雌

雌 U+96CC, 雌 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-96CC ← 雋 [U+96CB] CJK Unified Ideographs 雍 → [U+96CD]

Translingual

Han character

雌 (Kangxi radical 172, 隹+6, 14 strokes, cangjie input 卜一心人土 (YMPOG), four-corner 2011₄, composition ⿰此隹)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1366, character 11
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 41998
• Dae Jaweon: page 1871, character 2
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 4098, character 18
• Unihan data for U+96CC

Chinese

simp. and trad.		雌
alternative forms		䳄／𲍵

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 雌
Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
些	*saːls, *sjaːl, *seːs
跐	*ʔsreːʔ, *ʔseʔ, *sʰeʔ, *ʔsreʔ
柴	*zreː
祡	*zreː
茈	*zreː, *ʔseʔ, *ze
眦	*zreːs
砦	*zraːds
寨	*zraːds, *slɯːɡ
啙	*ʔseː, *zeːʔ, *ʔseʔ
泚	*sʰeːʔ, *sʰeʔ
玼	*sʰeːʔ, *sʰeʔ, *ze
皉	*sʰeːʔ
鮆	*zeːʔ, *ʔse
眥	*zeːs, *zes
貲	*ʔse
髭	*ʔse
頾	*ʔse
訾	*ʔse, *ʔseʔ
鴜	*ʔse, *ze
鈭	*ʔse, *sʰe
姕	*ʔse, *sʰe, *ze
觜	*ʔse, *ʔse, *ʔseʔ
紫	*ʔseʔ
訿	*ʔseʔ
呰	*ʔseʔ
嘴	*ʔseʔ
雌	*sʰe
此	*sʰeʔ
佌	*sʰeʔ, *seʔ
庛	*sʰes
疵	*ze
骴	*ze, *zes
胔	*ze, *zes
飺	*ze
齜	*ʔsre

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰe) : phonetic 此 (OC *sʰeʔ) + semantic 隹.

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): cí, cī

  (Zhuyin): ㄘˊ, ㄘ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ci²

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ci¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): du¹

• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): chhṳ̂
• Jin (Wiktionary): ci¹
• Eastern Min (BUC): chĭ
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chhû / chhîr / chhî

  (Teochew, Peng'im): ce⁵

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tshy
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): cr¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland; variant in Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: cí
    • Zhuyin: ㄘˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: cíh
    • Wade–Giles: tzʻŭ²
    • Yale: tsź
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsyr
    • Palladius: цы (cy)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰz̩³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: cī
    • Zhuyin: ㄘ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: cih
    • Wade–Giles: tzʻŭ¹
    • Yale: tsz̄
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsy
    • Palladius: цы (cy)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰz̩⁵⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: ci²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: c
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰz̩²¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ci¹
    • Yale: chī
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsi¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: qi¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰiː⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: du¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tu³³/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhṳ̂
    • Hakka Romanization System: cii^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: ci¹
    • Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰɨ²⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: ci¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sʰz̩¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chĭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰi⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhû
    • Tâi-lô: tshû
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zhuu
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei): /t͡sʰu²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰu¹³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰu²³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhîr
    • Tâi-lô: tshîr
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰɯ²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhî
    • Tâi-lô: tshî
    • Phofsit Daibuun: chii
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰi¹³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: ce⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tshṳ̂
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɯ⁵⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹tshy
    • MiniDict: tshy^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tshr
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰz̩⁵³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: cr¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰz̩³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: tshje

Rime
Character	雌
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	清 (14)
Final (韻)	支 (11)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	此移切
Baxter	tshje
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡sʰiᴇ/
Pan Wuyun	/t͡sʰiɛ/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡sʰjɛ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/t͡sʰiə̆/
Li Rong	/t͡sʰie/
Wang Li	/t͡sʰǐe/
Bernard Karlgren	/t͡sʰie̯/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	cī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ci1

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*sʰe/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	雌
Reading #	1/1
No.	1721
Phonetic component	此
Rime group	支
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	雌
Old Chinese	/*sʰe/

Definitions

雌

1. (formal) female (describing animals and plants)

   • 其在鳥則雄為陽雌為陰；……。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     其在鸟则雄为阳雌为阴；……。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Shuoyuan, circa 1^st century BCE

     Qí zài niǎo zé xióng wèi yáng cí wéi yīn;....... [Pinyin]

     Among birds, males are yang and females are yin; [...].

