See also:
U+4ED4, 仔
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4ED4

[U+4ED3]
CJK Unified Ideographs
[U+4ED5]

Translingual edit

Stroke order
 

Han character edit

(Kangxi radical 9, +3, 5 strokes, cangjie input 人弓木 (OND), four-corner 27247, composition )

Derived characters edit

References edit

  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 92, character 6
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 367
  • Dae Jaweon: page 195, character 9
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 115, character 5
  • Unihan data for U+4ED4

Chinese edit

 
Wikipedia has an article on:
  • (Cantonese)

Glyph origin edit

Historical forms of the character
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script
 



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).

Phono-semantic compound (形聲形声, OC *ʔslɯ, *ʔslɯʔ) : semantic (person) + phonetic (OC *ʔslɯʔ)

Etymology 1 edit

simp. and trad.

Cognate with (OC *ʔslɯʔ) and (OC *ʔslɯːʔ, *srɯː, *srɯː). (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation 1 edit



Rime
Character
Reading # 2/2
Initial () (13)
Final () (19)
Tone (調) Rising (X)
Openness (開合) Open
Division () III
Fanqie
Baxter tsiX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang
/t͡sɨX/
Pan
Wuyun
/t͡sɨX/
Shao
Rongfen
/t͡sieX/
Edwin
Pulleyblank
/t͡sɨX/
Li
Rong
/t͡siəX/
Wang
Li
/t͡sĭəX/
Bernard
Karlgren
/t͡siX/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex
zi2
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
Reading # 2/2
No. 17858
Phonetic
component
Rime
group
Rime
subdivision
0
Corresponding
MC rime
Old
Chinese
/*ʔslɯʔ/
Definitions edit

  1. (domesticated animals or fowls) young
      ―    ―  chick
    alt. forms:
  2. meticulous; fine
      ―    ―  careful; meticulous
  3. (Taiwan) Alternative form of (, seed)
      ―  cài yóu  ―  rapeseed oil
Compounds edit

