姬

姬

See also: 姫

姬 U+59EC, 姬 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-59EC ← 姫 [U+59EB] CJK Unified Ideographs 姭 → [U+59ED]

姬 U+2F862, 姬 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F862 ← 𡛪 [U+2F861] CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement 娛 → [U+2F863]

Translingual

Traditional	姬
Simplified	姬
Japanese	姫
Korean	姬

Alternative forms

The character commonly used in Japanese is 姫 (U+59EB). Note that the Korean form is written with 𦣝 as the right component, which is the historical form found in the Kangxi Dictionary.

Han character

姬 (Kangxi radical 38, 女+7, 10 strokes, cangjie input 女尸中中 (VSLL), four-corner 4141₇, composition ⿰女𦣞(GHT) or ⿰女𦣝(K))

Derived characters

• 𩠯

References

• KangXi: page 260, character 23
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 6230
• Dae Jaweon: page 526, character 24
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1049, character 15
• Unihan data for U+59EC
• Unihan data for U+2F862

---

Chinese

trad.		姬
simp. #		姬
alternative forms		姫 㚶

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 姬
Shang	Western Zhou	Spring and Autumn	Warring States
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions

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

	Old Chinese
茝	*kʰljɯːʔ, *kljɯʔ
洍	*ljɯʔ, *lɯ
姬	*klɯ, *lɯ
宧	*lɯ
頤	*lɯ
弬	*lɯ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *klɯ, *lɯ) : semantic 女 (“woman; matrilateral family line; family name”) + phonetic 𦣞 ().

Etymology 1

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Zhou dynastic surname

Its eponym was traditionally held to the river 姬 (Jī), which has been identified with the river 汾 (Fén) in Shanxi. However, Pulleyblank (2000) points out that "there seems to be no record of a Ji River outside the myth" of the Yellow Emperor.

Instead, he suggests an etymological connection between "the two intermarrying moieties, a ruling clan and its collateral, wife-supplying counterpart": 姬 (OC *(C)ɰə̀ɰ) and 姜 (*(C)ɰàŋ). He also points to other word-pairs, including 似 (MC zɨ^X, “to resemble”) < *-əɰʔ and 像 (MC zɨɐŋ^X, “to imitate, image”) < *-aŋʔ, which display the phonetic correspondences: *-ɰ vs. *-ŋ as well *-ə- vs. *-a- (ibid.)

lady (ancient laudatory title for women)

According to Yan Shigu (apud Kangxi Dictionary):

姬本周姓，其女貴於列國之女，所以婦人美號皆稱姬。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

姬本周姓，其女贵于列国之女，所以妇人美号皆称姬。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Kangxi zidian

Jī běn Zhōu xìng, qí nǚ guì yú lièguó zhī nǚ, suǒyǐ fùrén měihào jiē chēng jī. [Pinyin]

Ji ("姬") was originally the surname of the Zhou; their princesses were more honorable than princesses of other states; therefore women with laudatory appellations are all called Ji ("姬").

"gay"

Homophonous with 基 (jī) or English gay (in Cantonese) and already carrying feminine connotations. Probably influenced by Japanese 姫(ひめ) (hime, “princess”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): jī (ji¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): gei¹
• Min Dong (BUC): hĭ
• Min Nan (POJ): ki

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jī
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ji
    • Wade–Giles: chi¹
    • Yale: jī
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ji
    • Palladius: цзи (czi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: gei¹
    • Yale: gēi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gei¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: géi¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kei̯⁵⁵/
• Min Dong
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: hĭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hi⁵⁵/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ki
    • Tâi-lô: ki
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ky
    • IPA (Xiamen): /ki⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ki³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ki⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /ki⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ki⁴⁴/

---

• Middle Chinese: /kɨ/

Rime
Character	姬
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	之 (19)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	居之切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɨ/
Pan Wuyun	/kɨ/
Shao Rongfen	/kie/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kɨ/
Li Rong	/kiə/
Wang Li	/kĭə/
Bernard Karlgren	/ki/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	jī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gei1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[k](r)ə/

  (Zhengzhang): /*klɯ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	姬
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	jī
Middle Chinese	‹ ki ›
Old Chinese	/*[k](r)ə/
English	(family name)
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	姬
Reading #	1/2
No.	14882
Phonetic component	頤
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	姬
Old Chinese	/*klɯ/

Definitions

姬

1. a surname, used by the ruling family of the House of Zhou

   王姬  ―  Wáng Jī  ―  (historical) Royal (Princess) Ji (formal appellation for various women born out of the royal house of Zhou)

   • 曷不肅雝、王姬之車。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     曷不肃雍、王姬之车。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Hé bù sù yōng, Wáng Jī zhī chē. [Pinyin]

     Are they not expressive of reverence and harmony, the carriages of the king's daughter (lit. "the Royal Princess Ji")?

