久

See also: 乆 and 欠

久 U+4E45, 久 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4E45 ← 乄 [U+4E44] CJK Unified Ideographs 乆 → [U+4E46]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

久 (Kangxi radical 4, 丿+2, 3 strokes, cangjie input 弓人 (NO) or 難弓人 (XNO), four-corner 2780₀, composition ⿸𠂊㇏)

Derived characters

• 𠮻, 𡉌, 𠖮, 奺, 汣, 杦, 玖, 畂, 镹, 畝, 㝌, 㡱, 疚, 羑, 灸, 粂, 匛

Descendants

• く (Hiragana character derived from man'yōgana)
• ク (Katakana character derived from man'yōgana)
• 𛀫 (Hentaigana)
• 𛀬 (Hentaigana)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 81, character 19
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 118
• Dae Jaweon: page 165, character 6
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 33, character 3
• Unihan data for U+4E45

Chinese

simp. and trad.		久
alternative forms		乆 𫝄

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 久
Small seal script s03941 Transcribed ancient scripts L35395 L35396 L35397 L35398 L35399 L18239 L18240 L18241 L18242 L18243 L18244 L18245 L18246 L18247 L18248 L18249
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

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

	Old Chinese
畂	*ɡʷ·rɯs
久	*kʷlɯʔ
灸	*kʷlɯʔ, *kʷlɯs
玖	*kʷlɯʔ
疚	*kʷlɯs
柩	*ɡʷlɯs
羑	*ɡʷ·lɯʔ

Used interchangeably with 氒 in oracle bone script. Likely a pictogram (象形) of an arrow tip.

Etymology

Possibly Sino-Tibetan. Compare Bantawa [script needed] (kʰokpa, “old man”) (Sagart, 2017d), which STEDT derives from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kwak (“old”).

舊 (OC *N-kʷəʔ-s) may be a derivative (Baxter and Sagart, 2014). See there for more.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): jiǔ (jiu³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄡˇ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): jiu³

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): gau²

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): giu²

• Gan (Wiktionary): jiu³
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): kiú

  (Meixian, Guangdong): giu³

• Jin (Wiktionary): jiou²
• Northern Min (KCR): giǔ
• Eastern Min (BUC): gū / giēu
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): kú / kiú

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gu²

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁵cieu
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): jiou³

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jiǔ
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄡˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jiǒu
    • Wade–Giles: chiu³
    • Yale: jyǒu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jeou
    • Palladius: цзю (czju)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: jiu³
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: giu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiəu⁵³/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: gau²
    • Yale: gáu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gau²
    • Guangdong Romanization: geo²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɐu̯³⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: giu²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu⁵⁵/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: jiu³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiu²¹³/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kiú
    • Hakka Romanization System: giu^ˋ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: giu³
    • Sinological IPA: /ki̯u³¹/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: giu³
    • Sinological IPA: /kiu³¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: jiou²
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡ɕiəu⁵³/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: giǔ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu²¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: gū / giēu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku³³/, /kieu³³/

Note:

• gū - vernacular;
• giēu - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kú / kiú
    • Tâi-lô: kú / kiú
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kuo, kiuo
    • IPA (Xiamen): /ku⁵³/, /kiu⁵³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ku⁵⁵⁴/, /kiu⁵⁵⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ku⁵³/, /kiu⁵³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /ku⁵³/, /kiu⁵³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ku⁴¹/, /kiu⁴¹/

Note:

• kú - vernacular;
• kiú - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: gu²
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kú
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁵²/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁵cieu
    • MiniDict: cieu^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²jieu
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡ɕiɤ³⁴/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: jiou³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

---

• Middle Chinese: kjuwX

Rime
Character	久
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	舉有切
Baxter	kjuwX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɨuX/
Pan Wuyun	/kiuX/
Shao Rongfen	/kiəuX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kuwX/
Li Rong	/kiuX/
Wang Li	/kĭəuX/
Bernard Karlgren	/ki̯ə̯uX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	jiǔ
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gau2

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[k]ʷəʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kʷlɯʔ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	久
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	jiǔ
Middle Chinese	‹ kjuwX ›
Old Chinese	/*[k]ʷəʔ/
English	a long time
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	久
Reading #	1/1
No.	6969
Phonetic component	久
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	久
Old Chinese	/*kʷlɯʔ/

Definitions

久

1. (of time) long

   你待了多久？  ―  Nǐ dāi le duōjiǔ?  ―  How long did you stay?

