妖

妖	U+5996, 妖 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5996

← 妕
[U+5995]

CJK Unified Ideographs

妗 →
[U+5997]

Translingual

Han character

妖 (Kangxi radical 38, 女+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 女竹大 (VHK), four-corner 4243₄, composition ⿰女夭)

References

KangXi: page 256, character 20

Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 6086

Dae Jaweon: page 520, character 18

Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1031, character 7

Unihan data for U+5996

Chinese

trad.		妖
simp. ^#		妖

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
笑	*sqʰows
夭	qoːwʔ, qrow, *qrowʔ
镺	qoːwʔ, qoːws
芺	qoːwʔ, qrowʔ
妖	*qrow
祅	*qrow
枖	*qrow
訞	*qrow
殀	*qrowʔ
仸	*qrowʔ
妋	pa, qu
飫	*qos
沃	*qoːwɢ
鋈	*qoːwɢ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *qrow) : semantic 女 + phonetic 夭 (OC *qoːwʔ, *qrow, *qrowʔ).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): yāo (yao¹)
(Zhuyin): ㄧㄠ
Cantonese (Jyutping): jiu², jiu¹
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): yêu
Min Bei (KCR): iáu
Min Dong (BUC): iĕu
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): iau
(Teochew, Peng'im): iao¹
Wu (Wiktionary): iau (T1)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: yāo
  - Zhuyin: ㄧㄠ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yao
  - Wade–Giles: yao¹
  - Yale: yāu
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iau
  - Palladius: яо (jao)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: jiu², jiu¹
  - Yale: yíu, yīu
  - Cantonese Pinyin: jiu², jiu¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: yiu², yiu¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːu̯³⁵/, /jiːu̯⁵⁵/
Hakka
- (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yêu
  - Hakka Romanization System: ieu´
  - Hagfa Pinyim: yeu¹
  - Sinological IPA: /i̯eu̯²⁴/
- (Southern Sixian, incl. Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yêu
  - Hakka Romanization System: (r)ieu´
  - Hagfa Pinyim: yeu¹
  - Sinological IPA: /(j)i̯eu̯²⁴/
Min Bei
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: iáu
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /iau⁵⁴/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: iĕu
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ieu⁵⁵/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iau
  - Tâi-lô: iau
  - Phofsit Daibuun: iaw
  - IPA (Xiamen): /iau⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /iau³³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /iau⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Taipei): /iau⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /iau⁴⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: iao¹
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: iau
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /iau³³/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: iau (T1)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /iɔ⁵³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 妖
Mandarin	Beijing	/iɑu⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/iau⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/iɑu²¹/
	Jinan	/iɔ²¹³/
	Qingdao	/iɔ²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/iau²⁴/
	Xi'an	/iau²¹/
	Xining	/iɔ⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/iɔ⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/iɔ³¹/
	Ürümqi	/iɔ⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/iau⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/iau⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/iao⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/iɔ⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/iɔo³¹/
	Hefei	/iɔ²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/iau¹¹/
	Pingyao	/iɔ¹³/
	Hohhot	/iɔ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/iɔ⁵³/
	Suzhou	/iæ⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/ʔiɔ³³/
	Wenzhou	/j̠iɛ³³/
Hui	Shexian	/iɔ³¹/
Hui	Tunxi	/io¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/iau³³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/iaɯ³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/iɛu⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/iau⁴⁴/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/ieu²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/jiu³⁵/
	Nanning	/jiu⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/jiu³⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Min Nan)	/iau⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Min Dong)	/ieu⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Min Bei)	/iau⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Min Nan)	/iau³³/
	Haikou (Min Nan)	/iau²³/

Middle Chinese: /ʔˠiᴇu/

Rime
Character	妖
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	影 (34)
Final (韻)	宵 (92)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	於喬切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔˠiᴇu/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔᵚiɛu/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔiæu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔiaw/
Li Rong	/ʔjɛu/
Wang Li	/ĭɛu/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʔi̯ɛu/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yāo
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jiu¹

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*qrow/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	妖
Reading #	1/1
No.	14627
Phonetic component	夭
Rime group	宵
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	妖
Old Chinese	/*qrow/