2. (literary) weak; delicate

Usage notes

• Commonly used for animals and plants to mean "female" in academic contexts, less commonly used in non-academic contexts (use "母" instead), and not used for humans (use "女" instead). For example:

  母雞／母鸡  ―  mǔjī  ―  hen

  母牛  ―  mǔniú  ―  cow

Synonyms

• (weak):

edit

• 冉弱 (rǎnruò) (literary)
• 單薄／单薄 (dānbó)
• 孤單／孤单 (gūdān)
• 孱弱 (chánruò) (literary)
• 弱 (ruò)
• 微弱 (wēiruò)
• 柔弱 (róuruò)
• 瘦弱 (shòuruò)
• 瘦瘠 (shòují)
• 羸弱 (léiruò)
• 脆弱 (cuìruò)
• 荏弱 (Hokkien)
• 薄弱 (bóruò)
• 虛弱／虚弱 (xūruò)
• 虛荏／虚荏 (Xiamen Hokkien, Zhangzhou Hokkien)
• 虛虧／虚亏 (xūkuī)
• 虧弱／亏弱 (kuīruò)
• 衰弱 (shuāiruò)
• 軟弱／软弱 (ruǎnruò)
• 軟蔫蔫／软蔫蔫 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
• 軟䭕／软𬲕 (Hokkien, Teochew)
• 體弱／体弱 (tǐruò)

 

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “female”): 雄 (xióng, “male”)

Compounds

• 一決雌雄／一决雌雄 (yījuécíxióng)
• 不甘雌伏
• 不雌不雄
• 伏雌
• 信口雌黃／信口雌黄 (xìnkǒucíhuáng)
• 口中雌黃／口中雌黄
• 執雌／执雌
• 妄下雌黃／妄下雌黄
• 妄下雌黄
• 孀雌
• 孤雌
• 孤雌寡鶴／孤雌寡鹤
• 孤雌生殖 (gūcí shēngzhí)
• 守雌
• 屁雌寡淡
• 山雌
• 思歸其雌／思归其雌
• 慈雌
• 月雌
• 柔雌
• 決一雌雄／决一雌雄
• 決雌雄／决雌雄 (jué cíxióng)
• 烏之雌雄／乌之雌雄
• 知雄守雌
• 羈雌／羁雌
• 群雌粥粥
• 英雌 (yīngcí)
• 雄唱雌和
• 雄雌
• 雌一頭灰／雌一头灰
• 雌三醇 (císānchún)
• 雌二醇 (cí'èrchún)
• 雌伏
• 雌兒／雌儿
• 雌劍／雌剑
• 雌劣
• 雌呿雄吟
• 雌啞／雌哑
• 雌嘴
• 雌堂
• 雌威
• 雌字
• 雌守
• 雌弱
• 雌心
• 雌性 (cíxìng)
• 雌懦
• 雌搭
• 雌沒答樣／雌没答样
• 雌漢／雌汉
• 雌牙扭嘴
• 雌牙扮齒／雌牙扮齿
• 雌牙裂嘴
• 雌牙露嘴
• 雌牙鬼
• 雌獅／雌狮
• 雌甲
• 雌視／雌视
• 雌竹
• 雌答
• 雌節／雌节
• 雌絃／雌弦
• 雌老虎
• 雌聲／雌声
• 雌花 (cíhuā)
• 雌蕊 (círuǐ)
• 雌虹
• 雌蜂
• 雌蜺
• 雌貨／雌货
• 雌遜／雌逊
• 雌雄 (cíxióng)
• 雌雄劍／雌雄剑
• 雌雄同株
• 雌雄同體／雌雄同体 (cíxióng tóng tǐ)
• 雌雄未決／雌雄未决
• 雌雄樹／雌雄树
• 雌雄異株／雌雄异株
• 雌雄異體／雌雄异体
• 雌雄莫辨
• 雌雌
• 雌雉啼
• 雌雞報曉／雌鸡报晓
• 雌雷
• 雌霓
• 雌霓之誦／雌霓之诵
• 雌風／雌风
• 雌黃／雌黄 (cíhuáng)
• 鬼雌
• 鳴雌／鸣雌

