尊

尊 U+5C0A, 尊 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5C0A ← 尉 [U+5C09] CJK Unified Ideographs 尋 → [U+5C0B]

Translingual

Han character

尊 (Kangxi radical 41, 寸+9, 12 strokes, cangjie input 廿田木戈 (TWDI), four-corner 8034₆, composition ⿱酋寸)

Derived characters

• 僔, 噂, 墫, 壿, 嶟, 撙, 樽, 澊, 燇, 竴, 繜(𰬺), 罇, 譐(𬤢), 蹲, 鐏(𨱔), 鱒(鳟), 遵, 鷷(𫜄), 䔿
• 𢕰, 𣦝, 𥊭, 𥖁, 𥢎, 𫆸, 𦪚, 𧒆, 𫑼, 𣞊, 𠟃, 𤮐, 𠥙, 𥳰, 𩯄
• 𫱵, 𭞵, 𬛘, 𭹼, 𬲝

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 295, character 10
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 7445
• Dae Jaweon: page 585, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 509, character 6
• Unihan data for U+5C0A

Chinese

trad.		尊
simp. #		尊
2nd round simp.		𰃝
alternative forms		𡭆 𢍜 𥈪

Bronze zun vessel (尊 (zūn)), c. 11th century BCE

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 尊
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
尊	*ʔsuːn
樽	*ʔsuːn
罇	*ʔsuːn
嶟	*ʔsuːn, *ʔsun
繜	*ʔsuːn
撙	*ʔsuːnʔ
噂	*ʔsuːnʔ
譐	*ʔsuːnʔ
僔	*ʔsuːnʔ
蹲	*zuːn
鱒	*zuːnʔ, *zuːns
鐏	*zuːns
遵	*ʔsun
鷷	*ʔsun, *zun
墫	*sʰun
竴	*sʰun

Shuowen: Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 酋 (“wine”) + 寸 (“hand”) – to give 寸 (cùn) an offering such as a vessel of wine 酋 (qiú) – to show respect, veneration.

However per small seal script, it may instead be a variant of 𢍜, which is Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 酋 (“wine”) + 廾 (“two hands”).

Etymology

Cognate to Tibetan བཙུན (btsun), བཙུན་པ (btsun pa, “respectable, venerable”), མཚུན (mtshun, “ancestor god”). The "vessel" sense is because it was used in ritual ceremonies (Schuessler, 2007).

"glorious; marvelous; wonderful"

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 尊(とーと​)い (tōto​i).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zūn (zun¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄨㄣ

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): zyun¹ / zeon¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): dun¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): jin¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): chûn

  (Meixian, Guangdong): zun¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): zung¹
• Northern Min (KCR): có̤ng
• Eastern Min (BUC): cŏng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): zong¹ / zuong¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chun

  (Teochew, Peng'im): zung¹

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): zung¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tsen
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): zen¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zūn
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄨㄣ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zun
    • Wade–Giles: tsun¹
    • Yale: dzwūn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzuen
    • Palladius: цзунь (czunʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡su̯ən⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: zyun¹ / zeon¹
    • Yale: jyūn / jēun
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzyn¹ / dzoen¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: jun¹ / zên¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡syːn⁵⁵/, /t͡sɵn⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: dun¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tun³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: jin¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕin⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chûn
    • Hakka Romanization System: zun^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: zun¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sun²⁴/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: zun¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sun⁴⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: zung¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡suŋ¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: có̤ng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɔŋ⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: cŏng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡souŋ⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zong¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: ceong
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɔŋ⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: zuong¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡suoŋ⁵³³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chun
    • Tâi-lô: tsun
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zwn
    • IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sun⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sun³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sun⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /t͡sun⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sun⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: zung¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsung
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡suŋ³³/
  • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: zung¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡suŋ³⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsen
    • MiniDict: tsen^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tsen
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sən⁵³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: zen¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sən³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: tswon

