契

契	U+5951, 契 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5951

← 奐
[U+5950]

CJK Unified Ideographs

奒 →
[U+5952]

契	U+F909, 契 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F909

← 龜
[U+F908]

CJK Compatibility Ideographs

金 →
[U+F90A]

Translingual

Han character

契 (Kangxi radical 37, 大+6, 9 strokes, cangjie input 手竹大 (QHK), four-corner 5743₂, composition ⿱㓞大(GHTKV) or ⿱𭃌大(J))

Derived characters

偰, 喫, 揳, 楔, 猰, 瘈, 碶, 禊, 稧, 窫, 葜, 褉, 鍥/锲, 㓶, 㝣, 䚉/𬢐, 䝟, 䦬, 䫔, 䱮, 𢝛, 𣸲, 𤋸, 𤟐, 𤧃, 𦝜, 𦩣, 𧩶, 𧼪, 𨂰, 𨜒, 𨜣, 𩮁, 𩴅, 𪃈, 𪰳

References

KangXi: page 251, character 21
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 5917
Dae Jaweon: page 513, character 1
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 536, character 10
Unihan data for U+5951
Unihan data for U+F909

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 契
Shang	Western Zhou	Spring and Autumn	Warring States		Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Small seal script

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

	Old Chinese
夆	pʰoŋ, boŋ, *ɡaːds
丯	*kreːds
瘛	kʰjeds, ɡeːds, *kʰjed
觢	*ɡjeds
契	kʰeːds, kʰeːd, kʰeːd, kʰɯd
栔	*kʰeːds
禊	*ɡeːds
稧	*ɡeːds
楔	kreːd, sqʰeːd
葜	*kʰreːd
猰	qreːd, kraːd, *kʰeːd
窫	*qreːd
揳	*sqʰeːd
偰	*sqʰeːd
潔	*keːd
絜	keːd, ɡeːd
鍥	keːd, kʰeːd
挈	*kʰeːd
蛪	*kʰeːd
齧	*ŋeːd
褉	*qʰeːd
喫	*ŋ̊ʰeːɡ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *kʰeːds, *kʰeːd, *kʰeːd, *kʰɯd) and ideogrammic compound (會意) : phonetic 㓞 (“to engrave”) + semantic 大 (“person”).

Etymology 1

trad.		契
simp. ^#		契
alternative forms		栔

Exopassive of 鍥 (OC *keːd, *kʰeːd, “to cut”): "what has been cut" (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): qì (qi⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄑㄧˋ
Cantonese
(Guangzhou, Jyutping): kai³
(Taishan, Wiktionary): kai¹
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): khie
(Meixian, Guangdong): kê⁴
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): khòe / khè / khère
(Teochew, Peng'im): koi³ / ki³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: qì
  - Zhuyin: ㄑㄧˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: cì
  - Wade–Giles: chʻi⁴
  - Yale: chì
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chih
  - Palladius: ци (ci)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: kai³
  - Yale: kai
  - Cantonese Pinyin: kai³
  - Guangdong Romanization: kei³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɐi̯³³/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: kai¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰai³³/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: khie
  - Hakka Romanization System: kie
  - Hagfa Pinyim: kie⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /kʰi̯e⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: kê⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /kʰe⁵³/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei, Lukang, Kinmen, Magong, Hsinchu)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khòe
  - Tâi-lô: khuè
  - Phofsit Daibuun: qoex
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰue⁴¹/
  - IPA (Xiamen): /kʰue²¹/
  - IPA (Kinmen): /kʰue¹²/
  - IPA (Lukang): /kʰue³¹/
  - IPA (Taipei): /kʰue¹¹/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan, Taichung)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khè
  - Tâi-lô: khè
  - Phofsit Daibuun: qex
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan): /kʰe²¹/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰe⁴¹/
- (Hokkien: Sanxia)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khère
  - Tâi-lô: kherè

Note:

Xiamen, Quanzhou:
- khòe - vernacular;
- khè - literary.

