唯

TranslingualEdit

Han characterEdit

唯 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+8, 11 strokes, cangjie input 口人土 (ROG), four-corner 6001₄, composition ⿰口隹)

Derived charactersEdit

𣼲, 𪄼, 嶉, 蓶, 𬟢, 𧐌, 鷕, 雖

ReferencesEdit

KangXi: page 193, character 17
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3761
Dae Jaweon: page 413, character 17
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 642, character 5
Unihan data for U+552F

ChineseEdit

simp. and trad.		唯

Glyph originEdit

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

	Old Chinese
匯	ɢʷrɯːlʔ, kʰʷriːl
擓	*kʰʷriːl
淮	*ɡʷriːl
睢	qʰʷel, sqʰʷil, qʰʷi, qʰʷils
嶉	*sqʷi
趡	*skʰʷilʔ
踓	skʰʷilʔ, ɢʷilʔ
雖	*sqʰʷi
濉	*sqʰʷi
倠	*qʰʷi
婎	qʰʷil, qʰʷils
蓶	ɢʷi, ɢʷiʔ
維	*ɢʷi
惟	*ɢʷi
唯	ɢʷi, ɢʷiʔ
濰	*ɢʷi
琟	*ɢʷil
鷕	ɢʷiʔ, ɢʷiʔ
帷	*ɢʷril
鵻	sɢʷinʔ, tjul

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *ɢʷi, *ɢʷiʔ): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 隹.

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *way (“be, copula, nominalizer, subordinator”); cognate with Proto-Lolo-Burmese *wəy (“to be”) > Proto-Loloish *ʔ-way²/³ (> Luquan ve³³ ~ ve⁵⁵ ("subordinator, final particle"), Lahu ve (“nominalizer; relativizer; genitivizer”), Akha ø ~ ø̀ (“subordinator; citation-form marker; terminator of utterances in declarative mood”)), Mizo ve (“also, too, as well”), Jingpho we (“present tense particle”), and possibly Tibetan [script needed] (yin, “to be”) < *wi-n (with earlier w- disappearing before -i).(STEDT; Schuessler, 2007).

Related to 惠 (OC *ɢʷiːds) (Schuessler, 2007)

Pronunciation 1Edit

Mandarin
(Pinyin): wéi (wei²)

(Zhuyin): ㄨㄟˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): wai⁴
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): vì

(Meixian, Guangdong): vi²
Min Dong (BUC): mì
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): ûi / bî

(Teochew, Peng'im): rui⁶
Wu (Wiktionary): ³vi

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: wéi
  - Zhuyin: ㄨㄟˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: wéi
  - Wade–Giles: wei²
  - Yale: wéi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wei
  - Palladius: вэй (vɛj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /weɪ̯³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: wai⁴
  - Yale: wàih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: wai⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: wei⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɐi̯²¹/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: vì
  - Hakka Romanization System: viˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: vi²
  - Sinological IPA: /vi¹¹/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: vi²
  - Sinological IPA: /ʋi¹¹/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: mì
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mi⁵³/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ûi
  - Tâi-lô: uî
  - Phofsit Daibuun: uii
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /ui¹³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /ui²³/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /ui²⁴/
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese, Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bî
  - Tâi-lô: bî
  - Phofsit Daibuun: bii
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /bi¹³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /bi²³/
  - IPA (Taipei, Xiamen): /bi²⁴/

Note:

ûi - literary;
bî - vernacular.

(Teochew)
- Peng'im: rui⁶
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: jŭi
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /d͡zui³⁵/

Wu

(Shanghainese)
- Wiktionary: ³vi
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /v̥i²³/

Middle Chinese: /jiuɪ/

Rime
Character	唯
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	以 (36)
Final (韻)	脂 (16)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	以追切
Baxter	ywij
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jiuɪ/
Pan Wuyun	/jʷi/
Shao Rongfen	/juɪ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/jwi/
Li Rong	/ui/
Wang Li	/jwi/
Bernard Karlgren	/wi/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	wéi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	wai⁴