Pronunciation 2 edit

simp. and trad.
alternative forms


Definitions edit

  1. (Cantonese, dialectal Hakka, Shehua) son (Classifier: c;  c)
    真係 [Cantonese, trad.]
    真系 [Cantonese, simp.]
    nei5 go3 zai2 zan1 hai6 hou2 gwaai1. [Jyutping]
    Your son is very well-behaved.
  2. (Cantonese) child
    [Cantonese]  ―  saang1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  to give birth (to a child)
  3. (Cantonese, slang) boyfriend (Classifier: c)
    [Cantonese, trad.]
    [Cantonese, simp.]
    nei5 tiu4 zai2 lai4 zo2. [Jyutping]
    Your boyfriend came.
  4. (Cantonese, slang) (young) male (Classifier: c;  c)
    [Cantonese, trad.]
    [Cantonese, simp.]
    ngo5 hai6 zai2 lai4 gaa3 wo3. [Jyutping]
    I'm a guy, though.
  5. (Cantonese, dialectal Hakka, Northern Min) Diminutive suffix.
    1. Denotes a young male of a particular trait.
      [Cantonese]  ―  fei4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  fatty
      後生后生 [Cantonese]  ―  hau6 saang1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  young man
    2. Denotes a young male of a particular occupation or background, often demeaningly.
      打工 [Cantonese]  ―  daa2 gung1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  young worker
      拔萃 [Cantonese]  ―  bat6 seoi6 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  DBS kid
      日本 [Cantonese]  ―  jat6 bun2 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  Japanese guy
    3. Used to call somebody affectionately. (For names, it is only used for males.)
      [Cantonese]  ―  ming4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  Little Ming
      [Cantonese]  ―  koeng4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  Little Keung
      老婆 [Cantonese]  ―  lou5 po4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  wifey
    4. Demeaningly denotes somebody of a particular occupation or position.
      秘書秘书 [Cantonese]  ―  bei3 syu1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  a mere secretary
    5. Denotes a young animal.
      [Cantonese]  ―  gau2 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  puppy
      [Cantonese]  ―  joeng4 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  lamb
    6. Denotes something that is small in size.
      [Cantonese]  ―  dang3 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  small stool
      [Cantonese]  ―  zoek3 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  birdie
      [Cantonese]  ―  ngaan5 zai2 luk1 luk1 [Jyutping]  ―  little eyes rolling
      公園公园 [Cantonese]  ―  gung1 jyun4-2 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  small park
      超市 [Cantonese]  ―  ciu1 si5 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  grocery store (literally, “small supermarket”)
    7. Denotes the younger sibling of one's spouse.
      [Cantonese]  ―  suk1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  brother-in-law (husband's younger brother)
      [Cantonese]  ―  ji4-1 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  sister-in-law (wife's younger sister)
    8. Used with single-syllable nouns without denoting a specific meaning.
      [Cantonese]  ―  ji5 zai2 [Jyutping]  ―  ears
  6. (Cantonese) Used after a classifier to indicate that something is small in size and/or quantity.
    [Cantonese]  ―  jat1 hok3 zai2 faan6 [Jyutping]  ―  a small scoop of rice
    廿嘢食 [Cantonese, trad.]
    廿嘢食 [Cantonese, simp.]
    dak1 go2 jaa6 man1 zai2, bin1 gau3 cin2 maai5 je5 sik6 aa3? [Jyutping]
    With just a mere twenty bucks, how do we have enough to buy food?
  7. (Cantonese, slang, neologism) Suffix placed after a verb or adjective to sound cute and affectionate.
    聽日返學 [Cantonese, trad.]
    听日返学 [Cantonese, simp.]
    ting1 jat6 zau6 jiu3 faan1 hok6 zai2 laa3. [Jyutping]
    Tomorrow, you've got to go to school.
    今日開心 [Cantonese, trad.]
    今日开心 [Cantonese, simp.]
    ngo5 gam1 jat6 hou2 hoi1 sam1 zai2 aa3! [Jyutping]
    I'm really happy today!
Synonyms edit
Compounds edit

Etymology 2 edit

simp. and trad.
alternative forms
 
chiefly in place names



after name or title
chiefly in place names



after name or title
after name or title

Pronunciation 1 is a weak form of (kiáⁿ, káⁿ). (Mandarin and Cantonese pronunciations in words borrowed from Southern Min are from etymology 1.)

Pronunciation 1 edit


Note: giá / iá - obsolete.
Definitions edit

(chiefly Southern Min)

  1. a diminutive suffix for nouns, adjectives or quantities
    [Hokkien]  ―  gín-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  child
    小叔 [Hokkien]  ―  sió-chek-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  brother-in-law (husband's younger brother)
    勻勻匀匀 [Hokkien]  ―  ûn-ûn-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  slowly
    小可 [Hokkien]  ―  sió-khóa-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  a little bit
    [Hokkien]  ―  koa-á-hì [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  Taiwanese opera
  2. a suffix that converts a verb or adjective into a noun
    [Hokkien]  ―  bín-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  brush
    [Hokkien]  ―  é-á [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  shorty
  3. a suffix placed after a name or title, used endearingly, humorously or pejoratively
Synonyms edit
Usage notes edit

Tone sandhi before differ from the normal rules in some dialects of Hokkien. In Taiwanese Hokkien, only the rules for tones 1, 2, 4 (-p/t/k) and 8 (-p/t/k) remain unchanged:

  • tone 3 → tone 1 (instead of tone 2): 印仔 (ìn-á)
  • tone 4 (-h) → tone 1 (instead of tone 2): 鴨仔 (ah-á)
  • tone 5 → tone 7 (instead of tone 3 in northern Taiwan): 蝦仔 (hê-á)
  • tone 7 does not change (instead of changing to tone 3): 帽仔 (bō-á)
  • tone 8 (-h) → tone 7 (instead of tone 3): 藥仔 (io̍h-á)
Compounds edit

Pronunciation 2 edit


Definitions edit

  1. Alternative form of , especially when used as a suffix.

Etymology 3 edit

simp. and trad.