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: koi³ / ki³
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khòi / khì
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰoi²¹³/, /kʰi²¹³/

Middle Chinese: /kʰei^H/

Rime
Character	契
Reading #	1/3
Initial (聲)	溪 (29)
Final (韻)	齊 (39)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	苦計切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kʰei^H/
Pan Wuyun	/kʰei^H/
Shao Rongfen	/kʰɛi^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kʰɛj^H/
Li Rong	/kʰei^H/
Wang Li	/kʰiei^H/
Bernard Karlgren	/kʰiei^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	qì
Expected Cantonese Reflex	kai³

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*[kʰ]ˤet-s/, /*kʰˤet/
(Zhengzhang): /*kʰeːds/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	契	契
Reading #	1/3	3/3
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	qì	qiè
Middle Chinese	‹ khej^H ›	‹ khet ›
Old Chinese	/*[kʰ]ˁet-s/	/*kʰˁet/
English	script notches	cut
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	契
Reading #	1/4
No.	6493
Phonetic component	丯
Rime group	祭
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	契
Old Chinese	/*kʰeːds/

Definitions

契

contract; deed
to agree; to conform with; to tally with
(literary) to carve; to engrave
(literary) carved writing; engraved writing
(Cantonese, Min Nan) adopted; adoptive; foster

Compounds

Derived terms from 契

上契
交契
佃契
借契
冥契
合契若神
同窗契友
地契 (dìqì)
契刀
契分
契券 (qìquàn)
契勘
契友
契合 (qìhé)
契哥 (qìgē)
契契
契妹
契姐
契尾
契弟 (qìdì)
契文
契父 (qìfù)
契爸
契箭
契重
契需
姻契
官契
左契
心契
忘年之契
忘形之契

房契 (fángqì)
投契 (tóuqì)
文契
欠契
死契
水乳之契
活契
田契 (tiánqì)
白契 (báiqì)
相契
知契
租契 ( zūqì)
立契 (lìqì)
符契
老契
至交契友
莫逆之契
衿契
道契
默契 (mòqì)
殷契
丹書鐵契／丹书铁契
主契約／主契约
亞米契斯／亚米契斯
勞動契約／劳动契约
參同契／参同契
單務契約／单务契约
團契／团契 (tuánqì)
壓契／压契
契合金蘭／契合金兰
契媽／契妈
契據／契据 (qìjù)

契文舉例／契文举例
契機／契机 (qìjī)
契爺／契爷
契稅／契税
契約／契约 (qìyuē)
契約書／契约书 (qìyuēshū)
契約說／契约说
契約農業／契约农业
契若金蘭／契若金兰
宓契爾／宓契尔
工作契約／工作契约
承攬契約／承揽契约
書契／书契 (shūqì)
有償契約／有偿契约
有名契約／有名契约
殷墟書契／殷墟书契
無償契約／无偿契约
磚契／砖契
社會契約／社会契约
神會心契／神会心契
租賃契約／租赁契约
稅契／税契
紅契／红契 (hóngqì)
結契／结契
絕契／绝契
虛錢實契／虚钱实契
賢契／贤契
賣契／卖契
賣身契／卖身契 (màishēnqì)
隨意契約／随意契约
雙務契約／双务契约
驗契／验契

Etymology 2

trad.		契
simp. ^#		契

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): qì (qi⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄑㄧˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): kit³, hat¹, kai²
Min Nan (POJ): khit

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: qì
  - Zhuyin: ㄑㄧˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: cì
  - Wade–Giles: chʻi⁴
  - Yale: chì
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chih
  - Palladius: ци (ci)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: kit³, hat¹, kai²
  - Yale: kit, hāt, kái
  - Cantonese Pinyin: kit⁸, hat⁷, kai²
  - Guangdong Romanization: kid³, hed¹, kei²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰiːt̚³/, /hɐt̚⁵/, /kʰɐi̯³⁵/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khit
  - Tâi-lô: khit
  - Phofsit Daibuun: qid
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰit̚⁵/

Middle Chinese: /kʰɨt̚/

Rime
Character	契
Reading #	2/3
Initial (聲)	溪 (29)
Final (韻)	欣 (58)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	去迄切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kʰɨt̚/
Pan Wuyun	/kʰɨt̚/
Shao Rongfen	/kʰiət̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kʰɨt̚/
Li Rong	/kʰiət̚/
Wang Li	/kʰĭət̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/kʰi̯ət̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	qi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hat¹

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*kʰɯd/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	契
Reading #	4/4
No.	6519
Phonetic component	丯
Rime group	物
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime
Old Chinese	/*kʰɯd/

Definitions

契

Only used in 契丹 (Qìdān, “the Khitans”).