   諸姬／诸姬  ―  zhūjī  ―  (historical) the various Ji (collective appellation for various nobles and states' rulers patrilineally related to the royal house of Zhou)

   • 孌彼諸姬、聊與之謀。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     娈彼诸姬、聊与之谋。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Luán bǐ zhūjī, liáo yǔ zhī móu. [Pinyin]

     Admirable are those, my cousins (lit. "the various Ji nobles"); I will take counsel with them.

2. (literary) lady (ancient laudatory title for women)

   • 風吹柳花滿店香，吳姬壓酒喚客嘗。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     风吹柳花满店香，吴姬压酒唤客尝。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 李白 Li Bai〈金陵酒肆留別〉"Farewell at a Tavern in Jinling"

     Fēng chuī liǔhuā mǎn diàn xiāng, Wú jī yājiǔ huàn kè cháng. [Pinyin]

     The wind blows on the willow-catkins, filling the inn with fragrance; the Wu lady calls out to customers to try newly pressed wine.

3. (mythology) name of a river

   • 黃帝居姬水，以為姓。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     黄帝居姬水，以为姓。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Shuowen Jiezi, circa 2^nd century CE

     Huángdì jū Jīshuǐ, yǐwéi xìng. [Pinyin]

     The Yellow Thearch dwelt by the Ji river, (whose name) he took as (his) surname.

4. (literary) beauty

   • 沛公居山東時，貪於財貨，好美姬。今入關，財物無所取，婦女無所幸。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     沛公居山东时，贪于财货，好美姬。今入关，财物无所取，妇女无所幸。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Pèigōng jū Shāndōng shí, tān yú cáihuò, hào měijī. Jīn rù guān, cáiwù wú suǒqǔ, fùnǚ wú suǒxìng. [Pinyin]

     When Lord of Pei was in Shandong, he coveted riches and desired beauties. Yet now that he has entered Guan[zhong], he has not confiscated wealth, nor has he lusted after women."

5. (literary) concubine

   • 莊襄王為秦質子於趙，見呂不韋姬，悅而取之，生始皇。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     庄襄王为秦质子于赵，见吕不韦姬，悦而取之，生始皇。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Zhuāngxiāng wáng wèi Qín zhìzǐ yú Zhào, jiàn lǚ bùwéi jī, yuè ér qǔ zhī, shēng Shǐhuáng. [Pinyin]

     When King Zhuangxiang was a Qin hostage in Zhao, he saw Lü Buwei's concubine, he fell in love with her and married her; she gave birth to the First Emperor.

6. (neologism, slang) Synonym of 基 (jī, “gay”), with a feminine connotation; lesbian

   搞姬  ―  gǎojī  ―  to engage in lesbian activities

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 妾 (“concubine”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		妾, 姬, 媵, 妾媵, 媵妾, 侍妾, 姬妾, 側室, 偏室, 姑娘
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		妾, 偏房
Mandarin	Beijing	小太太兒, 小婆婆兒, 小奶奶兒, 小的兒
	Taiwan	小老婆, 姨太太
	Harbin	小老婆
	Yantai (Muping)	小老婆兒, 小婆子
	Jinan	小老婆
	Luoyang	小老婆兒
	Wanrong	小婆子
	Xi'an	小婆子, 小
	Yinchuan	小老婆, 小
	Lanzhou	小老婆
	Ürümqi	小老婆
	Wuhan	小堂客, 小, 姨太太
	Chengdu	小老婆, 小婆子
	Guiyang	小婆娘, 姨太太
	Liuzhou	小的, 小, 小老婆, 小婆
	Xuzhou	小的兒, 小的, 小兒, 小點子, 小婆兒, 小婆子, 庶夫人
	Nanjing	小老婆
	Singapore	小老婆
Cantonese	Guangzhou	細婆, 妾侍
	Hong Kong	細婆, 妾侍
	Dongguan	細婆
Gan	Nanchang	小老婆, 小
	Lichuan	小婆
	Pingxiang	小老婆, 小婆子
Hakka	Meixian	小婆
	Yudu	小老婆
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	細姐, 細婆, 偏房
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	細姐仔, 細婆, 偏房
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	細姐, 細婆, 偏房
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	細姐, 細姨, 偏房
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	細姐, 細婆, 偏房
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	細姨, 偏房
Huizhou	Jixi	細老嫗
Jin	Taiyuan	小老婆, 姨娘, 姨太太
	Xinzhou	小婆子
Min Bei	Jian'ou	小嬤
Min Dong	Fuzhou	細婆, 細姐
Min Nan	Xiamen	細姨
	Quanzhou	細姨
	Zhangzhou	細姨
	Taipei	細姨
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	細姨
	Kaohsiung	細姨
	Yilan	細姨
	Changhua (Lukang)	細姨
	Taichung	細姨
	Tainan	細姨
	Hsinchu	細姨
	Kinmen	細姨
	Penghu (Magong)	細姨
	Leizhou	細娘
	Haikou	細姩, 細老婆, 孧老婆, 細
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	細婆
Wu	Shanghai	小老媽, 小老婆, 小娘子, 偏房
	Shanghai (Chongming)	小老婆, 小老官, 姨太太
	Suzhou	小老媽
	Danyang	小老媽
	Hangzhou	小老婆
	Ningbo	小老𡢿
	Wenzhou	姨娘, 姨娘兒
	Jinhua	小老婆, 小婆
Xiang	Changsha	小婆子, 小堂客
	Loudi	小

