針

See also: 针

Translingual

Han character

針 (Kangxi radical 167, 金+2, 10 strokes, cangjie input 金十 (CJ), four-corner 8410₀, composition ⿰釒十)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1296, character 9
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 40165
• Dae Jaweon: page 1799, character 12
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 4168, character 5
• Unihan data for U+91DD

---

Chinese

trad.		針/鍼
simp.		针

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (十) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
針	*kjum, *kjums
汁	*kjub
卙	*kʰljub
十	*ɡjub
什	*ɡjub

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kjum, *kjums) : semantic 釒 (“metal”) + phonetic 十 (OC *ɡjub).

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): zhēn (zhen¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄓㄣ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): җын (žɨn, I)

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zam¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): chṳ̂m
• Eastern Min (BUC): cĕng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chiam / cham / chim / cherm

  (Teochew, Peng'im): zam¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tsen

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zhēn
    • Zhuyin: ㄓㄣ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jhen
    • Wade–Giles: chên¹
    • Yale: jēn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jen
    • Palladius: чжэнь (čžɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: җын (žɨn, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂəŋ²⁴/

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

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: zam¹
    • Yale: jām
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzam¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: zem¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɐm⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chṳ̂m
    • Hakka Romanization System: ziim^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: zim¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sɨm²⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: cĕng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɛiŋ⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan, Hsinchu, Taichung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chiam
    • Tâi-lô: tsiam
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ciafm
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan): /t͡siam⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang, Sanxia, Kinmen, Magong, Hsinchu)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: cham
    • Tâi-lô: tsam
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zafm
    • IPA (Kinmen): /t͡sam⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Lukang): /t͡sam³³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chim
    • Tâi-lô: tsim
    • Phofsit Daibuun: cym
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡sim⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: cherm
    • Tâi-lô: tserm
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡səm³³/

Note:

• chiam/cham - vernacular;
• chim/cherm - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: zam¹
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsam
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sam³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsen
    • MiniDict: tsen^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tsen
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sən⁵³/

---

• Middle Chinese: tsyim, tsyimH

Rime
Character	針	針
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Initial (聲)	章 (23)	章 (23)
Final (韻)	侵 (139)	侵 (139)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	III	III
Fanqie	職深切	之任切
Baxter	tsyim	tsyimH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡ɕiɪm/	/t͡ɕiɪmH/
Pan Wuyun	/t͡ɕim/	/t͡ɕimH/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡ɕjem/	/t͡ɕjemH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/cim/	/cimH/
Li Rong	/t͡ɕiəm/	/t͡ɕiəmH/
Wang Li	/t͡ɕĭĕm/	/t͡ɕĭĕmH/
Bernard Karlgren	/t͡ɕi̯əm/	/t͡ɕi̯əmH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	zhēn	zhèn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	zam1	zam3

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*t.[k]əm/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kjum/, /*kjums/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	針
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	zhēn
Middle Chinese	‹ tsyim ›
Old Chinese	/*t.[k]əm/
English	needle
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	針	針
Reading #	1/2	2/2
No.	11448	11449
Phonetic component	十	十
Rime group	侵	侵
Rime subdivision	3	3
Corresponding MC rime	斟	枕
Old Chinese	/*kjum/	/*kjums/
Notes	見淮南子，說文作鍼

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 針

1. needle (Classifier: 根 m; 枚 m; 枝 c mn; 眼 c)
2. needle-like object; pin; brooch; hand (of a clock or watch); tack
3. injection
4. stitch
5. acupuncture
6. to poke
7. (Cantonese) spy; informer; probe (Classifier: 條／条)
8. Classifier for the number of injections.
9. Classifier for the number of stitches.

Compounds

(deprecated template usage)

---

Japanese

Kanji

針

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: しん (shin, Jōyō)^{←しん (sin, historical)←しむ (simu, ancient)}
• Kan-on: しん (shin, Jōyō)^{←しん (sin, historical)←しむ (simu, ancient)}
• Kun: はり (hari, 針, Jōyō)、さす (sasu, 針す)、ぬう (nuu, 針う)^{←ぬふ (nufu, 針ふ, historical)}

Compounds

• 針魚(サヨリ) (sayori)
• 針孔(みず), 針眼(みず) (mizu)
• 針孔(みぞ) (mizo)
• 針孔(めど) (medo)

 

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
針
はり Grade: 6
kun'yomi

Alternative spellings
鉤 鈎

⟨pari⟩ → /ɸaɾi/ → /haɾi/

From Old Japanese.

