良

See also: 艮, 皀, 飠, 食, and 民

良 U+826F, 良 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-826F ← 艮 [U+826E] CJK Unified Ideographs 艰 → [U+8270]

良 U+F97C, 良 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F97C ← 糧 [U+F97B] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 諒 → [U+F97D]

Translingual

Han character

良 (radical 138, 艮+1, 7 strokes, cangjie input 戈日女 (IAV), four-corner 3073₂, composition ⿱丶艮(GHT) or ⿱丨艮(JK) or ⿱一艮(V))

1. good, virtuous, respectable

Derived characters

• 娘 狼 浪

Descendants

• ら
• ラ

References

• KangXi: page 1013, character 23
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 30597
• Dae Jaweon: page 1472, character 16
• Hanyu Da Zidian: volume 5, page 3170, character 2
• Unihan data for U+826F

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Chinese

simp. and trad.		良

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 良
Shang	Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Chu Slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (良) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
	Old Chinese
剆	*raːl, *raːlʔ
郎	*raːŋ
稂	*raːŋ
桹	*raːŋ
鋃	*raːŋ
硠	*raːŋ
浪	*raːŋ, *raːŋs
蜋	*raːŋ, *raŋ
琅	*raːŋ
狼	*raːŋ
欴	*raːŋ
踉	*raːŋ, *raŋ, *raŋs
莨	*raːŋ, *raːŋs
艆	*raːŋ
駺	*raːŋ
躴	*raːŋ
筤	*raːŋ
閬	*raːŋ, *raːŋs
哴	*raːŋ, *raŋs
蓈	*raːŋ
廊	*raːŋ
榔	*raːŋ, *raːŋʔ
螂	*raːŋ
瑯	*raːŋ
朗	*raːŋʔ
朖	*raːŋʔ
誏	*raːŋʔ
俍	*raːŋʔ
崀	*raːŋʔ
埌	*raːŋs
蒗	*raːŋs
娘	*naŋ
良	*raŋ
粮	*raŋ
悢	*raŋs

Etymology

Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *l(j)a(k/ŋ) (“good, beautiful”).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): liáng (liang²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄌㄧㄤˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): loeng⁴
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): liòng
• Min Bei (KCR): liǒng
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): liông / liâng / niû

  (Teochew, Peng'im): liang⁵

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: liáng
    • Zhuyin: ㄌㄧㄤˊ
    • Wade–Giles: liang²
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: liang
    • Tongyong Pinyin: liáng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ljɑŋ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: loeng⁴
    • Yale: lèuhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: loeng⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: lêng⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lœ̽ːŋ²¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: liòng
    • Hakka Romanization System: liongˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: liong²
    • Sinological IPA: /li̯oŋ¹¹/
• Min Bei
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: liǒng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /liɔŋ²¹/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, General Taiwanese, Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: liông
    • Tâi-lô: liông
    • Phofsit Daibuun: lioong
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /liɔŋ²³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Taipei, Xiamen): /liɔŋ²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: liâng
    • Tâi-lô: liâng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: liaang
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /liaŋ²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /liaŋ¹³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: niû
    • Tâi-lô: niû
    • Phofsit Daibuun: niuu
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Xiamen): /niũ²⁴/

Note:

• liông/liâng - literary;
• niû - vernacular.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: liang⁵
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: liâng
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /liaŋ⁵⁵/

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• Middle Chinese: /lɨɐŋ/▼

Rime
Character	良
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	來 (37)
Final (韻)	陽 (105)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	呂章切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/lɨɐŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/liɐŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/liɑŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/lɨaŋ/
Li Rong	/liaŋ/
Wang Li	/lĭaŋ/
Bernard Karlgren	/li̯aŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	liáng

• Old Chinese▼

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[r]aŋ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*raŋ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	良
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	liáng
Middle Chinese	‹ ljang ›
Old Chinese	/*[r]aŋ/
English	good
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	良
Reading #	1/1
No.	8046
Phonetic component	良
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime
Old Chinese	/*raŋ/
Notes	甲金文象宮外兩邊有廊爲廊初文， 王侍從常在廊， 遂稱之良或郎得貴官義