 

References

• “雌”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

雌

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: し (shi, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: し (shi, Jōyō)
• Kun: め (me, 雌, Jōyō)、めす (mesu, 雌, Jōyō)、めん (men, 雌)

Compounds

Compounds

• 雌花(しか) (shika)
• 雌(し)蕊(ずい) (shizui)
• 雌(し)性(せい) (shisei)
• 雌(し)伏(ふく) (shifuku)
• 雌雄(しゆう) (shiyū)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
雌
めす Grade: S
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
牝

First cited to 1867.

The initial me- is the same me component seen in many terms referring to senses of "female". The final -su portion is of uncertain derivation.

The kanji as used originally in Chinese and in older Japanese with the on'yomi of shi referred more specifically to female birds. If the term mesu is much older than the 1800s, the final -su portion may be the ancient morpheme that appears in various names for types of bird, such as 烏 (karasu, “crow”) or 鶯 (uguisu, “bush warbler”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) めす [mèsúꜜ] (Odaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [me̞sɨ]

Noun

雌(めす) or 雌(メス) • (mesu) 

1. a female (plant or animal)
2. (vulgar) a female person; bitch
3. an internal socket

Antonyms

• 雄(おす) (osu, “male”)

Derived terms

• 雌(めす)黒(ぐろ)豹(ひょう)紋(もん) (mesugurohyōmon): the Argynnis sagana, a type of butterfly

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
雌
め Grade: S
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
牝

Appears in the Kojiki of 712 CE.

From Old Japanese 女 (me, “woman”). This spelling is used exclusively for non-human contexts.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) め [méꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [me̞]

Noun

雌(め) • (me) 

1. a female (plant or animal)

   Antonym: 雄 (o)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 雌(め)牛(うし) (meushi)
• 雌(メ)刈萱(ガルカヤ) (megarukaya)
• 雌羊歯(メシダ) (meshida)
• 雌(め)蕊(しべ) (meshibe)
• 雌宝香(メタカラコウ) (metakarakō)
• 雌(め)滝(だき) (medaki)
• 雌(め)鳥(とり) (metori), 雌(め)鳥(どり) (medori)
• 雌螺子(めねじ) (meneji)
• 雌(め)花(ばな) (mebana)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
雌
めん Grade: S
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
牝

First cited to 1839.

/me no/ → /men/

From fusion of 雌 (me, “female plant or animal”) + の (no, “possessive particle”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) めん [mèń] (Heiban – [0])
• (Tokyo) めん [méꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [mẽ̞ɴ]

Noun

雌(めん) • (men) 

1. a female (plant or animal)

   Antonym: 雄 (on)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
雌
し Grade: S
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 雌 (MC tshje).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɕi]

Affix

雌(し) • (shi) 

1. female (plant or animal)

   Antonym: 雄 (yū)

2. effeminate

Korean

Hanja

雌 • (ja) (hangeul 자, revised ja, McCune–Reischauer cha, Yale ca)

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

Old Japanese

Alternative forms

• (female animal): 牝

Etymology

Extension of 女 (me₁, “woman”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Noun

雌 (me₁) (kana め)

1. female (plant or animal)

Derived terms

• 雌鳥 (me₁do₂ri)

Descendants

• Japanese: 雌 (め, me)

Vietnamese

Han character

雌: Hán Nôm readings: thư

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