   我們走路走了很久。 [MSC, trad.]
   我们走路走了很久。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒmen zǒulù zǒu le hěn jiǔ. [Pinyin]

   We walked for a long time.

2. a surname

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 久 (“long (time)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		久
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		久
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	久
	Malaysia	久
	Singapore	久
Cantonese	Guangzhou	耐
	Hong Kong	耐
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	耐
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	久
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	久
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	耐
	Taishan	久
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	耐
	Singapore (Guangfu)	耐
Gan	Nanchang	久
Hakka	Meixian	久
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	久
	Boluo (Bendihua)	久
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	久
	Longchuan (Tuocheng Bendihua)	久
	Heping (Linzhai Bendihua)	久
	Lianping (Longjie Bendihua)	久
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	久
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	久
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	久
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	久
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	久
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	久
	Hong Kong	久
	Senai (Huiyang)	久
	Kuching (Hepo)	久
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	𣆯
	Fuzhou (Changle)	𣆯
	Fuqing	𣆯
	Yongtai	𣆯
	Gutian	長久
	Fu'an	𣆯
	Ningde	𣆯
	Shouning	長遠
	Zhouning	長遠
	Fuding	久
	Singapore (Fuqing)	𣆯
Southern Min	Xiamen	久
	Quanzhou	久
	Jinjiang	久
	Dongshan	久
	Taipei	久 GT
	Penang (Hokkien)	久
	Singapore (Hokkien)	久
	Manila (Hokkien)	久
	Chaozhou	久
	Raoping	久
	Shantou	久
	Haifeng	久
	Bangkok (Teochew)	久
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	久
	Singapore (Teochew)	久
	Wenchang	久
	Qionghai	久
	Singapore (Hainanese)	久
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	久長
Note	GT - General Taiwanese (no particular region identified)