Definitions

良

1. good

Compounds

Derived terms from 良

• 不良 (bùliáng)
• 不良之心
• 不良事濟／不良事济
• 不良人 (bùliángrén)
• 不良分子
• 不良導體／不良导体
• 不良少年 (bùliáng shàonián)
• 不良帥／不良帅
• 不良才
• 不良會／不良会
• 不良適應／不良适应
• 乘堅驅良／乘坚驱良
• 乞留乞良
• 優良／优良 (yōuliáng)
• 兀良
• 功同良相
• 勿失良機／勿失良机
• 吉日良辰
• 吐良
• 品種改良／品种改良
• 善良 (shànliáng)
• 喪盡天良／丧尽天良 (sàngjìntiānliáng)
• 坐失良機／坐失良机
• 壓良為賤／压良为贱
• 天付良緣／天付良缘
• 天假良緣／天假良缘
• 天地良心
• 天理良心
• 天良 (tiānliáng)
• 奧爾良／奥尔良 (Ào'ěrliáng)
• 孟良盜馬／孟良盗马
• 安良
• 將遇良才／将遇良才
• 居心不良 (jūxīnbùliáng)
• 廣結良緣／广结良缘
• 張良借箸／张良借箸
• 張良擇留／张良择留
• 從良／从良 (cóngliáng)
• 循良
• 忠孝賢良／忠孝贤良
• 忠良
• 憑良心說／凭良心说
• 改良 (gǎiliáng)
• 放良
• 放良書／放良书
• 新奧爾良／新奥尔良 (Xīn-Ào'ěrliáng)
• 明良
• 昧良心
• 有良心
• 沒良心／没良心 (méiliángxīn)
• 消化不良 (xiāohuà bùliáng)
• 淳良
• 溫良／温良
• 滅良心／灭良心
• 無印良品／无印良品
• 營養不良／营养不良 (yíngyǎng bùliáng)
• 狄良突盧／狄良突卢
• 獲益良多／获益良多 (huòyìliángduō)
• 用心良苦

• 百夫良
• 秦良玉
• 精良 (jīngliáng)
• 精金良玉
• 純良／纯良 (chúnliáng)
• 素絲良馬／素丝良马
• 素行不良
• 美景良辰
• 良久 (liángjiǔ)
• 良人 (liángrén)
• 良伴 (liángbàn)
• 良儔／良俦
• 良兵
• 良冶
• 良匠 (liángjiàng)
• 良友 (liángyǒu)
• 良史
• 良善 (liángshàn)
• 良圖／良图
• 良士 (liángshì)
• 良多 (liángduō)
• 良夜
• 良好 (liánghǎo)
• 良媒
• 良宵
• 良宵美景
• 良家 (liángjiā)
• 良家女子
• 良家婦女／良家妇女
• 良家子
• 良家子弟
• 良將／良将 (liángjiàng)
• 良將賢相／良将贤相
• 良工
• 良工心苦
• 良師／良师 (liángshī)
• 良師益友／良师益友 (liángshīyìyǒu)
• 良庖
• 良弓
• 良弼
• 良心 (liángxīn)
• 良心不安
• 良心未泯
• 良心發現／良心发现
• 良心話／良心话
• 良性 (liángxìng)
• 良性瘤
• 良性競爭／良性竞争
• 良性腫瘤／良性肿瘤
• 良方 (liángfāng)
• 良日
• 良時／良时
• 良時美景／良时美景
• 良月 (Liángyuè)
• 良朋
• 良朋益友
• 良材
• 良機／良机 (liángjī)
• 良民 (liángmín)