Noun

針(はり) • (hari) 

1. a needle used in sewing or other forms of embroidery
2. any slender, pointed object resembling or similar in use to a needle:
   1. a phonograph needle (in record players)
      • 1935 March 13, 日伯新聞 (Nippaku Shinbun) [Nippo-Brazilian Newspaper]‎^[1], number 926, page 1:

        蓄(ちく)音(おん)器(き)はコロムビア！レコードもコロムビア！針(はり)も勿(もち)論(ろん)コロムビア！

        Chikuonki wa Koromubia! Rekōdo mo Koromubia! Hari mo mochiron Koromubia!

        If it's a record player, choose Columbia! If it's records, choose Columbia! And if it's needles, of course, choose Columbia!

   2. a needle used in medical injections
   3. a knitting needle
   4. a stinger (in insects)
   5. a staple (wire fastener)
      • 2009, “わたしの恋はホッチキス [My Love is a Stapler]”, in Emi Inaba (lyrics), Miki Fujisue (music), Hōkago Tea Time, performed by Hōkago Tea Time:

        はじまりだけは　軽(かる)いノリで　しらないうちに　あつくなって　もう針(はり)がなんだか通(とお)らない

        hajimari dake wa karui nori de shiranai uchi ni atsukunatte mō hari ga nandaka tōranai

        At first I started lightly, but before I knew it, it got so thick the staples won't go through anymore

   6. (botany) a thorn
   7. (fishing) a hook, fishhook
3. (by extension) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
4. a hand or pointer (in clocks, watches, meters, compasses, etc.)

   時(と)計(けい)の針(はり)は３(さん)時(じ)を指(さ)しています。

   Tokei no hari wa san-ji o sashiteimasu.

   The clock's hand is pointing to 3 o'clock.

5. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
6. embroidery, needlework
7. (figurative) malice

Derived terms

• お針(はり) (ohari)
• 鍼(はり) (hari, “acupuncture needle”)
• 針(はり)医(い) (harī)
• 針(はり)魚(お) (hario)
• 針(はり)金(がね) (harigane)
• 針(はり)子(こ) (hariko)
• 針(はり)刺(さ)し (harisashi)
• 針(はり)仕(し)事(ごと) (hari shigoto)
• 針(ハリ)千(セン)本(ボン) (harisenbon, “porcupinefish”)
• 針(ハリ)鼠(ネズミ) (harinezumi)
• 針(はり)の穴(あな) (hari no ana)
• 針(はり)の筵(むしろ) (hari no mushiro)
• 針(はり)坊(ぼう)主(ず) (hari bōzu)
• 針(はり)孔(めど) (harimedo)
• 針(ハリ)土竜(モグラ) (harimogura)
• 針(ハリ)魚(ヨ) (hariyo)
• 編(あ)み針(ばり) (amibari)
• 網結針(あみすきばり) (amisukibari)
• 置(お)き針(ばり) (okibari)
• 返(かえ)し針(ばり) (kaeshibari)
• 鉤(かぎ)針(ばり) (kagibari)
• 隠(かく)し針(ばり) (kakushibari)
• 掛(か)け針(ばり) (kakebari)
• 蚊(か)針(ばり) (kabari)
• 革(かわ)針(ばり), 皮(かわ)針(ばり) (kawabari)
• 擬(ぎ)餌(じ)針(ばり) (gijibari)
• 絹(きぬ)針(ばり) (kinubari)
• 絎(くけ)針(ばり) (kukebari)
• 毛(け)針(ばり) (kebari)
• 小(こ)町(まち)針(ばり) (komachibari)
• 仕(し)付(つ)け針(ばり) (shitsukebari)
• 千(せん)人(にん)針(ばり) (senninbari)
• 空(そら)針(ばり) (sorabari)
• 畳(たたみ)針(ばり) (tatamibari)
• 注(ちゅう)射(しゃ)針(ばり) (chūshabari)
• 釣(つ)り針(ばり) (tsuribari)
• 綴(と)じ針(ばり) (tojibari)
• 縫(ぬ)い針(はり) (nuihari), 縫(ぬ)い針(ばり) (nuibari)
• 刃(は)針(ばり) (habari)
• 平(ひら)針(ばり) (hirabari)
• 棒(ぼう)針(ばり) (bōbari)
• 帽(ぼう)子(し)針(ばり) (bōshibari)
• 待(ま)ち針(ばり) (machibari)
• メリケン針(ばり) (merikenbari)
• 木(も)綿(めん)針(ばり) (momenbari)