Compounds

Derived terms from 姬

丹姬 二姬 仙姬 伯姬 伯姬引 侍姬 名姬 大姬 天姬 妖姬 妙姬 姣姬 姬人 姬伯 姬侍 姬公 姬化 姬周 姬妾 (jīqiè) 姬姒 姬姜 姬媵 姬孔 姬文 姬易 姬鼠 嬖姬 孔姬 宗姬 家姬

小姬 帝姬 (dìjī) 幸姬 庶姬 文姬入塞 族姬 昌姬 曼姬 朱姬大仙 村姬 楚姬 樊姬 歌姬 (gējī) 毛姬 燕姬 王姬 班姬 班姬扇 祅姬 秦姬曲 程姬之疾 竹姬 胡姬 虞姬 隆姬 鼓姬 吳姬／吴姬 姬僕／姬仆 姬劉／姬刘 姬呂／姬吕

姬國／姬国 姬漢／姬汉 孋姬／㛤姬 宮姬／宫姬 寵姬／宠姬 從姬／从姬 愛姬／爱姬 (àijī) 楊柳姬／杨柳姬 楚岫瑤姬／楚岫瑶姬 橈姬／桡姬 泣別虞姬／泣别虞姬 漢姬／汉姬 班姬詠扇／班姬咏扇 班姬辭輦／班姬辞辇 瑤姬／瑶姬 瓊姬／琼姬 盧姬／卢姬 而姬壺／而姬壶 荊姬／荆姬 蠶姬／蚕姬 諸姬／诸姬 讒姬／谗姬 豔姬／艳姬 貞姬／贞姬 貴姬／贵姬 遺姬／遗姬 霸王別姬／霸王别姬 驪姬／骊姬 麗姬／丽姬 齊姬／齐姬

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yí (yi²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧˊ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yí
    • Zhuyin: ㄧˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yí
    • Wade–Giles: i²
    • Yale: yí
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yi
    • Palladius: и (i)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i³⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: /jɨ/

Rime
Character	姬
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	以 (36)
Final (韻)	之 (19)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	與之切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jɨ/
Pan Wuyun	/jɨ/
Shao Rongfen	/ie/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/jɨ/
Li Rong	/iə/
Wang Li	/jĭə/
Bernard Karlgren	/i/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yí
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ji4

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*lɯ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	姬
Reading #	2/2
No.	14887
Phonetic component	頤
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	飴
Old Chinese	/*lɯ/

Definitions

姬

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

---

Japanese

Kanji

姬

(uncommon “Hyōgai” kanji)

1. alternative form of 姫

Readings

• Go-on: き (ki)
• Kan-on: き (ki)
• Kun: ひめ (hime, 姬)
• Nanori: こひめ (kohime); ひめさき (himesaki); ぷりんせす (purinsesu); れもん (remon)
  Note: the nanori readings ぷりんせす (Purinsesu) and れもん (Remon) are so-called キラキラネーム (kirakira nēmu).

Definitions

Kanji in this term
姬
ひめ Hyōgaiji
kun’yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 姬 – see the following entry.

【姫ひめ】S [noun] the daughter of a high-ranking person [noun] a noblewoman [noun] a princess [noun] (euphemistic) a woman [noun] (regional slang) in the Kyōto and Osaka areas, a prostitute [noun] Short for 姫糊 (himenori): a kind of starch glue made from boiled-down rice [prefix] cute [prefix] small [proper noun] a place name [proper noun] a surname [proper noun] a female given name 【姫き】S [suffix] girl; maiden; woman

(This term, 姬, is an alternative spelling of the above terms.)

---

Korean

Hanja

姬 • (hui) (hangeul 희, revised hui, McCune–Reischauer hŭi, Yale huy)

1. woman

---

Vietnamese

Han character

姬: Hán Nôm readings: cơ

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