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*ɢʷij/

(Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷi/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	唯
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	wéi
Middle Chinese	‹ ywij ›
Old Chinese	/ɢʷij/ (< ɢʷuj?)
English	only
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	唯
Reading #	1/2
No.	12854
Phonetic component	唯
Rime group	脂
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	惟
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷi/
Notes	本象隹鳴，鷕即其轉註異構，非隹聲

DefinitionsEdit

唯

only; alone
because
although
to be
Particle for expressing one's wish.
- 夫晉，何厭之有？既東封鄭，又欲肆其西封。不闕秦，焉取之？闕秦以利晉，唯君圖之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  夫晋，何厌之有？既东封郑，又欲肆其西封。不阙秦，焉取之？阙秦以利晋，唯君图之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE
  Fú Jìn, hé yàn zhī yǒu? Jì dōng fēng Zhèng, yòu yù sì qí xī fēng. Bù què Qín, yān qǔ zhī? Què qín yǐ lì jìn, wéi jūn tú zhī. [Pinyin]
  How will Jin ever be satisfied? After it has extended its eastern boundaries and annexed Zheng, it will want to freely expand its western boundaries. If it does not carve away Qin, where will it get land? Carving away at Qin to benefit Jin: this is something your lordship should consider carefully.
(alt. form 維／维, 惟) Meaningless sentence-initial particle.
- 子曰：「與其進也，不與其退也，唯何甚？人潔己以進，與其潔也，不保其往也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  子曰：“与其进也，不与其退也，唯何甚？人洁己以进，与其洁也，不保其往也。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE
  Zǐyuē: “Yǔ qí jìn yě, bù yǔ qí tuì yě, wéi hé shèn? Rén jiéjǐ yǐ jìn, yǔ qí jié yě, bù bǎo qí wǎng yě.” [Pinyin]
  The Master said, "I admit people's approach to me without committing myself as to what they may do when they have retired; why must one be so severe? If a man purify himself to wait upon me, I receive him so purified, without guaranteeing his past conduct."

CompoundsEdit

Derived terms from 唯

匪唯
唯一 (wéiyī)
唯利是求
唯妙唯肖
唯心 (wéixīn)
唯恐 (wéikǒng)
唯恐不及
唯我
唯有 (wéiyǒu)
唯美 (wéiměi)
任人唯親／任人唯亲 (rènrénwéiqīn)
任人唯賢／任人唯贤 (rènrénwéixián)

唯利是圖／唯利是图 (wéilìshìtú)
唯利是從／唯利是从
唯利是視／唯利是视
唯名論／唯名论
唯吾獨尊／唯吾独尊
唯命是從／唯命是从 (wéimìngshìcóng)
唯命是聽／唯命是听 (wéimìngshìtīng)
唯實論／唯实论
唯心論／唯心论 (wéixīnlùn)
唯恐天下不亂／唯恐天下不乱 (wéi kǒng tiānxià bù luàn)
唯我獨尊／唯我独尊 (wéiwǒdúzūn)
唯我論／唯我论 (wéiwǒlùn)

DescendantsEdit

Sino-Xenic (唯):

→ Vietnamese: duy (唯)

Pronunciation 2Edit

Mandarin
(Pinyin): wéi, wěi

(Zhuyin): ㄨㄟˊ, ㄨㄟˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): wai², wai⁵

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: wéi
  - Zhuyin: ㄨㄟˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: wéi
  - Wade–Giles: wei²
  - Yale: wéi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wei
  - Palladius: вэй (vɛj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /weɪ̯³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan; variant in Mainland)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: wěi
  - Zhuyin: ㄨㄟˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: wěi
  - Wade–Giles: wei³
  - Yale: wěi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: woei
  - Palladius: вэй (vɛj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /weɪ̯²¹⁴/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: wai², wai⁵
  - Yale: wái, wáih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: wai², wai⁵
  - Guangdong Romanization: wei², wei⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɐi̯³⁵/, /wɐi̯¹³/

Middle Chinese: /jiuɪX/

Rime
Character	唯
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	以 (36)
Final (韻)	脂 (16)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	以水切
Baxter	ywijX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jiuɪ^X/
Pan Wuyun	/jʷi^X/
Shao Rongfen	/juɪ^X/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/jwi^X/
Li Rong	/ui^X/
Wang Li	/jwi^X/
Bernard Karlgren	/wi^X/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	wěi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	wai⁵