Definitions

妖

abnormal or bizarre thing or phenomenon
- 妖由人興也。人無釁焉，妖不自作，人棄常則妖興。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  妖由人兴也。人无衅焉，妖不自作，人弃常则妖兴。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Yāo yóu rén xīng yě. Rén wú xìn yān, yāo bù zì zuò, rén qì cháng zé yāo xìng. [Pinyin]
  Monsters and monstrous events take their rise from men. If men afford no cause for them, they do not arise of themselves. When men abandon the constant course of virtue, then monstrosities appear.
事體老妖個。 [Shanghainese, trad.]
事体老妖个。 [Shanghainese, simp.]
From: 2011, Hu Baotan, 弄堂
[z̥z̩²² tʰi⁴⁴ lɔ³³ iɔ⁵⁵ ɦəʔ²¹] [IPA]
It's quite an odd happenstance.
demon; goblin
貓妖／猫妖 ― māoyāo ― cat goblin
evil and fraudulent
妖術／妖术 ― yāoshù ― witchcraft; sorcery
妖言惑眾／妖言惑众 ― yāoyánhuòzhòng ― to deceive people with lies and fallacies
(literary) gorgeous; beautiful; charming
- 美女妖且閑，采桑歧路間。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  美女妖且闲，采桑歧路间。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: 3rd century, Cao Zhi, 美女篇 ("On a Beautiful Woman"), translated by Wu (1998)[1]
  Měinǚ yāo qiě xián, cǎi sāng qílù jiān. [Pinyin]
  That beautiful woman is charming and graceful, she is plucking mulberries at the crossways.
(chiefly of women) bizarrely dressed or behaving frivolously
妖裡妖氣／妖里妖气 ― yāolǐyāoqì ― seductive and bewitching
(Cantonese, vulgar) yuck! (used in place of its near-homophone 屌 (diu2))

Compounds

Derived terms from 妖

人妖 (rényāo)
做妖撒妖
地妖
墨妖
夜妖
天妖
妄妖
妖人 (yāorén)
妖僮
妖冶 (yāoyě)
妖化
妖咎
妖女 (yāonǚ)
妖妄
妖妍
妖妖
妖妙
妖姬
妖姿
妖媚 (yāomèi)
妖孽 (yāoniè)
妖幸
妖幻
妖彗
妖忌
妖怪 (yāoguài)
妖惑
妖星
妖服
妖桃
妖氛
妖沴
妖法 (yāofǎ)
妖淫
妖物 (yāowù)
妖玩
妖眚
妖神
妖祥
妖祲
妖童
妖精 (yāojīng)
妖言 (yāoyán)
妖道 (yāodào)
妖邪 (yāoxié)
妖野
妖靡
妖韶
妖魅
妖魑
妖魔 (yāomó)
妖魔鬼怪 (yāomóguǐguài)

姝妖
射妖
小妖
小妖精 (xiǎoyāojīng)
山妖
幽妖
怪妖
成妖作怪
撒妖
文妖
服妖 (fúyāo)
木妖
氛妖
淫妖
物妖
狐妖
甘妖
生妖作怪
疆妖
眚妖
石妖
神妖鬼怪
祥妖
老妖精
胡妖
花妖
花妖子
草妖
蛇妖 (shéyāo)
蜺妖
逞妖
避妖圈
降妖 (xiángyāo)
食妖
鼓妖
鼠妖
凶妖
妖凶
厲妖／厉妖
國妖／国妖
天災地妖／天灾地妖
妖倖／妖幸
妖偽／妖伪
妖兇／妖凶
妖厲／妖厉
妖夢／妖梦
妖妖調調／妖妖调调
妖嫺／妖娴
妖嫻／妖娴
妖嬈／妖娆 (yāoráo)
妖嬌／妖娇
妖形怪狀／妖形怪状

妖氣／妖气
妖災／妖灾
妖由人興／妖由人兴
妖異／妖异
妖聲妖氣／妖声妖气
妖蠱／妖蛊
妖術／妖术 (yāoshù)
妖術惑眾／妖术惑众
妖術邪法／妖术邪法
妖裡妖氣／妖里妖气 (yāolǐyāoqì)
妖言惑眾／妖言惑众 (yāoyánhuòzhòng)
妖訛／妖讹
妖誕／妖诞
妖調／妖调
妖變／妖变
妖豔／妖艳 (yāoyàn)
妖賊／妖贼
妖鏡／妖镜
妖閑／妖闲
妖雰／妖氛
妖霧／妖雾
妖風／妖风 (yāofēng)
妖饒／妖饶
妖麗／妖丽
妖麼／妖么
婦妖／妇妖
嫺妖／娴妖
平妖傳／平妖传
憑妖／凭妖
斷怪除妖／断怪除妖
構妖／构妖
災妖／灾妖
照妖鏡／照妖镜 (zhàoyāojìng)
畫妖／画妖
義妖傳／义妖传
興妖作亂／兴妖作乱
興妖作孽／兴妖作孽
興妖作怪／兴妖作怪
蟲妖／虫妖
裝妖作怪／装妖作怪
詩妖／诗妖
謠妖／谣妖
豔紫妖紅／艳紫妖红
貓妖／猫妖 (māoyāo)
賣妖嬈／卖妖娆
踐妖／践妖
閻妖／阎妖
閻羅妖／阎罗妖
韃妖／鞑妖
驅妖／驱妖
鴻妖／鸿妖
黃妖／黄妖