Compounds

• 一勞久逸／一劳久逸
• 不久 (bùjiǔ)
• 不多久
• 久久 (jiǔjiǔ)
• 久之 (jiǔzhī)
• 久仰 (jiǔyǎng)
• 久仰大名 (jiǔyǎngdàmíng)
• 久仰山斗
• 久候
• 久假不歸／久假不归 (jiǔjiǎbùguī)
• 久停久住
• 久別／久别 (jiǔbié)
• 久別相逢／久别相逢
• 久別重逢／久别重逢
• 久合垸 (Jiǔhéyuàn)
• 久坐 (jiǔzuò)
• 久夢初醒／久梦初醒
• 久安長治／久安长治 (jiǔ'ānchángzhì)
• 久客
• 久居 (jiǔjū)
• 久待 (jiǔdài)
• 久慣牢成／久惯牢成
• 久慣老成／久惯老成
• 久戀／久恋 (jiǔliàn)
• 久旱不雨 (jiǔhànbùyǔ)
• 久有存心
• 久留 (jiǔliú)
• 久病成醫／久病成医 (jiǔbìngchéngyī)
• 久矣
• 久視／久视
• 久立 (jiǔlì)
• 久等 (jiǔděng)
• 久而久之 (jiǔ'érjiǔzhī)
• 久聞大名／久闻大名 (jiǔwéndàmíng)
• 久要 (jiǔyāo)
• 久見／久见 (kiú-kian)
• 久違／久违 (jiǔwéi)
• 久違顏範／久违颜范
• 久遠／久远 (jiǔyuǎn)
• 久錮／久锢
• 久長／久长 (jiǔcháng)
• 久闊／久阔 (jiǔkuò)
• 久音
• 保久乳
• 偌久 (gōa-kú)
• 地久天長／地久天长 (dìjiǔtiāncháng)
• 壙久／圹久
• 多久 (duōjiǔ)
• 天長地久／天长地久 (tiānchángdìjiǔ)
• 天長日久／天长日久 (tiānchángrìjiǔ)
• 好久 (hǎojiǔ)
• 常久 (chángjiǔ)
• 年久失修 (niánjiǔshīxiū)
• 年深日久
• 年深月久
• 恆久／恒久 (héngjiǔ)
• 恆久不渝／恒久不渝
• 悠久 (yōujiǔ)
• 持久 (chíjiǔ)
• 持久之計／持久之计
• 持久戰／持久战 (chíjiǔzhàn)
• 日久天長／日久天长
• 日久年深
• 日久彌新／日久弥新
• 日久月深
• 日久歲深／日久岁深
• 日久玩生
• 日久生情 (rìjiǔshēngqíng)
• 日長歲久／日长岁久
• 曠久／旷久
• 曠日引久／旷日引久
• 曠日彌久／旷日弥久
• 曠日持久／旷日持久 (kuàngrìchíjiǔ)
• 曠日經久／旷日经久
• 曠日長久／旷日长久
• 歷久／历久 (lìjiǔ)
• 歷久不衰／历久不衰 (lìjiǔbùshuāi)
• 歷久彌新／历久弥新 (lìjiǔmíxīn)
• 歷日曠久／历日旷久
• 永久 (yǒngjiǔ)
• 永久磁鐵／永久磁铁
• 永久齒／永久齿
• 牢成久慣／牢成久惯
• 積久／积久
• 積久弊生／积久弊生
• 終久／终久 (zhōngjiǔ)
• 經久／经久 (jīngjiǔ)
• 經久不息／经久不息 (jīngjiǔbùxī)
• 耐久 (nàijiǔ)
• 耐久品
• 耐久朋
• 耐久財／耐久财
• 良久 (liángjiǔ)
• 訂久要／订久要 (dìngjiǔyāo)
• 許久／许久 (xǔjiǔ)
• 迂久
• 長久／长久 (chángjiǔ)
• 長久之計／长久之计
• 長治久安／长治久安 (chángzhìjiǔ'ān)
• 長生久視／长生久视
• 雨久花
• 頃久／顷久

 

Japanese

Kanji

久

(Fifth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. long time

Readings

• Go-on: く (ku, Jōyō ^†)
• Kan-on: きゅう (kyū, Jōyō)^{←きう (kiu, historical)}
• Kun: ひさしい (hisashii, 久しい, Jōyō)
• Nanori: きゅ (kyu)、わ (wa)、なが (naga)、ひさ (hisa)、ひさし (hisashi)

Compounds

• 久(きゅう)懐(かい) (kyūkai)
• 久(きゅう)遠(えん) (kyūen)
• 久(きゅう)闊(かつ) (kyūkatsu), 久(きゅう)濶(かつ) (kyūkatsu)
• 久(く)慈(じ)目(め) (kujime)
• 久(く)遠(おん) (kuon)
• 久(ひさ)方(かた) (hisakata)

 

Proper noun

久(ひさし) • (Hisashi) 

1. a male given name

Korean

Hanja

久 (eumhun 오랠 구 (orael gu))

1. hanja form^? of 구 (“to be long”)

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

• 乆 (cửu)

Han character

久: Hán Việt readings: cửu (舉(cử)有(hữu)切(thiết))
久: Nôm readings: cửu

1. chữ Hán form of cửu (“for a long time”).

Zhuang

Noun

久

1. Sawndip form of gyaeuj (“head; headhair”)