Etymology 3

trad.		契
simp. ^#		契
alternative forms		偰

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): xiè (xie⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄝˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): sit³
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): siat
(Teochew, Peng'im): siêg⁴ / siag⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: xiè
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄝˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: siè
  - Wade–Giles: hsieh⁴
  - Yale: syè
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shieh
  - Palladius: се (se)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕjɛ⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: sit³
  - Yale: sit
  - Cantonese Pinyin: sit⁸
  - Guangdong Romanization: xid³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /siːt̚³/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siat
  - Tâi-lô: siat
  - Phofsit Daibuun: siad
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /ɕiɛt̚⁵/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: siêg⁴ / siag⁴
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siek / siak
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /siek̚²/, /siak̚²/

Definitions

契

Xie (ancestor of the kings of the Shang dynasty)

Etymology 4

trad.		契
simp. ^#		契

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): qiè (qie⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄝˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): kit³
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): khiat
(Teochew, Peng'im): kiêg⁴ / kiag⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: qiè
  - Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄝˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ciè
  - Wade–Giles: chʻieh⁴
  - Yale: chyè
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chieh
  - Palladius: це (ce)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰjɛ⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: kit³
  - Yale: kit
  - Cantonese Pinyin: kit⁸
  - Guangdong Romanization: kid³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰiːt̚³/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khiat
  - Tâi-lô: khiat
  - Phofsit Daibuun: qiad
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰiɛt̚⁵/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: kiêg⁴ / kiag⁴
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khiek / khiak
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰiek̚²/, /kʰiak̚²/

Middle Chinese: /kʰet̚/

Rime
Character	契
Reading #	3/3
Initial (聲)	溪 (29)
Final (韻)	先 (87)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	苦結切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kʰet̚/
Pan Wuyun	/kʰet̚/
Shao Rongfen	/kʰɛt̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kʰɛt̚/
Li Rong	/kʰet̚/
Wang Li	/kʰiet̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/kʰiet̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	qie
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hit³

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*kʰˤet/
(Zhengzhang): /*kʰeːd/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	契
Reading #	2/3
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	qiè
Middle Chinese	‹ khet ›
Old Chinese	/*kʰˁet/
English	契闊 hard-working (Ode 31.4)
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	契	契
Reading #	2/4	3/4
No.	6511	6514
Phonetic component	丯	丯
Rime group	月	月
Rime subdivision	2	2
Corresponding MC rime	猰	猰
Old Chinese	/*kʰeːd/	/*kʰeːd/

Definitions

契

^† Used in 契闊／契阔 (qièkuò, “assiduous; separate; etc.”).
^† Alternative form of 挈 (qiè, “to take; to carry”).

Compounds

契闊／契阔 (qièkuò)

契闊談讌／契阔谈宴

死生契闊／死生契阔

References

Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A00864
“契”, 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–

Japanese

Shinjitai	契
Kyūjitai [1][2][3]	契 `契` or 契+`︀`^?
	契󠄁 契+`󠄁`^? (Adobe-Japan1)
	契󠄅 契+`󠄅`^? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
	契󠄂 契+`󠄂`^? (Adobe-Japan1)
	契󠄄 契+`󠄄`^? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.

Kanji

契

(common “Jōyō” kanji)

pledge (allegiance)
commit oneself
promise (loyalty)

Readings

From Middle Chinese 契 (MC kʰei^H); compare Mandarin 契 (qì):

Go-on: け (ke)
Kan-on: けい (kei, Jōyō)

From Middle Chinese 契 (MC kʰet̚); compare Mandarin 契 (qiè):

Go-on: けち (kechi)
Kan-on: けつ (ketsu)

From Middle Chinese 契 (MC set̚); compare Mandarin 契 (xiè):

Go-on: せち (sechi)
Kan-on: せつ (setsu)

From native Japanese roots:

Kun: ちぎる (chigiru, 契る, Jōyō); あう (au, 契う)^{←あふ (afu, historical)}; ちぎり (chigiri, 契り); きざむ (kizamu, 契む); わりふ (warifu, 契)
Nanori: ちぎり (chigiri); ちぎる (chigiru); ひさ (hisa)

Compounds

契丹(きたい) (Kitai)
契(きっ)丹(たん) (Kittan)
契(けい)印(いん) (keiin)
契(けい)闊(かつ) (keikatsu)
契(けい)機(き) (keiki)
契(けい)契(けい) (keikei)
契(けい)券(けん) (keiken)
契(けい)合(ごう) (keigō)
契(けい)情(せい) (keisei)
契(けい)刀(とう) (keitō)
契(けい)文(ぶん) (keibun)
契(けい)約(やく) (keiyaku): contract, agreement
契(けっ)闊(かつ) (kekkatsu)
契(けつ)契(けつ) (ketsuketsu)
印(いん)契(げい) (ingei)
交(こう)契(けい) (kōkei)
心(しん)契(けい) (shinkei)
符(ふ)契(けい) (fukei)
黙(もっ)契(けい) (mokkei)