Weak form of (kah, kap, “and”).

Pronunciation edit


Definitions edit

  1. (Southern Min) An interfix placed between two nouns to show the relationship between the two objects.
    [Hokkien]  ―  ang-á-bó͘ [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  husband and wife

Etymology 4 edit

simp. and trad.

Weak form of (pah, “hundred”).

Pronunciation edit

Definitions edit

  1. (Southern Min) An interfix placed between two numbers to denote the value of 100, i.e. x y = 100x + 10y.
    [Hokkien]  ―  saⁿ-á-gō͘ [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  three hundred fifty

Etymology 5 edit

simp. and trad.

Weak form of (tòaⁿ, “dawn”).

Pronunciation edit

Definitions edit

  1. (Southern Min) An interfix used limitedly in certain temporal location adverbs.
    [Hokkien]  ―  kin-á-ji̍t [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  today
    [Hokkien]  ―  bîn-á-chài [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  tomorrow

Etymology 6 edit

simp. and trad.
alternative forms

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

Pronunciation edit


Note: In Northern Sixian, 仔 is pronounced as è when following the rising (31) and dark entering (2) tones.

Definitions edit

(Hakka)

  1. a suffix used after nouns
    [Sixian Hakka]  ―  su-é [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]  ―  tree
  2. a suffix that makes a derogatory slur
    阿山 [Sixian Hakka]  ―  â-sân-é [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]  ―  Mainlander
Synonyms edit
Derived terms edit

Etymology 7 edit

simp. and trad.

Cognate with (OC *ʔslɯːʔ, *ʔslɯːs, *zlɯːs, “to load; to carry”).

Pronunciation edit



Rime
Character
Reading # 1/2
Initial () (13)
Final () (19)
Tone (調) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open
Division () III
Fanqie
Baxter tsi
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang
/t͡sɨ/
Pan
Wuyun
/t͡sɨ/
Shao
Rongfen
/t͡sie/
Edwin
Pulleyblank
/t͡sɨ/
Li
Rong
/t͡siə/
Wang
Li
/t͡sĭə/
Bernard
Karlgren
/t͡si/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex
zi1
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
Reading # 1/2
No. 17855
Phonetic
component
Rime
group
Rime
subdivision
0
Corresponding
MC rime
Old
Chinese
/*ʔslɯ/

Definitions edit

  1. Only used in 仔肩 (zījiān).

Etymology 8 edit

simp. and trad.
alternative forms

From .

Pronunciation edit


Definitions edit

(Wu)

  1. Used to show a verb has been completed before the last verb of a sentence, often in a sequence of events.
  2. Used to indicate the present perfective.
    [Shanghainese, trad.]
    [Shanghainese, simp.]
    From: 2010, Qian Nairong, 《從〈滬語便商〉所見的老上海話時態》 (Tenses and Aspects? Old Shanghainese as Found in the Book Huyu Bian Shang)
    I've been here for several days already.
    逃走 [Suzhounese, trad.]
    逃走 [Suzhounese, simp.]
    From: 江苏省志・方言志, page 538
    Don't let him get away!
    小雨現在回去夜飯 [Shanghainese, trad.]
    小雨现在回去夜饭 [Shanghainese, simp.]
    From: 2018, Love in Shanghai, from Flavors of Youth
    5shiau-yu 6non 6yi-ze 6zhieu 6we-chi-la 7chiq-hau-tsy 6ya-ve 5tse 5tseu 0ma [Wugniu]
    Xiauyu, you're leaving already? Why not have dinner first?
Usage notes edit

In some lects, such as Shanghainese, is a lot more common nowadays. To distinguish between it, 脫了, and , see [[脫了#Usage notes|脫了#Usage notes]]

See also edit

References edit

Japanese edit

Kanji edit

(“Jinmeiyō” kanji used for names)

  1. offspring (animal)
  2. detailed, fine

Readings edit

Korean edit

Hanja edit

(eum (ja))

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

Vietnamese edit

Han character edit

: Hán Nôm readings: tử, tể

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

References edit