 

Idioms

• 針(はり)を含(ふく)む (hari o fukumu)

Proverbs

• 針(はり)の先(さき)で突(つ)いた程(ほど) (hari no saki de tsuita hodo)
• 針(はり)ほどのことを棒(ぼう)ほどに言(い)う (hari hodo no koto o bō hodo ni iu)
• 針(はり)を蔵(くら)に積(つ)みても溜(たま)らぬ (hari o kura nitsumite mo tamaranu)
• 針(はり)を立(た)つる土地(とち)無(な)し (hari o tatsuru tochi nashi)
• 針(はり)を以(もっ)て地(ち)を刺(さ)す (hari o motte chi o sasu)

 

Counter

針(はり) • (-hari) 

1. counter for stitches

Proper noun

針(はり) • (Hari) 

1. a placename

Etymology 2

/ɕim/ → /ɕimʉ/ → /ɕiɴ/

From Middle Chinese 針 (MC tsyim|tsyimH).

Affix

針(しん) • (shin) 

1. sewing needle
2. Alternative spelling of 鍼 (shin): acupuncture
3. pointed beam

Derived terms

• 針(しん)医(い) (shin'i)
• 針(しん)灸(きゅう) (shinkyū)
• 鍼(しん)治(じ) (shinji)
• 針(しん)術(じゅつ) (shinjutsu)
• 針(しん)小(しょう)棒(ぼう)大(だい) (shinshōbōdai)
• 針(しん)布(ぷ) (shinpu)
• 針(しん)路(ろ) (shinro)
• 運(うん)針(しん) (unshin)
• 検(けん)針(しん) (kenshin)
• 指(し)針(しん) (shishin)
• 時(じ)針(しん) (jishin)
• 磁(じ)針(しん) (jishin)
• 短(たん)針(しん) (tanshin)
• 長(ちょう)針(しん) (chōshin)
• 秒(びょう)針(しん) (byōshin)
• 避(ひ)雷(らい)針(しん) (hiraishin)
• 分(ふん)針(しん) (funshin)
• 方(ほう)針(しん) (hōshin)
• 羅(ら)針(しん) (rashin)

 

Idioms

• 頂(ちょう)門(もん)の一(いっ)針(しん) (chōmon no isshin)

---

Korean

Hanja

針 • (chim) (hangeul 침)

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

---

Okinawan

Kanji

針

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

• Kun: はーい (hāi, 針)

Etymology

Kanji in this term
針
はーい Grade: 6
kun'yomi

Cognate with Japanese 針 (hari).

Pronunciation

• はあい [hàáí] (Heiban - [0])
• IPA^(key): [haːi]

Noun

針(はーい) (hāi) 

1. a needle used in sewing or other forms of embroidery

Derived terms

• 鍼 (hāi, “acupuncture needle”)
• 針刺しー (hāisashī)
• 針ぬ目 (hāi nu mī)
• 針箱 (hāibaku)
• 針魚 (hāīyū)
• 括い針 (kukuibāi)
• 唐針 (karahāi, “compass”)

 

Further reading

• “はーい【針・鍼】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

---

Old Japanese

Etymology 1

Noun

針 (pari) (kana はり)

1. a needle used in embroidery
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 12, poem 2982:

     針者有杼妹之無者將著哉跡吾乎令煩絕紐之緖

     pari pa aredo₂ imo si nake₁reba tuke₂me₂ ya to₂ ware wo nayamasi tayuru pi₁mo no₂ wo

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 18, poem 4128:

     久佐麻久良多比乃於伎奈等於母保之天波里曾多麻敞流奴波牟物能毛賀

     kusamakura tabi₁ no oki₁na to₂ omoposite pari so₂ tamape₁ru nupamu mono₂ moga

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Descendants

• Japanese: 針, 鍼 (hari)

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

針 (paru) (kana はる)

1. (regional, Central Eastern Old Japanese) a needle used in embroidery
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 20, poem 4420:

     久佐麻久良多妣乃麻流禰乃比毛多要婆安我弖等都氣呂許禮乃波流母志

     kusamakura tabi₁ no₂ marune no₂ pi₁mo tayeba aga te to₂ tuke₂ro₂ ko₂re no₂ paru mosi

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

---

Vietnamese

Han character

(deprecated template usage) 針 (châm, chăm, chảm, găm, kim, trâm)

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