役

See also: 伇

役 U+5F79, 役 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5F79 ← 彸 [U+5F78] CJK Unified Ideographs 彺 → [U+5F7A]

Translingual

Han character

役 (Kangxi radical 60, 彳+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 竹人竹弓水 (HOHNE), four-corner 2724₇, composition ⿰彳殳)

Derived characters

• 垼 䓈

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 365, character 18
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 10057
• Dae Jaweon: page 685, character 12
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 814, character 23
• Unihan data for U+5F79

Chinese

simp. and trad.		役

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 役
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
椺	*ɦmluːʔ, *ɢʷeːɡs, *ɢeːɡ
役	*ɢʷeɡ
疫	*ɢʷeɡ
垼	*ɢʷeɡ
炈	*ɢʷeɡ
鈠	*ɢʷeɡ
豛	*ɢʷeɡ
坄	*doː, *leɡ

Etymology

From 為 (OC *ɢʷal, “to do”) with k-extension (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): yì (yi⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): yuo²

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): jik⁶

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): vet⁵

• Gan (Wiktionary): yt⁶
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): yi̍t

  (Meixian, Guangdong): yid⁶

• Jin (Wiktionary): ieh⁴
• Northern Min (KCR): ià / ĭ
• Eastern Min (BUC): ĭk
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): ia̍h / e̍k / ia̍k

  (Teochew, Peng'im): hiah⁸

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁸yoq
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): y⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yì
    • Zhuyin: ㄧˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yì
    • Wade–Giles: i⁴
    • Yale: yì
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yih
    • Palladius: и (i)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: yuo²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: iuo
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /yo²¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jik⁶
    • Yale: yihk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jik⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: yig⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɪk̚²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: vet⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /vet̚³²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: yt⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /yt̚⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yi̍t
    • Hakka Romanization System: id
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yid⁶
    • Sinological IPA: /it̚⁵/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yi̍t
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)id
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yid⁶
    • Sinological IPA: /(j)it̚⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: yid⁶
    • Sinological IPA: /it̚⁵/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: ieh⁴
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /iəʔ²/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ià / ĭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ia⁴²/, /i²⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: ĭk
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iʔ⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ia̍h
    • Tâi-lô: ia̍h
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iah
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /iaʔ²⁴/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /iaʔ⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /iaʔ¹²¹/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: e̍k
    • Tâi-lô: i̍k
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ek
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /iɪk̚⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /iɪk̚¹²¹/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ia̍k
    • Tâi-lô: ia̍k
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iak
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /iak̚²⁴/

Note: ia̍h - vernacular, e̍k/ia̍k - literary.

• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: hiah⁸
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hia̍h
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hiaʔ⁴/
• Wu
  • (Shanghai):
    • Wugniu: ⁸yoq
    • MiniDict: yoh^入
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁵hhioq
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɦioʔ¹²/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: y⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /y²⁴/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 役
Mandarin	Beijing	/i⁵¹/
	Harbin	/i⁵³/
	Tianjin	/i⁵³/
	Jinan	/i²¹/
	Qingdao	/i⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/i⁴²/
	Xi'an	/i²⁴/
	Xining	/ji²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/i¹³/
	Lanzhou	/i⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/i²¹³/
	Wuhan	/y²¹³/
	Chengdu	/yo³¹/
	Guiyang	/iu²¹/
	Kunming	/i³¹/
	Nanjing	/ʐuʔ⁵/
	Hefei	/yəʔ⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/iəʔ²/
	Pingyao	/yʌʔ⁵³/
	Hohhot	/i⁵⁵/
Wu	Shanghai	/ɦioʔ¹/ /ɦyɪʔ¹/
	Suzhou	/ɦyəʔ³/
	Hangzhou	/ɦioʔ²/
	Wenzhou	/jy²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/yʔ²¹/
	Tunxi
Xiang	Changsha	/y²⁴/
	Xiangtan	/y²⁴/
Gan	Nanchang	/yʔ⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/it̚⁵/
	Taoyuan	/ʒït̚⁵⁵/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/jek̚²/
	Nanning	/jek̚²²/
	Hong Kong	/jik̚²/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/ik̚⁵/ /iaʔ⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/iʔ⁵/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/i²⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/hiaʔ⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/ia³³/ /zi³⁵/ 俗

---

• Middle Chinese: ywek

Rime
Character	役
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	以 (36)
Final (韻)	清 (124)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	營隻切
Baxter	ywek
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jwiᴇk̚/
Pan Wuyun	/jʷiɛk̚/
Shao Rongfen	/iuæk̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/jwiajk̚/
Li Rong	/iuɛk̚/
Wang Li	/jĭwɛk̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/i̯wɛk̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yù
Expected Cantonese Reflex	wik6

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*ɢʷek/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷeɡ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	役
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yì
Middle Chinese	‹ ywek ›
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷek/
English	war expedition; service
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	役
Reading #	1/1
No.	15006
Phonetic component	役
Rime group	錫
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	役
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷeɡ/