Rime
Character	尊
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	精 (13)
Final (韻)	魂 (55)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	祖昆切
Baxter	tswon
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡suən/
Pan Wuyun	/t͡suon/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡suən/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/t͡swən/
Li Rong	/t͡suən/
Wang Li	/t͡suən/
Bernhard Karlgren	/t͡suən/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	zūn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	zyun1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ts]ˤu[n]/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ʔsuːn/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	尊	尊
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	zūn	zūn
Middle Chinese	‹ tswon ›	‹ tswon ›
Old Chinese	/*[ts]ˁu[n]/	/*[ts]ˁu[n]/
English	honor (v.)	wine-cup
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	尊
Reading #	1/1
No.	17984
Phonetic component	尊
Rime group	文
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	尊
Old Chinese	/*ʔsuːn/

Definitions

尊

1. to respect; to revere; to venerate
2. to honor
3. (historical) zun (a type of container for alcoholic beverage in historical China)

   alt. forms: 樽 (zūn), 鐏／𨱔 (zūn), 罇／樽 (zūn)

4. Classifier for heavy and chiefly immobile artificial objects; colossuses. ⇒ all nouns using this classifier

   一尊巨像  ―  yī zūn jùxiàng  ―  a colossal statue

   一尊大炮  ―  yī zūn dàpào  ―  a large cannon

5. your (honorfic)

   尊夫人  ―  zūn fūrén  ―  your wife (honorfic)

6. (ACG) glorious; marvelous; wonderful

Synonyms

• (respect): 敬 (jìng), 崇 (chóng), 重 (zhòng)
• (respectable): 崇 (chóng)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “respect”): 鄙 (bǐ), 蔑 (miè), 藐 (miǎo)