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷiʔ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	唯
Reading #	2/2
No.	12858
Phonetic component	唯
Rime group	脂
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	唯
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷiʔ/

DefinitionsEdit

唯

(obsolete) A polite particle used to respond to elders: yes
- 子曰：「參乎！吾道一以貫之。」曾子曰：「唯。」子出。門人問曰：「何謂也？」曾子曰：「夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  子曰：“参乎！吾道一以贯之。”曾子曰：“唯。”子出。门人问曰：“何谓也？”曾子曰：“夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE
  Zǐyuē: “Shēn hū! Wú dào yī yǐ guàn zhī.” Zēngzǐ yuē: “Wěi.” Zǐ chū. Ménrén wèn yuē: “Héwèi yě?” Zēngzǐ yuē: “Fūzǐ zhī dào, zhōngshù ér yǐ yǐ.” [Pinyin]
  The Master said, "Shen, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity." The disciple Zeng replied, "Yes." The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "What do his words mean?" Zeng said, "The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others, this and nothing more."

CompoundsEdit

Derived terms from 唯

唯唯 (wéiwéi)
唯唯否否

唯唯諾諾／唯唯诺诺 (wéiwéinuònuò)

唯諾／唯诺

DescendantsEdit

Sino-Xenic (唯):

→ Japanese: 唯(い) (i)

ReferencesEdit

“唯”, 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–

JapaneseEdit

KanjiEdit

唯

(common “Jōyō” kanji)

ReadingsEdit

Go-on: ゆい (yui, Jōyō)^{←ゆい (yui, historical)}^{←ゆゐ (yuwi, ancient)}
Kan-on: い (i, Jōyō ^†)^{←ゐ (wi, historical)}
Kun: ただ (tada, 唯)

Etymology 1Edit

Kanji in this term
唯
ゆい Grade: S
goon

/juwi/ → /jui/

From Middle Chinese 唯 (MC jiuɪ).

AffixEdit

唯(ゆい) • (yui)

only, solely

Usage notesEdit

Most dictionaries proscribe historical -uwi readings すゐ (suwi), ずゐ (zuwi), つゐ (tuwi), ゆゐ (yuwi), and るゐ (ruwi).

Derived termsEdit

Derived terms

Proper nounEdit

唯(ゆい) • (Yui)

a female given name
a surname

Etymology 2Edit

Kanji in this term
唯
い Grade: S
kan’on

/wi/ → /i/

From Middle Chinese 唯 (MC jiuɪX).

InterjectionEdit

唯(い) • (i) ^{←ゐ (wi)^?}

polite particle used to respond to elders: yes
Synonym: はい (hai)

Derived termsEdit

唯唯(いい), 唯々(いい) (ii)
- 唯唯(いい)諾諾(だくだく), 唯々(いい)諾々(だくだく) (iidakudaku)

AffixEdit

唯(い) • (i) ^{←ゐ (wi)^?}

polite particle used to respond to elders: yes

Derived termsEdit

諾(だく)唯(い) (dakui)

Etymology 3Edit

Kanji in this term
唯
ただ Grade: S
kun’yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 唯 – see the following entry.

【ただ】	[adverb] 唯, 只, 但: merely, commonly, simply, only [conjunction] 唯, 只, 但: but, however, although, except that Alternative spellings 只, 但

(This term, 唯, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 4Edit

Kanji in this term
唯
たった Grade: S
irregular

For pronunciation and definitions of 唯 – see the following entry.

【たった】

[adverb] (usually with numbers) only

[suffix] (Internet slang, humorous) Verb suffix for past actions.

(This term, 唯, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 5Edit

Kanji in this term
唯
たんだ Grade: S
irregular

For pronunciation and definitions of 唯 – see the following entry: たんだ

(The following entry is uncreated: たんだ.)

Etymology 6Edit

Kanji in this term
唯
ない Grade: S
irregular

For pronunciation and definitions of 唯 – see the following entry: ない

(The following entry is uncreated: ない.)

KoreanEdit

EtymologyEdit

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)