Definitions

役

1. ^† to guard the borders
2. ^† soldier
3. ^† matter; event; incident
4. war; military campaign
5. forced labour
6. military service
7. labourer
8. servant
9. to use as a servant
10. ^† to attract
11. ^† student; disciple
12. ^† duty; responsibility
13. ^† low-ranking official
14. ^† to arrange into rows
15. ^† to help; to aid
16. ^† to be; to act as
17. ^† to practise; to act with

Compounds

• 一身兩役／一身两役 (yīshēnliǎngyì)
• 丁役
• 伕役
• 侍役
• 停役
• 備役／备役
• 傜役 (yáoyì)
• 僕役／仆役 (púyì)
• 僱役／雇役
• 免役 (miǎnyì)
• 公役
• 兵役 (bīngyì)
• 兵役節／兵役节
• 兵役課／兵役课
• 力役
• 勞役／劳役 (láoyì)
• 募役
• 君子于役
• 國民兵役／国民兵役
• 執役／执役
• 外役監獄／外役监狱
• 夜役軍牢／夜役军牢
• 夫役
• 奴役 (núyì)
• 工役 (gōngyì)
• 差役 (chāiyì)
• 常備兵役／常备兵役
• 庚子之役
• 廝役／厮役
• 役使 (yìshǐ)
• 役使動物／役使动物
• 役別／役别
• 役夫
• 役子
• 役屬／役属
• 役役
• 役損／役损
• 役期
• 役物
• 役男 (yìnán)
• 役畜
• 役種／役种
• 役齡／役龄 (yìlíng)
• 復役／复役
• 徭役 (yáoyì)
• 惠州之役
• 戍役
• 戰役／战役 (zhànyì)
• 拘役 (jūyì)
• 捕役 (bǔyì)
• 斗筲役
• 服兵役
• 服役 (fúyì)
• 無能為役／无能为役
• 營營役役／营营役役 (yíngyíngyìyì)
• 物役
• 現役／现役 (xiànyì)
• 現役軍人／现役军人
• 甲申之役
• 番役
• 當役／当役
• 督役
• 祗役
• 禁役
• 罰役／罚役
• 義役／义役
• 茶役
• 行役
• 衙役 (yáyì)
• 補充兵役／补充兵役
• 課役／课役
• 貪官蠹役／贪官蠹役
• 賦役／赋役 (fùyì)
• 賤役／贱役 (jiànyì)
• 轉役／转役
• 退役 (tuìyì)
• 退除役
• 采石之役
• 長役夢魂／长役梦魂
• 門役／门役 (ményì)
• 除役
• 革役
• 預備役／预备役 (yùbèiyì)
• 頭役／头役

 

Japanese

Kanji

役

(grade 3 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. duty, office
2. service
3. role, part

Readings

• Go-on: やく (yaku, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: えき (eki, Jōyō)
• Kun: つとめ (tsutome, 役); えだち (edachi, 役)
• Nanori: え (e); えん (en); えんの (enno); おうこ (ōko); おうせ (ōse); おおせ (ōse); まもり (mamori); まもる (mamoru)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
役
やく Grade: 3
on’yomi

From Middle Chinese 役 (MC ywek). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) やく​ [yàkúꜜ] (Odaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [ja̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

役(やく) • (yaku) 

1. role, service, use
2. (card games, mahjong) hand, scoring combination

Suffix

役(やく) • (-yaku) 

1. playing the role of...

   涼(すず)宮(みや)ハルヒ役(やく)の平(ひら)野(の)綾(あや)さん

   Suzumiya Haruhi-yaku no Hirano Aya-san

   Aya Hirano, who voices Haruhi Suzumiya

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
役
えき Grade: 3
kan’on

From Middle Chinese 役 (MC ywek).

The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) え​き [éꜜkì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [e̞kʲi]

Noun

役(えき) • (eki) 

1. war; battle
2. (archaic) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Affix

役(えき) • (eki) 

1. duty; service
2. put to work, labor
3. war; battle

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 役 (MC ywek).

Recorded as Middle Korean ᄋᆑᆨ〮 (Yale: yuyek) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

Recorded as Middle Korean 역〮 (yék) (Yale: yek) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

Wikisource

役 (eumhun 부릴 역 (buril yeok))

1. Hanja form^? of 역 (“duty; role”).

Compounds

Compounds

• 역할 (役割, yeokhal)
• 징역 (懲役, jing'yeok)
• 용역 (用役, yong'yeok)
• 현역 (現役, hyeonyeok)
• 병역 (兵役, byeong'yeok)
• 고역 (苦役, goyeok)
• 주역 (主役, juyeok)
• 노역 (勞役, noyeok)
• 악역 (惡役, agyeok)
• 전역 (戰役, jeonyeok)
• 복역 (服役, bogyeok)
• 퇴역 (退役, toeyeok)
• 부역 (賦役, buyeok)
• 단역 (端役, danyeok)
• 대역 (代役, daeyeok)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [1]

Vietnamese

Han character

役: Hán Việt readings: dịch
役: Nôm readings: dịch, việc, diếc

1. chữ Hán form of dịch (“service, work”).
2. Nôm form of việc (“work, job, business, matter, affair”).