黄金

See also: 黃金

Chinese

For pronunciation and definitions of 黄金 – see 黃金 (“gold; money; etc.”). (This term is the simplified form of 黃金).

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
黄	金
おう Grade: 2	こん > ごん Grade: 1
goon

Alternative spelling
黃金 (kyūjitai)

/wau komʉ/ → /wauɡomʉ/ → /wauɡon/ → /wɔːɡoɴ/ → /oːɡoɴ/

From Middle Chinese 黃金 (MC hwang kim, “yellow + metal”).

Compare modern Cantonese wong⁴ gam¹.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) おーごん [òógóń] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [o̞ːɡõ̞ɴ]

Noun

黄(おう)金(ごん) • (ōgon) ^{←わうごん (waugon)?}

1. gold (Au) as a metal
2. gold as a colour

   Synonyms: 黄金色 (kogane iro), 金色 (konjiki, kin’iro)

3. money, more specifically the large 大判 (ōban) gold coins formerly used in Japan

Usage notes

This ōgon reading is the more-common Chinese derived-reading or 音読み (on’yomi) for this term.

Derived terms

• 黄(おう)金(ごん)樹(じゅ) (ōgonju)
• 黄(おう)金(ごん)週(しゅう)間(かん) (Ōgon Shūkan)
• 黄(おう)金(ごん)比(ひ) (ōgonhi)
• 黄(おう)金(ごん)分(ぶん)割(かつ) (ōgon bunkatsu)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
黄	金
こう Grade: 2	きん Grade: 1
kan'on

Alternative spelling
黃金 (kyūjitai)

/kʷau kimʉ/ → /kʷaukin/ → /kʷɔːkiɴ/ → /koːkiɴ/

From Middle Chinese 黃金 (MC hwang kim, “yellow + metal”).

Compare modern Min Nan reading hông-kim.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) こーきん [kòókíń] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ko̞ːkʲĩɴ]

Noun

黄(こう)金(きん) • (kōkin) ^{←くわうきん (kwaukin)?}

1. (obsolete) money
2. (obsolete) gold (Au) as a metal
3. (obsolete) gold as a colour

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
黄	金
こ Grade: 2	かね > がね Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Alternative spellings
黃金 (kyūjitai) 金

Shift from Old Japanese 黃金 (kugane).

Equivalent to a compound of 黄 (ko, combining form of ki, “yellow(-coloured)”) +‎ 金 (kane, “metal”). The kane changes to gane as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) こがね [kògáné] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ko̞ɡa̠ne̞]

Noun

黄(こ)金(がね) • (kogane) 

1. gold (Au) as a metal
2. money, more specifically the large 大判 (ōban) gold coins formerly used in Japan
3. short for 黄金色 (kogane iro): gold as a colour

   Synonym: 金色 (kin’iro, konjiki)

4. short for 黄金の泥 (kogane no dei): powdered gold suspended in a base and used as paint

   Synonym: 金泥 (kondei)

Usage notes

This kogane reading is the more-common 訓読み (kun’yomi) or native Japanese reading for this term.

Derived terms

• 黄金(コガネ)苺(イチゴ) (kogane ichigo)
• 黄金(コガネ)鰈(ガレイ) (koganegarei)
• 黄金草(こがねぐさ) (kogane-gusa)
• 黄金(コガネ)蜘蛛(グモ) (koganegumo)
• 黄金(こがね)崎(ざき) (Koganezaki)
• 黄金(こがね)心(しん)中(じゅう) (kogane shinjū)
• 黄金(コガネ)花(バナ) (koganebana)
• 黄金(こがね)牡(ぼ)丹(たん) (kogane botan)
• 黄金(コガネ)虫(ムシ) (koganemushi)
• 黄金(こがね)目(め)貫(ぬき) (kogane menuki)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
黄	金
き Grade: 2	かね > がね Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
黃金 (kyūjitai)

Compound of 黄 (ki, “yellow(-coloured)”) +‎ 金 (kane, “metal”).

The kane changes to gane as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) きがね [kìgáné] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [kʲiɡa̠ne̞]

Noun

黄(き)金(がね) • (kigane) 

1. (rare) gold (Au) as a metal
2. (rare) money, often referring more specifically to the large 大判 (ōban) or smaller 小判 (koban) gold coins formerly used in Japan