Compounds

• 上尊
• 不動尊／不动尊
• 世尊 (Shìzūn)
• 九五之尊 (jiǔwǔzhīzūn)
• 二足尊
• 仁尊
• 令尊 (lìngzūn)
• 令尊大人
• 位尊勢重／位尊势重
• 倒清尊
• 傍尊
• 元始天尊
• 勞尊重／劳尊重
• 匏尊 (páozūn)
• 唯吾獨尊／唯吾独尊
• 唯我獨尊／唯我独尊 (wéiwǒdúzūn)
• 堂尊
• 太尊
• 天尊 (tiānzūn)
• 妄自尊大 (wàngzìzūndà)
• 安富尊榮／安富尊荣
• 定於一尊／定于一尊 (dìngyúyīzūn)
• 家尊 (jiāzūn)
• 尊上
• 尊人
• 尊俎
• 尊像
• 尊兄
• 尊公
• 尊前
• 尊前集
• 尊卑 (zūnbēi)
• 尊古卑今
• 尊君
• 尊命 (zūnmìng)
• 尊嚴／尊严 (zūnyán)
• 尊嚴死／尊严死
• 尊堂
• 尊大君
• 尊夫人 (zūnfūrén)
• 尊姓大名 (zūnxìngdàmíng)
• 尊嫜
• 尊官厚祿／尊官厚禄
• 尊容 (zūnróng)
• 尊宿 (zūnsù)
• 尊崇 (zūnchóng)
• 尊己卑人
• 尊師／尊师 (zūnshī)
• 尊師貴道／尊师贵道
• 尊師重道／尊师重道 (zūnshīzhòngdào)
• 尊年尚齒／尊年尚齿
• 尊府
• 尊敬 (zūnjìng)
• 尊榮／尊荣 (zūnróng)
• 尊王攘夷 (zūnwángrǎngyí)
• 尊甫
• 尊相
• 尊稱／尊称 (zūnchēng)
• 尊紀／尊纪
• 尊翁 (zūnwēng)
• 尊老
• 尊者 (zūnzhě)
• 尊號／尊号 (zūnhào)
• 尊親屬／尊亲属
• 尊貴／尊贵 (zūnguì)
• 尊賢使能／尊贤使能
• 尊賢愛物／尊贤爱物
• 尊重 (zūnzhòng)
• 尊鑒／尊鉴
• 尊長／尊长 (zūnzhǎng)
• 尊門／尊门
• 尊閫／尊阃
• 尊顏／尊颜 (zūnyán)
• 尊顯／尊显
• 尊駕／尊驾 (zūnjià)
• 屈尊 (qūzūn)
• 屈尊敬賢／屈尊敬贤
• 師嚴道尊／师严道尊
• 師尊／师尊 (shīzūn)
• 師道尊嚴／师道尊严 (shīdàozūnyán)
• 府尊
• 德尊望重
• 德隆望尊
• 推尊 (tuīzūn)
• 放尊重
• 敝屣尊榮／敝屣尊荣
• 敬老尊賢／敬老尊贤
• 旁尊
• 本尊 (běnzūn)
• 毒手尊拳
• 汙尊／污尊
• 烏尊／乌尊 (Wūzūn)
• 犧尊／牺尊
• 獨尊／独尊 (dúzūn)
• 獻尊／献尊
• 男尊女卑 (nánzūnnǚbēi)
• 目無尊長／目无尊长 (mùwúzūnzhǎng)
• 萬乘之尊／万乘之尊
• 紆尊降貴／纡尊降贵 (yūzūnjiàngguì)
• 縣尊／县尊
• 老尊
• 老尊堂
• 老行尊
• 聚寶尊王／聚宝尊王
• 聽憑尊便／听凭尊便 (tīngpíngzūnbiàn)
• 自尊 (zìzūn)
• 自尊心 (zìzūnxīn)
• 自尊自大
• 至尊 (zhìzūn)
• 至尊至貴／至尊至贵
• 識才尊賢／识才尊贤
• 貴無常尊／贵无常尊
• 賢尊／贤尊
• 辭尊居卑／辞尊居卑
• 迦葉尊者／迦叶尊者
• 道尊
• 達尊／达尊
• 長幼尊卑／长幼尊卑 (zhǎngyòuzūnbēi)
• 阿尊事貴／阿尊事贵
• 降貴紆尊／降贵纡尊
• 雞肋尊拳／鸡肋尊拳
• 養尊處優／养尊处优 (yǎngzūnchǔyōu)
• 鰲裡奪尊／鳌里夺尊
• 齒尊／齿尊

 

Related terms

• 樽 (zūn)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (尊):

• → Vietnamese: tôn (尊)

Japanese

Shinjitai	尊
Kyūjitai	尊󠄂 尊+󠄂? (Adobe-Japan1)
	尊󠄄 尊+󠄄? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.

Kanji

尊

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. noble, precious
2. exalt, revere
3. indicates respect and reverence, such as to a buddha or nobleman

Readings

• Go-on: そん (son, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: そん (son, Jōyō)
• Kun: たっとい (tattoi, 尊い, Jōyō)、たっとぶ (tattobu, 尊ぶ, Jōyō)、とうとい (tōtoi, 尊い, Jōyō)^{←たふとい (tafutoi, 尊い, historical)}、とうとぶ (tōtobu, 尊ぶ, Jōyō)^{←たふとぶ (tafutobu, 尊ぶ, historical)}、みこと (mikoto, 尊)
• Nanori: たか (taka)、たかし (takashi)、たけ (take)