References

Wu Fusheng (1998). The Poetics of Decadence: Chinese Poetry of the Southern Dynasties and Late Tang Periods. Albany: State University of New York Press. pp. 47-48

Japanese

Kanji

妖

(common “Jōyō” kanji)

attractive
bewitching
calamity

Readings

Go-on: よう (yō, Jōyō)^{←えう (eu, historical)}
Kan-on: よう (yō, Jōyō)^{←えう (eu, historical)}
Kun: あやしい (ayashii, 妖しい, Jōyō); およずれ (oyozure, 妖)^{←およづれ (oyodure, historical)}; なまめく (namameku, 妖めく); わざわい (wazawai, 妖い)^{←わざはひ (wazafafi, historical)}

Compounds

妖(およずれ)人(びと) (oyozurebito): a person who leads others astray with their words
妖異(ようい) (yōi): something strange and mysterious; a monster or phantom
妖艶(ようえん) (yōen), 妖婉(ようえん) (yōen): bewitchingly attractive; seductive
妖花(ようか) (yōka): a strangely beautiful flower; metaphorically, a strangely beautiful woman
妖怪(ようかい) (yōkai): a monster, a phantom
妖気(ようき) (yōki): a weird or unearthly feeling
妖姫(ようき) (yōki): a seductively beautiful princess, a distractingly attractive woman
妖狐(ようこ) (yōko): a demon fox, kitsune
妖犬(ようけん) (yōken): a demon dog, such as the inugami or yamainu
妖猫(ようびょう) (yōbyō): a demon cat, such as the bakeneko, nekomata or kasha
妖教(ようきょう) (yōkyō): a religion that leads people astray; heresy
妖孽(ようげつ) (yōgetsu): a strange calamity; an omen or portent of misfortune
妖言(ようげん) (yōgen), 妖(およずれ)言(ごと) (oyozuregoto): a malicious rumor
妖光(ようこう) (yōkō): a strange and inauspicious light
妖術(ようじゅつ) (yōjutsu): witchcraft, sorcery
妖法(ようほう) (yōhō)
妖道(ようどう) (yōdō)
妖術師(ようじゅつし) (yōjutsushi): a witch, a sorcerer
妖女(ようじょ) (yōjo): a seductively or distractingly beautiful woman; a vamp; a female fairy, a siren
妖星(ようせい) (yōsei): an inauspicious or unlucky star
妖精(ようせい) (yōsei): fairy
妖精症(ようせいしょう) (yōseishō): (medical): leprechaunism, a manifestation of secondary insulin resistance
妖美(ようび) (yōbi): seductively beautiful
妖婦(ようふ) (yōfu): a seductress, a vamp
妖変(ようへん) (yōhen): a strange accident, emergency, or calamity
妖魔(ようま) (yōma): a monster, a demon
妖冶(ようや), 妖艶(ようや), 妖婉(ようや) (yōya): bewitchingly attractive; seductive
妖厄神(ようやくじん) (yōyakujin): a god of disaster and calamity; a god of disease and misfortune
妖霊(ようれい) (yōrei): an evil spirit; a phantom
妖霊星(ようれいぼし), 妖星(ようれいぼし) (yōreiboshi): an inauspicious or unlucky star
妖麗(ようれい), 妖美(ようれい) (yōrei): seductively beautiful
妖化(ようか) (yōka): a demonic entity or transformation

Noun

妖(およずれ) • (oyozure) ^{←およづれ (oyodure)^?}

baseless rumors about a person
short form of 妖(およずれ)言(ごと) (oyozuregoto), of the same meaning

Synonyms

妖(およずれ)言(ごと) (oyozuregoto)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
妖
よう Grade: S
on’yomi

Pronunciation

On’yomi

IPA^(key): [jo̞ː]

Affix

妖(よう) • (yō)

attractive
bewitching

Korean

Hanja

妖 • (yo) (hangeul 요)

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

Vietnamese

Han character

妖: Hán Nôm readings: yêu, èo

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

[1] Wu Fusheng (1998). The Poetics of Decadence: Chinese Poetry of the Southern Dynasties and Late Tang Periods. Albany: State University of New York Press. pp. 47-48