• 良深
• 良玉精金
• 良田 (liángtián)
• 良田美地
• 良相
• 良知 (liángzhī)
• 良知良能
• 良禽擇木／良禽择木 (liángqínzémù)
• 良種／良种 (liángzhǒng)
• 良窳
• 良策 (liángcè)
• 良緣／良缘 (liángyuán)
• 良耜
• 良能
• 良臣
• 良莠不一
• 良莠不分
• 良莠不齊／良莠不齐 (liángyǒubùqí)
• 良莠淆雜／良莠淆杂
• 良藥／良药 (liángyào)
• 良藥苦口／良药苦口
• 良言 (liángyán)
• 良謀／良谋 (liángmóu)
• 良貴／良贵
• 良賤／良贱 (liángjiàn)
• 良質／良质
• 良質米／良质米
• 良質美手／良质美手
• 良辰 (liángchén)
• 良辰吉日
• 良辰媚景
• 良辰美景
• 良造
• 良遇
• 良遊／良游
• 良醞／良酝
• 良醞可戀／良酝可恋
• 良醫／良医
• 良金美玉
• 良馬／良马 (liángmǎ)
• 良駒／良驹 (liángjū)
• 萬杞良／万杞良
• 誣良為盜／诬良为盗
• 賢妻良母／贤妻良母 (xiánqīliángmǔ)
• 賢良／贤良
• 賢良方正／贤良方正
• 賣良姜／卖良姜
• 迫良為娼／迫良为娼
• 逼良為娼／逼良为娼
• 金玉良言 (jīnyùliángyán)
• 金石良言
• 錯失良機／错失良机
• 除暴安良 (chúbào'ānliáng)
• 馬良／马良 (Mǎliáng)
• 馬良白眉／马良白眉
• 馴良／驯良 (xùnliáng)
• 駿良／骏良
• 黃道良辰／黄道良辰

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): liǎng (liang³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄌㄧㄤˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): loeng⁵

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: liǎng
    • Zhuyin: ㄌㄧㄤˇ
    • Wade–Giles: liang³
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: leang
    • Tongyong Pinyin: liǎng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ljɑŋ²¹⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: loeng⁵
    • Yale: léuhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: loeng⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: lêng⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lœ̽ːŋ¹³/

Definitions

良

1. Only used in 方良, alternative form of 魍魎／魍魉 (wǎngliǎng).

References

• (Min Nan) “Query for 良”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan], Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2011.

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Japanese

Kanji

良

(grade 4 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. good

Readings

• Go-on: ろう (rō)
• Kan-on: りょう (ryō, Jōyō)
• Kun: よい (yoi, 良い, Jōyō); いい (ii, 良い)
• Nanori: じ (ji); つかさ (tsukasa); なが (naga); まこと (makoto); よし (yoshi); ら (ra); りょ (ryo)

Compounds

• 良 (よ)い (yoi), 良 (い)い (ii, “good, beneficial”)
• 良 (よ)さ (yosa, “merit, virtue”)
• 良 (よ)く (yoku, “well, much”)
• 良好 (りょうこう) (ryōkō, “good, fine”)
• 良質 (りょうしつ) (ryōshitsu, “good quality”)
• 良否 (りょうひ) (ryōhi, “quality”)
• 良心 (りょうしん) (ryōshin, “conscience”)
• 良識 (りょうしき) (ryōshiki, “good sense”)

• 良 (よ)い男 (おとこ) (yoi otoko, “handsome man”)
• 良 (りょう)導体 (どうたい) (ryōdōtai, “good conductor”)
• 良 (よ)い天気 (てんき) (yoi tenki, “fair weather”)
• 良 (よ)かったら (yokattara, “if you like”)
• 最良 (さいりょう) (sairyō, “best, ideal”)
• 優良 (ゆうりょう) (yūryō, “superior, excellent”)
• 改良 (かいりょう) (kairyō, “improvement, reform”)
• 不良 (ふりょう) (furyō, “badness, delinquency”)

• 善良 (ぜんりょう) (zenryō, “goodness, excellence”)
• 野 (の)良 (ら) (nora, “the fields”)
• 純良品 (じゅんりょうびん) (junryōbin, “genuine article”)
• 仲 (なか)良 (よ)し (nakayoshi, “intimacy, bosom buddy”)
• 読 (よ)み良 (よ)い (yomiyoi, “easy to read”)
• 気分 (きぶん)が良 (よ)い (kibun ga yoi, “feel good”)
• 健康 (けんこう)に良 (よ)い (kenkō ni yoi, “be good for the health”)
• 丁度 (ちょうど)良 (よ)い時 (とき)に (chōdo yoi toki ni, “none too soon”)

Noun

良 (hiragana りょう, rōmaji ryō, historical hiragana りやう)

1. (school mark) good, B

   数学 (すうがく)の成績 (せいせき)は良 (りょう)だった

   sūgaku no seiseki wa ryō datta

   I got a B in math

Proper noun

良 (hiragana りょう, rōmaji Ryō, historical hiragana りやう)

1. A male given name

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Korean

Hanja

良 (eumhun 어질 량 (eojil ryang), South Korea 어질 양 (eojil yang))

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

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Vietnamese

Han character

良 (lương)

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