according to the annotated Mao Commentary, a bridge becomes a rainbow by the Emperor’s direct command. 螮 with 蝃 makes two syllables; Japanese name, niji.
     According to the Jianming Yuan, 虹 is also written as 蜺. Chinese fanqie: 五稽...
     _{(please add an English translation of the rest of this usage example)}
     Today, males call the rainbow 虹 while females 蜺.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 虹(にじ)色(いろ) (nijīro)
• 虹(ニジ)雉(キジ) (nijikiji)
• 虹(にじ)の松(まつ)原(ばら) (Niji no Matsubara)
• 虹(ニジ)鱒(マス) (nijimasu)
• 朝(あさ)虹(にじ) (asaniji)
• 過(か)剰(じょう)虹(にじ) (kajō niji)
• 逆(さか)さ虹(にじ) (sakasaniji)
• 霧(きり)虹(にじ) (kiriniji)
• 二(ふた)重(え)虹(にじ) (futaeniji)
• 雌(め)虹(にじ) (meniji)
• 夕(ゆう)虹(にじ) (yūniji)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
虹
のず Grade: S
irregular

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

【のず】 [noun] 虹: (dialectal, Yamagata) rainbow

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

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 虹 (MC huwng). Recorded as Middle Korean 호ᇰ (hwong) (Yale: hwong) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

Wikisource

虹 (eumhun 무지개 홍 (mujigae hong))

1. Hanja form^? of 홍 (“rainbow”).

   Synonym: 霓 (예 (ye))

Compounds

Compounds

• 홍채 (虹彩, hongchae, “iris”)
• 홍예 (虹霓, hong'ye, “rainbow”)

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 虹 (MC kuwngH).

Hanja

虹 (eumhun 고을 이름 공 (go'eul ireum gong))

1. Hanja form^? of 공 (“a placename”).

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [3]

Okinawan

Kanji

虹

(common “Jōyō” kanji)

Readings

• Kun: ぬーじ (nūji)

Etymology

Kanji in this term
虹
ぬーじ Grade: S
kun’yomi

From Proto-Ryukyuan *nozi, from Proto-Japonic *nonsi.

Pronunciation

• (Shuri-Naha) ぬ​ーじ [núꜜùjì] (Kakō - [1])
• IPA^(key): [nuːʑi]

Noun

虹(ぬーじ) (nūji) 

1. a rainbow

Old Japanese

Etymology

From Proto-Japonic *nonsi. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Noun

虹 (nizi) (kana にじ)

1. a rainbow

   Synonyms: ぬじ (nuzi), のじ (no₁zi)

   • 711–712, Kojiki (Second scroll, Emperor Ōjin)

     此沼之邊、一賤女晝寢、於是日耀如_レ虹、指_二其陰上_一。

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Descendants

• Japanese: 虹 (niji)

Vietnamese

Han character

虹: Hán Việt readings: hồng
虹: Nôm readings: vồng

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.