Proper noun

契(ひさし) • (Hisashi)

a male given name

References

“契”, in 漢字ぺディア (Kanjipedia)‎ (in Japanese), 日本漢字能力検定協会, 2015—2023
1914, 漢和大辭書 (Kanwa Dai Jisho, “The Great Kanji-Japanese Dictionary”) (in Japanese), page 606 (paper), page 353 (digital), Tōkyō: 興文社 (Kōbunsha)
1927, 新漢和辭典 (Shin Kanwa Jiten, “The New Kanji-Japanese Dictionary”) (in Japanese), page 386 (paper), page 206 (digital), Ōsaka: 松雲堂 (Shōundō)

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 契 (MC kʰei^H).

Historical readings
Recorded as Middle Korean 콍〮 (Yale: khyéy) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448. Recorded as Middle Korean 계〯 (kyěy) (Yale: kyěy) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [kje̞(ː)] ~ [ke̞(ː)]
Phonetic hangul: [계(ː)/게(ː)]
- Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

Wikisource契 (eumhun 맺을 계 (maejeul gye))

Hanja form^? of 계 (“contract, bond; deed; engrave”).
Hanja form^? of 계 (“a Korean rotating savings and credit association”).

Compounds

계약 (契約, gyeyak, “contract”)
계기 (契機, gyegi, “opportunity”)
계주 (契主, gyeju)
계원 (契員, gyewon)
계회 (契會, gyehoe)
계약서 (契約書, gyeyakseo)

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 契 (MC kʰet̚).

Historical readings
Recorded as Middle Korean 켜ᇙ〮 (Yale: khyélq) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448. Recorded as Early Modern Korean 결 (Yale: kyel) in Samun Seonghwi (三韻聲彙 / 삼운성휘), 1751.

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [kjʌ̹ɭ]
Phonetic hangul: [결]

Hanja

契 (eumhun 애쓸 결 (aesseul gyeol))

(literary) Hanja form^? of 결 (“to be assiduous; to work hard; to toil”).

Compounds

결활 (契闊, gyeolhwal, “to be assiduous; to work hard; to toil”)
결결 (契契, gyeolgyeol)

Etymology 3

From Middle Chinese 契 (MC kʰɨt̚).

Historical readings
Recorded as Early Modern Korean 글 (Yale: kul) in Samun Seonghwi (三韻聲彙 / 삼운성휘), 1751.

Hanja

契 (eumhun 부족 이름 글 (bujok ireum geul))

(historical) Hanja form^? of 글 (“a tribe name”).

Compounds

글단 → 글안 → 거란 (契丹, Geuldan → Geuran → Georan, “the Khitans”)
글안장 → 거란장 (契丹▽場, geuranjang → georanjang)

Etymology 4

From Middle Chinese 契 (MC set̚).

Historical readings
Recorded as Middle Korean 셔ᇙ〮 (Yale: syélq) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448. Recorded as Early Modern Korean 셜 (Yale: syel) in Samun Seonghwi (三韻聲彙 / 삼운성휘), 1751.

Hanja

契 (eumhun 사람 이름 설 (saram ireum seol))

Hanja form^? of 설 (“used in personal names”).
(historical) Hanja form^? of 설 (“Xie (ancestor of the kings of the Shang dynasty)”).

References

국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.
Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 대법원, Daehanmin'guk Daebeobwon) (2018). Table of hanja for personal names (인명용 한자표 / 人名用漢字表, Inmyeong-yong hanja-pyo), page 23.

Vietnamese

Han character

契: Hán Nôm readings: khế, khé, khè, khía, khít, khẻ, khẽ, khịt

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[1] “契”, in 漢字ぺディア (Kanjipedia)‎ (in Japanese), 日本漢字能力検定協会, 2015—2023

[2] 1914, 漢和大辭書 (Kanwa Dai Jisho, “The Great Kanji-Japanese Dictionary”) (in Japanese), page 606 (paper), page 353 (digital), Tōkyō: 興文社 (Kōbunsha)

[3] 1927, 新漢和辭典 (Shin Kanwa Jiten, “The New Kanji-Japanese Dictionary”) (in Japanese), page 386 (paper), page 206 (digital), Ōsaka: 松雲堂 (Shōundō)