周
See also: 固 and 週
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Translingual
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Alternative forms
- In certain typefaces and/or at small font sizes, the edges of the 土 component touch the enclosing 冂 component, producing a resemblance to the radical 用.
Han character
周 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+5, 8 strokes, cangjie input 月土口 (BGR), four-corner 77220, composition ⿵⺆𠮷(GTJV) or ⿵⺆⿻一古 or ⿵⺆⿱𰀁口(HK))
Derived characters
- 倜, 凋, 調(调), 啁, 徟, 淍, 惆, 婤, 綢(绸), 琱, 椆, 晭, 賙(赒), 禂, 碉, 睭, 稠, 皗, 裯, 蜩, 輖(𫐏), 錭, 鯛(鲷), 騆, 䓟, 㓮, 郮, 彫, 翢, 雕, 鵰(𫛲), 奝, 霌, 週, 𥮐, 𥺝, 𦈺, 𦩍, 𡕐
References
- KangXi: page 181, character 36
- Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3441
- Dae Jaweon: page 400, character 5
- Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 606, character 3
- Unihan data for U+5468
- Unihan data for U+2F83F
Chinese
Glyph origin
| Historical forms of the character 周 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shang | Western Zhou | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | ||
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Chu slip and silk script | Qin slip script | Ancient script | Small seal script |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
Characters in the same phonetic series (周) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
| Old Chinese | |
|---|---|
| 裯 | *tuːw, *dɯw, *do |
| 啁 | *tuːw, *rtɯːw, *tɯw |
| 禂 | *tuːwʔ |
| 綢 | *tʰuːw, *dɯw |
| 翢 | *tʰuːw, *duːw |
| 錭 | *duːw |
| 雕 | *tɯːw |
| 凋 | *tɯːw |
| 琱 | *tɯːw |
| 鯛 | *tɯːw |
| 鵰 | *tɯːw |
| 彫 | *tɯːw |
| 奝 | *tɯːw |
| 調 | *dɯːw, *dɯːws, *tɯw |
| 蜩 | *dɯːw |
| 惆 | *tʰɯw |
| 婤 | *tʰɯw, *tjɯw |
| 稠 | *dɯw |
| 椆 | *dɯw, *tjɯws |
| 周 | *tjɯw |
| 輖 | *tjɯw |
| 賙 | *tjɯw |
| 郮 | *tjɯw |
| 晭 | *tjɯwʔ |
| 倜 | *tʰɯːwɢ |
Etymology 1
| trad. | 周 | |
|---|---|---|
| simp. # | 周 | |
| alternative forms | 𠄗 𠕛 𠣘 淍 | |
- to encircle, to circle, to surround, everywhere, curve (in the road)
- Unclear. Possibly connected with Tibetan [script needed] (gču-ba) ~ [script needed] (lču-ba, “screw”), [script needed] (gčud-ba) ~ [script needed] (lčub-ba, “turn, twist, plait, braid”), or Thai ดิ้ว (dîu, “club, stick; strips of rattan or bamboo bent in a circle to which ribs of a cage are fastened”) or Khmer ជួត (cuət, “to wind; to wrap around; to wear a turban”) (Schuessler, 2007)
- to help
- Unclear. Maybe same word as 周 (zhōu, “to surround”) as words for "help, aid" often derive from the notion "next to, or around, a person" (for analogies, 佐 (OC *ʔsaːls, “to assist < to be on one's left-side”) from 左 (OC *ʔsaːlʔ, “left”) and 佑 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “to assist < to be on one's right-side”) from 右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ)) (Schuessler, 2007).
- Alternatively, note Khmer ជួយ (cuəy, “to help, assist; to support; to rescue, save”) (ibid.). Even so, also note Thai ช่วย (chûai), which in turn is from Middle Chinese 助 (MC d͡ʒɨʌH)); if Khmer ជួយ (cuəy) and Thai ช่วย (chûai) were related, then Khmer ជួយ (cuəy) cannot be related to Old Chinese 周 (OC *tjɯw).
- dynasty's name
- Attested in the Huayuanzhang East Oracle Bone Inscription HYZ 327.1 (transliterated and translated by Schwartz, 2019[1])
- 周入亖 [Pre-Classical Chinese] ― Zhōu rù sì [Pinyin] ― Zhou contributes four
- A 周方白 (Zhōufāng bó, “Elder of Zhou region”), likely King Wen of Zhou, was mentioned in Oracle Bone Inscriptions H11:82 and H11:84 (Lin, 1995)[2]
- Hargett (2021)[3] states that 商 (Shāng) and 周 (Zhōu) derived from names of "places that the rulers and people of those eras regarded as their homeland or cultic centers"; the 周方 (Zhōufāng, “Zhou region”) was among "areas or regions along the frontier borders of Shang, traditionally regarded as enemy territory".
