劉

See also: 刘

劉 U+5289, 劉 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5289 ← 劈 [U+5288] CJK Unified Ideographs 劊 → [U+528A]

劉 U+F9C7, 劉 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F9C7 ← 阮 [U+F9C6] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 杻 → [U+F9C8]

Translingual

Han character

劉 (Kangxi radical 18, 刀+13, 15 strokes, cangjie input 竹金中弓 (HCLN), four-corner 7210₀, composition ⿰𨥫刂)

Derived characters

• 𪝵, 嚠, 嬼, 𢷶, 瀏(浏), 懰(𰑙), 𣞗, 𭶣, 𨮸, 䬟(𱃙), 𩙔, 藰(𰰹), 䉧, 𢤐

Descendants

• 刘 (Simplified Chinese)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 144, character 39
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 2224
• Dae Jaweon: page 325, character 16
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 359, character 4
• Unihan data for U+5289

• Unihan data for U+F9C7

Chinese

trad.		劉
simp.		刘
alternative forms		𠞑 𠟁 𡭀 𠭱 鎦／镏

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
卯	*mruːʔ
昴	*mruːʔ
泖	*mruːʔ
茆	*mruːʔ, *m·ruʔ
奅	*m̥ʰruːs
窌	*m̥ʰruːs, *m·ruː, *m·rus
聊	*m·rɯːw
貿	*mlus
鄮	*mlus
劉	*m·ru
留	*m·ru, *m·rus
蒥	*m·ru
鶹	*m·ru
騮	*m·ru
榴	*m·ru
瑠	*ru
瘤	*m·ru, *m·rus
遛	*m·ru
鎦	*m·ru
飀	*m·ru
鰡	*m·ru
嵧	*m·ru
餾	*m·ru, *m·rus
瀏	*m·ru, *m·ruʔ
懰	*m·ru, *m·ruʔ
柳	*m·ruʔ
珋	*m·ruʔ
罶	*m·ruʔ
嬼	*m·ruʔ, *m·rus
溜	*m·rus
霤	*m·rus
廇	*m·rus
塯	*m·rus

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *m·ru) : phonetic 卯 (OC *mruːʔ) + semantic 金 (“metal”) + semantic 刂 (“knife”).

Often written as 卯 (OC *mruːʔ) in the oracle bone script.

Etymology

kill, slaughter

Probably Sino-Tibetan; compare Tedim Chin gou⁵³ / gɔʔ¹¹ < rouh / rɔʔ/h (Schuessler, 2007).

battle-axe

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “From sense "kill, slaughter"?”)

surname

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “From sense "battle-ax"? Compare 粵/越 "Yue peoples, state of Yue" from 戉 "battle-ax"”)

Two origins are recorded: from 劉累 Liú Lěi, descendant of Emperor Yao and dragon-keeper of King Kong Jia of Xia; and from the Liu state (劉國) ruled by Duke Kang of Liu, younger brother of King Ding of Zhou.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): liú (liu²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄌㄧㄡˊ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): niu²

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): lau⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): liu³

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): liù

  (Meixian, Guangdong): liu²

• Northern Min (KCR): liǔ
• Eastern Min (BUC): làu
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): lâu / liû

  (Teochew, Peng'im): lao⁵

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁶lieu

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: liú
    • Zhuyin: ㄌㄧㄡˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: lióu
    • Wade–Giles: liu²
    • Yale: lyóu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: liou
    • Palladius: лю (lju)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /li̯oʊ̯³⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: niu²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: liu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /niəu²¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: lau⁴
    • Yale: làuh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: lau⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: leo⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lɐu̯²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: liu³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /liu²²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: liù
    • Hakka Romanization System: liuˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: liu²
    • Sinological IPA: /li̯u¹¹/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: liu²
    • Sinological IPA: /liu¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: liǔ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /liu²¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: làu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /l̃au⁵³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lâu / liû
    • Tâi-lô: lâu / liû
    • Phofsit Daibuun: laau, liuu
    • IPA (Xiamen): /lau²⁴/, /liu²⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /lau²⁴/, /liu²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /lau¹³/, /liu¹³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /lau²⁴/, /liu²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /lau²³/, /liu²³/

Note:

• lâu - vernacular (incl. surname);
• liû - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: lao⁵
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: lâu
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lau⁵⁵/
• Wu
  • (Shanghai):
    • Wugniu: ⁶lieu
    • MiniDict: lieu^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³lieu
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /liɤ²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: ljuw

Rime
Character	劉
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	來 (37)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	力求切
Baxter	ljuw
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/lɨu/
Pan Wuyun	/liu/
Shao Rongfen	/liəu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/luw/
Li Rong	/liu/
Wang Li	/lĭəu/
Bernard Karlgren	/li̯ə̯u/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	liú
Expected Cantonese Reflex	lau4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*mə-ru/

  (Zhengzhang): /*m·ru/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	劉
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	liú
Middle Chinese	‹ ljuw ›
Old Chinese	/*mə-ru/
English	kill; surname
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	劉
Reading #	1/1
No.	8881
Phonetic component	卯
Rime group	幽
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	劉
Old Chinese	/*m·ru/

Definitions

劉

1. (obsolete) a type of battle axe

   • 一人冕，執劉，立于東堂。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     一人冕，执刘，立于东堂。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE

     Yīrén miǎn, zhí liú, lì yú dōng táng. [Pinyin]

     One man in a great officer's cap, and holding an axe, stood in the hall, (near the steps) at the east (end).