Compounds

Compounds

• 尊(そん)翰(かん) (sonkan)
• 尊(そん)顔(がん) (songan)
• 尊(そん)敬(きょう) (sonkyō, “respect, honor”)
• 尊(そん)兄(けい) (sonkei, “(honorific) older brother”)
• 尊(そん)敬(けい) (sonkei, “respect”)
  • 尊(そん)敬(けい)語(ご) (sonkeigo, “honorific language”)
• 尊(そん)厳(げん) (songen, “dignity”)
• 尊(そん)称(しょう) (sonshō, “honorific title”)
• 尊(そん)心(しん) (sonshin)
• 尊(そん)崇(すう) (sonsū), 尊(そん)崇(そう) (sonsō, “reverence, veneration”)
• 尊(そん)属(ぞく) (sonzoku, “direct ancestors”)
• 尊(そん)体(たい) (sontai, “(honorific) one's health”)
• 尊(そん)大(だい) (sondai, “haughty, arrogant”)
• 尊(そん)重(ちょう) (sonchō, “respect”)
• 尊(そん)卑(ぴ) (sonpi)
• 尊(そん)父(ぷ) (sonpu)
• 尊(そん)慮(りょ) (sonryo)
• 三(さん)尊(そん) (sanson)
• 三(さん)尊(ぞん) (Sanzon)
• 至(し)尊(そん) (shison)
• 自(じ)尊(そん) (jison)
  • 自(じ)尊(そん)心(しん) (jisonshin)
• 釈(しゃく)尊(そん) (Shakuson)
• 世(せ)尊(そん) (Seson)
• 追(つい)尊(そん) (tsuison)
• 独(どく)尊(そん) (dokuson)
  • 天(てん)上(じょう)天(てん)下(げ)唯(ゆい)我(が)独(どく)尊(そん) (tenjō tenge yuiga dokuson)
• 本(ほん)尊(ぞん) (honzon), 本(ほ)尊(ぞん) (hozon)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
尊
みこと Grade: 6
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese.

Derived from 御 (mi-, honorific prefix) +‎ 事 (koto, “thing, matter”).

Alternative forms

• 命

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) みこと [mìkótó] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [mʲiko̞to̞]

Noun

尊(みこと) • (mikoto) 

1. (Shinto) indicates respect and reverence, such as to the 神 (kami, “Shinto deity”) or the 天皇 (tennō, “Emperor of Japan”): Highness
2. (by extension) indicates respect to a superior or other high-ranking person
3. indicates deep affection: beloved
   • 711–712, Kojiki, poem 4:

     ...和加久佐能(わかくさの)都麻能(つまの)美許登(みこと)許登能(ことの)加多理碁登母(かたりごとも)許遠婆(こをば) [Man'yōgana]

     ...若草(わかくさ)の妻(つま)のみこと事(こと)の語(かた)り言(ごと)もこをば [Modern spelling]

     wakakusa no tsuma no mikoto koto no katarigoto mo ko o ba

     (please add an English translation of this example)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 天(あま)つ尊(みこと) (Amatsumikoto)
• 天(あめの)忍(おし)穂(ほ)耳(みみの)尊(みこと) (Amenōshihomimi no Mikoto)
• 天(あまの)常(とこ)立(たちの)尊(みこと) (Amanotokotachi no Mikoto)
• 天(あめ)命(みこと)開(ひらかす)別(わけの)尊(みこと) (Amemikoto Hirakasuwake no Mikoto)
• 伊弉(いざ)諾(なぎの)尊(みこと) (Izanagi no Mikoto)
• 伊弉(いざ)冉(なみの)尊(みこと) (Izanami no Mikoto)
• 鸕鷀(う)草葺(がやふき)不合(あえずの)尊(みこと) (Ugayafukiaezu no Mikoto)
• 小(お)碓(うすの)尊(みこと) (Ōsu no Mikoto)
• 置瀬(おきせの)尊(みこと) (Okise no Mikoto)
• 草(くさ)分(わけの)尊(みこと) (Kusawake no Mikoto)
• 国(くにの)常(とこ)立(たち)尊(のみこと) (Kuninotokotachi no Mikoto), 国(くにの)底(そこ)立(たちの)尊(みこと) (Kuninosokotachi no Mikoto)
• 素(す)戔(さの)嗚(おの)尊(みこと) (Susanō no Mikoto)
• 天皇(すめらみこと), 皇尊(すめらみこと) (sumeramikoto)
• 高皇産霊(たかみむすひの)尊(みこと) (Takamimusuhi no Mikoto)
• 月(つき)読(よみの)尊(みこと), 月(つき)夜(よ)見(みの)尊(みこと) (Tsukiyomi no Mikoto)
• 豊斟(とよくむ)渟(ねの)尊(みこと) (Toyokumune no Mikoto)
• 瓊瓊(にに)杵(ぎの)尊(みこと) (Ninigi no Mikoto)
• 彦(ひこ)火火出(ほほで)見(みの)尊(みこと) (Hikohohodemi no Mikoto)
• 皇子(みこの)尊(みこと) (miko no mikoto)
• 御孫(みまの)尊(みこと) (mima no mikoto)
• 日本(やまと)武(たけるの)尊(みこと) (Yamato Takeru no Mikoto)