Pronunciation
Definitions
周
- to circle, to encircle
- 齊師敗績。逐之，三周華不注。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE
- Qíshī bài jì. Zhú zhī, sān zhōu huábùzhù. [Pinyin]
- The Qi troops were completely defeated. Jin forces pursued the Qi army, whose remnants thrice circled Mount Huabuzhu.
齐师败绩。逐之，三周华不注。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
- circle, circumference, periphery
- 大城不可以不完，郭周不可以外通，……。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
- From: Guanzi, 5th century BCE to 220 CE
- Dàchéng bùkěyǐ bùwán, guōzhōu bùkěyǐ wàitōng,....... [Pinyin]
- The city's main walls must not be incompletely built, nor the peripheral suburban walls penetrable from outsides, [...].
- everywhere
- 自西徂東、周爰執事。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Zì xī cú dōng, zhōu yuán zhíshì. [Pinyin]
- From the west to the east, everywhere he was at work.
自西徂东、周爰执事。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
- curve (in a road)
- 有杕之杜，生于道周。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
- From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Yǒu dì zhī dù, shēng yú dàozhōu. [Pinyin]
- There's a solitary birchleaf pear tree, that grows on the road's curve.
- complete; thorough; scrupulous; meticulous
- 子曰：「君子周而不比，小人比而不周。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE
- Zǐyuē: “Jūnzǐ zhōu ér bùbǐ, xiǎorén bǐ ér bùzhōu.” [Pinyin]
- The Master said: "The gentleman is inclusive and not partial; the villain is partial and not inclusive."
子曰：“君子周而不比，小人比而不周。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]
- to help (e.g. financially)
- 靡人不周、無不能止。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Mǐ rén bù zhōu, wú bùnéng zhǐ. [Pinyin]
- There is no one who has not helped [the people]; They have not refrained on the ground of being unable.
靡人不周、无不能止。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
- (historical) (～朝) Zhou Dynasty
- a surname
- 周恩來／周恩来 ― Zhōu Ēnlái ― Zhou Enlai / Chou En-Lai (the first Premier of the People's Republic of China)
Descendants
- → English: Zhou, Chou, Chow, Chau, Chew, Chiu
See also
| Dynasties (朝代) in Chinese history | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Time period | Divisions | |||
| Xia 夏 (～朝, ～代) | 2070 – 1600 BCE | ||||
| Shang 商 (～朝, ～代) 殷 (～朝, ～代) | 1600 – 1046 BCE | ||||
| Zhou 周 (～朝, ～代) | 1046 – 256 BCE | Western Zhou 西周 | |||
| Eastern Zhou 東周／东周 | Spring and Autumn period 春秋 | ||||
| Warring States period 戰國／战国 | |||||
| Qin 秦 (～朝, ～代) | 221 – 206 BCE | ||||
| Han 漢／汉 (～朝, ～代) | 206 BCE – 220 C.E. | Western Han 西漢／西汉 | |||
| Xin 新 (～朝) | |||||
| Eastern Han 東漢／东汉 | |||||
| Three Kingdoms 三國／三国 | 220 – 280 C.E. | Wei 魏 | |||
| Shu Han 蜀漢／蜀汉 | |||||
| Wu 吳／吴 | |||||
| Jin 晉／晋 (～朝, ～代) | 265 – 420 C.E. | Western Jin 西晉／西晋 | |||
| Eastern Jin 東晉／东晋 | |||||
| Southern and Northern dynasties 南北朝 | 420 – 589 C.E. | Northern dynasties 北朝 | Northern Wei 北魏 | ||
| Western Wei 西魏 | |||||
| Eastern Wei 東魏／东魏 | |||||
| Northern Zhou 北周 | |||||
| Northern Qi 北齊／北齐 | |||||
| Southern dynasties 南朝 | Liu Song 劉宋／刘宋 | ||||
| Southern Qi 南齊／南齐 | |||||
| Liang 梁 (～朝, ～代) | |||||
| Chen 陳／陈 (～朝, ～代) | |||||
| Sui 隋 (～朝, ～代) | 581 – 618 C.E. | ||||
| Tang 唐 (～朝, ～代) | 618 – 907 C.E. | ||||
| Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 五代十國／五代十国 | 907 – 960 C.E. | ||||
| Liao 遼／辽 (～朝, ～代) | 907 – 1125 C.E. | ||||
| Song 宋 (～朝, ～代) | 960 – 1279 C.E. | Northern Song 北宋 | |||
| Southern Song 南宋 | |||||
| Western Xia 西夏 | 1038 – 1227 C.E. | ||||
| Jin 金 (～朝, ～代) | 1115 – 1234 C.E. | ||||
| Western Liao 西遼／西辽 | 1124 – 1218 C.E. | ||||
| Yuan 元 (～朝, ～代) | 1271 – 1368 C.E. | ||||
| Ming 明 (～朝, ～代) | 1368 – 1644 C.E. | ||||
| Qing 清 (～朝, ～代) | 1636 – 1912 C.E. | ||||
| Republic of China 民國／民国 | 1912 C.E. – present | ||||
| People's Republic of China 人民共和國／人民共和国 | 1949 C.E. – present | ||||
Compounds
Derived terms from 周
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References
- Schwartz, A. (2019) The Oracle Bone Inscriptions from Huayuanzhuang East: Translated with an Introduction and Commentary, Boston, Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton, DOI:, →ISBN
- Lin, Sen-Shou. 1995. “Problems in the Studies of Zhou Oracle-Bone Scripts.” Retrospective Theses and Dissertations, 1919-2007. T, University of British Columbia. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0098998.