2. (obsolete) to kill; to slaughter

   • 我王來，既爰宅于茲，重我民，無盡劉。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     我王来，既爰宅于兹，重我民，无尽刘。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE

     Wǒ wáng lái, jì yuán zhái yú zī, zhòng wǒ mín, wú jìn liú. [Pinyin]

     Our king came, and fixed on this. He did so from a deep concern for our people, and did not wish to see them all being killed.

3. (obsolete) to conquer
4. (obsolete) to wither
5. (～國) State of Liu during the Zhou dynasty
6. a surname

   劉邦／刘邦  ―  Liú Bāng  ―  Liu Bang (founding emperor of the Han Dynasty)

   劉少奇／刘少奇  ―  Liú Shàoqí  ―  Liu Shaoqi (Chinese revolutionary, politician and theorist)

Compounds

• 三劉／三刘
• 乾劉／干刘
• 二劉／二刘
• 何劉／何刘
• 依劉／依刘
• 依劉客／依刘客
• 公劉／公刘
• 前劉海／前刘海
• 前度劉郎／前度刘郎 (qiándùliúláng)
• 剪劉／剪刘
• 劉三妹／刘三妹
• 劉三姐／刘三姐
• 劉九兒／刘九儿
• 劉仙掌／刘仙掌
• 劉伶病酒／刘伶病酒
• 劉伶酒／刘伶酒
• 劉伶鍤／刘伶锸
• 劉備失箸／刘备失箸
• 劉全進瓜／刘全进瓜
• 劉六／刘六 (Liúliù)
• 劉參軍／刘参军
• 劉唐下書／刘唐下书
• 劉四罵人／刘四骂人
• 劉宋／刘宋 (Liúsòng)
• 劉家場／刘家场 (Liújiāchǎng)
• 劉家隔／刘家隔 (Liújiāgé)
• 劉寄奴／刘寄奴 (liújìnú)
• 劉寵一錢／刘宠一钱
• 劉師哥／刘师哥
• 劉店／刘店 (Liúdiàn)
• 劉德莊／刘德庄 (Liúdézhuāng)
• 劉晏粟／刘晏粟
• 劉村／刘村
• 劉杜／刘杜
• 劉柳／刘柳
• 劉根／刘根
• 劉棉花／刘棉花
• 劉毅答詔／刘毅答诏
• 劉氏冠／刘氏冠
• 劉洞／刘洞 (Liúdòng)
• 劉海／刘海 (liúhǎi)
• 劉海蟾／刘海蟾
• 劉猛將軍／刘猛将军
• 劉猴／刘猴 (Liúhóu)
• 劉王／刘王 (Liúwáng)
• 劉琨舞／刘琨舞
• 劉生／刘生
• 劉白／刘白
• 劉白墮／刘白堕
• 劉盧／刘卢
• 劉知遠／刘知远
• 劉石經／刘石经
• 劉秀／刘秀
• 劉窟頭／刘窟头
• 劉累／刘累
• 劉綱／刘纲
• 劉胡／刘胡 (Liúhú)
• 劉蕡下第／刘𰱟下第
• 劉表牛／刘表牛
• 劉覽／刘览
• 劉豫州／刘豫州
• 劉賈／刘贾
• 劉連／刘连 (Liúlián)
• 劉郎／刘郎
• 劉郎前度／刘郎前度
• 劉阮／刘阮
• 劉阿斗
• 劉陸／刘陆
• 劉隨州／刘随州
• 劉集／刘集 (Liújí)
• 劉靈／刘灵
• 劉項／刘项
• 咸劉
• 姬劉／姬刘
• 嬴劉／嬴刘
• 孫劉／孙刘
• 安劉／安刘
• 屠劉／屠刘
• 嵇劉／嵇刘
• 徐劉／徐刘 (Xúliú)
• 應劉／应刘
• 打前劉海／打前刘海
• 曹劉／曹刘
• 曾劉／曾刘 (Zēngliú)
• 李劉馬夏／李刘马夏
• 楊劉／杨刘
• 楊劉體／杨刘体
• 殷劉
• 毗劉／毗刘
• 火劉／火刘
• 炎劉／炎刘
• 王劉／王刘
• 王徐應劉／王徐应刘
• 茂陵劉郎／茂陵刘郎
• 荊劉拜殺／荆刘拜杀
• 虔劉／虔刘
• 西劉／西刘
• 謝劉／谢刘
• 貙劉／䝙刘
• 赤劉／赤刘
• 遏劉／遏刘
• 醉劉伶／醉刘伶
• 阮劉／阮刘
• 陶劉／陶刘 (Táoliú)
• 青菜劉／青菜刘

 

See also

• 卯金刀 (Mǎojīndāo)

Descendants

• → English: Liu, Lau
• → Tagalog: Lao

Japanese

Kanji

劉

(“Jinmeiyō” kanji used for names)

1. axe
2. kill

Readings

• Go-on: る (ru)
• Kan-on: りゅう (ryū)^{←りう (riu, historical)}
• Kun: ころす (korosu, 劉す); つらねる (tsuraneru, 劉ねる)

Proper noun

Kanji in this term
劉
りゅう Jinmeiyō
on’yomi

Alternative spelling
刘 (rare)

劉(りゅう) • (Ryū) 

1. a surname from Chinese
   • (Can we date this quote?), 中華若木詩抄巻之上‎^[1], archived from the original on 12 December 2021, page 3a:

     蜀(しょく)ノ刘(りゅう)備(び)

     Shoku no Ryū Bi

     Liu Bei of Shu

Korean

Hanja

Wikisource

劉 (eumhun 죽일 류 (jugil ryu), South Korea 죽일 유 (jugil yu))

1. Hanja form^? of 류/유 (“to kill”).

Vietnamese

Han character

劉: Hán Nôm readings: Lưu

1. chữ Hán form of Lưu (“a surname from Chinese.”).