Pronoun

尊(みこと) • (mikoto) 

1. (archaic, derogatory) second person personal pronoun: you

   Synonyms: あんた (anta), お前様 (omae-sama), 貴様 (kisama)

2. (archaic) third person pronoun

   Synonyms: お方 (o-kata), 人 (hito)

Derived terms

• 我(わ)尊(みこと), 和(わ)尊(みこと) (wamikoto)

Proper noun

尊(みこと) • (Mikoto) 

1. a male given name
2. a female given name

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
尊
とうと Grade: 6
kun'yomi

⟨taputo₁⟩ → */taputʷo/ → /tafuto/ → /tauto/ → /tɔːto/ → /toːto/

From Old Japanese.

Stem of classical adjective 尊し (tafutoshi → tōtoshi), modern 尊い (tōtoi, “precious, sacred”).

Alternative forms

• 貴

Noun

尊(とうと) • (tōto) ^{←たふと (tafuto)?}

1. respect, reverence
   • 1702, Oku no Hosomichi:

     あらたうと　青(あを)葉(ば)若(わか)葉(ば)の　日(ひ)の光(ひかり)

     ara-tōto, aoba wakaba no, hi no hikari

     (please add an English translation of this example)

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Derived terms

• 尊(とうと)がる (tōtogaru)
• 尊(とうと)ぶ (tōtobu)
• 尊(とうと)む (tōtomu)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
尊
そん Grade: 6
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 尊 (MC tswon).

Compare modern Mandarin 尊 (zūn).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) そん [sóꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [sõ̞ɴ]

• Pronunciation for suffix sense unknown.

Noun

尊(そん) • (son) 

1. a superior
2. (historical) zun: an ancient wine vessel usually made of bronze

Counter

尊(そん) • (-son) 

1. (Buddhism) counter for buddhas

Proper noun

尊(そん) • (Son) 

1. a male or female given name

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
尊
Grade: 6
irregular

Nominalization of classical adjective 高し (takashi), modern 高い (takai, “high”).

Proper noun

尊(たかし) • (Takashi) 

1. a male given name

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
尊
Grade: 6
irregular

Various theories exist, possibly a nominalization of verb 長ける (takeru, “to excel at”).

Proper noun

尊(たける) • (Takeru) 

1. a male given name

Korean

Hanja

尊 (eumhun 높을 존 (nopeul jon))

1. hanja form^? of 존 (“respect; revere; veneration”)

Compounds

• 존경 (尊敬, jon'gyeong, “admiration; respect”)
• 존대 (尊待, jondae, “respect; deference”)

Vietnamese

Han character

尊: Hán Việt readings: tôn (祖(tổ)昆(côn)切(thiết))
尊: Nôm readings: tôn, nhôn, ton, chun, tông, tun

1. chữ Hán form of tôn (“to respect”).

Compounds

• 尊師 (tôn sư)
• 尊敬 (tôn kính)
• 尊重 (tôn trọng)