- Hargett, James (2021), “Anchors of Stability: Place-Names in Early China”, in Mair, Victor, editor, Sino-Platonic Papers, issue 312
Etymology 2
| For pronunciation and definitions of 周 – see 週 (“week; circumference; etc.”). (This character, 周, is the simplified and variant traditional form of 週.) |
Notes:
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Usage notes
This variant form is the name of the second tetragram of the Taixuanjing (𝌇), as listed in the ancient text.
References
- “周”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database), 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
- Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A00559
Japanese
| Shinjitai | 周 | |
| Kyūjitai [1] | 周 周or 周+ ︀? | |
| 周󠄀 周+ 󠄀?(Adobe-Japan1) | ||
| 周󠄃 周+ 󠄃?(Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho) | ||
| The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details. | ||
Kanji
周
(grade 4 “Kyōiku” kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 周)
- circumference
- circuit
- lap
Readings
- Go-on: しゅ (shu)←しゆ (syu, historical); す (su)
- Kan-on: しゅう (shū, Jōyō)←しう (siu, historical)
- Kun: まわり (mawari, 周り, Jōyō)←まはり (mafari, historical); あまねく (amaneku, 周く); あまねし (amaneshi, 周し); めぐる (meguru, 周る)
- Nanori: あまね (amane); あまねし (amaneshi); いたる (itaru); かた (kata); かぬ (kanu); かね (kane); ただ (tada); ちか (chika); ちかし (chikashi); なり (nari); のり (nori); ひろし (hiroshi); まこと (makoto)
Compounds
- 周南 (Shūnan, “Shūnan”)
- 周波数 (shūhasū, “frequency”)
Etymology
| Kanji in this term |
|---|
| 周 |
| しゅう Grade: 4 |
| on’yomi |
From Middle Chinese 周 (MC t͡ɕɨu).
Pronunciation
- On’yomi: Kan’on
- (Tokyo) しゅう [shúꜜù] (Atamadaka – [1])[2][3]
- IPA(key): [ɕɨᵝː]
Counter
周 • (-shū) ←しう (siu)?
- laps or circuits
Proper noun
周 • (Shū) ←しう (siu)?
- Zhou
Proper noun
周 • (Makoto)
- a male given name
Proper noun
周 • (Amane)
- a male given name
- 西周
- Nishi Amane
- Nishi Amane (Meiji period philosopher)
- 西周
References
- “周”, in 漢字ぺディア (Kanjipedia) (in Japanese), 日本漢字能力検定協会, 2015—2023
- 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN
Korean
Hanja
周 (eumhun 두루 주 (duru ju))
- This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text
{{rfdef}}.
Compounds
- 주위 (周圍, juwi)
- 주전 (周全, jujeon)
- 주년 (周年, junyeon)
- 주변 (周邊, jubyeon)
- 주파수 (周波數, jupasu)
- 주도면밀 (周到綿密, judomyeonmil)
Vietnamese
Han character
周: Hán Việt readings: chu[1][2], châu[3]
周: Nôm readings: chu[1][4][5], châu[1][5]
- chữ Hán form of Chu (“a surname.”).
- chữ Hán form of Châu (“a surname.”).
Usage notes
Chu is the original Hán-Việt reading of this character and related ones according to Thiều Chửu. However, naming taboos for Nguyễn Phúc Chu (阮福淍) led to the reading Châu being used instead for this character, especially in the south of Vietnam, based on a tradition of u/âu sound swaps. Currently, both readings are in use. [6]
References
- Nguyễn et al. (2009).
- Thiều Chửu (1942).
- Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).
- Nguyễn (2014).
- Trần (2004).
- Thiếu Khanh (2019-07-07), “Những từ “kỵ húy” của người Nam bộ”, in Nhạc Xưa Thời Báo