左
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Translingual
Stroke order | |||
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Han character
左 (Kangxi radical 48, 工+2, 5 strokes, cangjie input 大一 (KM), four-corner 40011, composition ⿸𠂇工)
Derived characters
- 佐, 咗, 𣳇, 㝾, 袏, 䦈, 堶, 媠, 惰, 㨊, 遀, 隋, 楕, 㻟, 䙃, 䤻, 䭉, 䯝, 鰖, 毻, 隓, 鬌, 𠡃, 𢀡
Descendants
- さ
References
- KangXi: page 325, character 8
- Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 8720
- Dae Jaweon: page 626, character 7
- Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 411, character 5
- Unihan data for U+5DE6
Chinese
simp. and trad. | 左 | |
---|---|---|
alternative forms | 𠂇 𢀡 㔫 屮 |
Glyph origin
Historical forms of the character 左 | |||||
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Shang | Western Zhou | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) | |
Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Chu slip and silk script | Qin slip script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
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Old Chinese | |
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左 | *ʔsaːlʔ, *ʔsaːls |
佐 | *ʔsaːls |
袏 | *ʔslaːls |
蹉 | *sʰlaːl |
瑳 | *sʰlaːl, *sʰlaːlʔ |
搓 | *sʰlaːl |
磋 | *sʰlaːl |
溠 | *sʰlaːl, *sraːl, *ʔsraːls |
傞 | *sʰlaːl, *slaːl |
醝 | *zlaːl |
瘥 | *zlaːl, *ʔsljal, *sʰreːls |
鹺 | *zlaːl |
嵯 | *zlaːl, *sʰral |
嵳 | *zlaːl |
蒫 | *zlaːl, *ʔsljal, *ʔslɯl |
艖 | *zlaːl, *sʰraːl |
齹 | *zlaːl, *sʰral, *zral |
縒 | *slaːlʔ, *sʰral, *sʰlaːɡ |
褨 | *slaːlʔ |
嗟 | *ʔsljal |
差 | *sʰraːl, *sʰraːls, *sʰreːl, *sʰreːl, *sʰreːls, *sʰral |
鎈 | *sʰraːl |
槎 | *zraːl, *zraːlʔ |
髊 | *zlals |
Originally written 𠂇 in the oracle bone script: Pictogram (象形) – a left hand. Compare 又 (“right hand”).
Late bronze inscription forms show an added 工 (“work; to assist?”) component, making the current form a phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *ʔsaːlʔ, *ʔsaːls) and ideogrammic compound (會意) : phonetic 𠂇 (“left hand”) + semantic 工 (“work”), representing the original form of 佐 (OC *ʔsaːls, “to assist”).
Etymology
Cognate with 佐 (OC *ʔsaːls, “to assist”) (< be on one's left side); mirror of the semantic relationship between 右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ, “right”) and 佑 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “to assist”) (Schuessler, 2007).
Unrelated to Proto-Tibeto-Burman *b(w)aj (“left (hand)”) (STEDT).
- “(politics) left-wing”
- Semantic loan from English left, in turn a semantic loan from French gauche.
Pronunciation 1
Definitions
左
- left (direction)
- 左手 ― zuǒshǒu ― left hand
- east; areas to the east
- 江左 ― jiāngzuǒ ― area east of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River
- (historical) inferior position
- unorthodox; wrong
- erroneously; mistakingly
- 你想左了。 ― Nǐ xiǎng zuǒ le. ― You are mistaken.
- different; divided; inconsistent
- 相左 ― xiàngzuǒ ― to conflict with each other; to fail to agree
- (politics) left-wing
- (chemistry) levo-
- 左多巴 ― zuǒduōbā ― levodopa
- (Sichuanese, of singing) out of tune; off-key
- (Southwestern Mandarin, including Sichuanese) to exchange
- (Min Dong) devious, dishonest
- (Xiang) wrong; incorrect
- a surname
- 左宗棠 ― Zuǒ Zōngtáng ― Zuo Zongtang (Qing dynasty Chinese statesman and military leader)
Usage notes
In socialist nations e.g. mainland China, 左 is usually (not necessarily) put in quotation marks when referring to the leftism further to the correct party line.
Synonyms
Variety | Location | Words edit |
---|---|---|
Classical Chinese | 左 | |
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 左 | |
Mandarin | Beijing | 左 |
Taiwan | 左 | |
Tianjin | 左 | |
Chengde | 左 | |
Tangshan | 左 | |
Cangzhou | 左 | |
Baoding | 左 | |
Shijiazhuang | 左 | |
Chifeng | 左 | |
Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 左 | |
Heihe | 左 | |
Qiqihar | 左 | |
Harbin | 左 | |
Jiamusi | 左 | |
Baicheng | 左 | |
Changchun | 左 | |
Tonghua | 左 | |
Shenyang | 左 | |
Dandong | 左 | |
Jinzhou | 左 | |
Dalian | 左 | |
Yantai | 左 | |
Qingdao | 左 | |
Lijin | 左 | |
Zhucheng | 左 | |
Jinan | 左 | |
Jining | 左 | |
Wanrong | 左 | |
Shangqiu | 左 | |
Yuanyang | 左 | |
Zhengzhou | 左 | |
Lingbao | 左 | |
Xinyang | 左 | |
Baihe | 左 | |
Hanzhong | 左 | |
Xi'an | 左 | |
Baoji | 左 | |
Yinchuan | 左 | |
Tianshui | 左 | |
Lanzhou | 左 | |
Dunhuang | 左 | |
Xining | 左 | |
Hami | 左 | |
Ürümqi | 左 | |
Wuhan | 左 | |
Yichang | 左 | |
Xiangyang | 左 | |
Tianmen | 左 | |
Hong'an | 左 | |
Chengdu | 左 | |
Nanchong | 左 | |
Dazhou | 左 | |
Hanyuan | 左 | |
Xichang | 左 | |
Zigong | 左 | |
Chongqing | 左 | |
Guiyang | 左 | |
Zunyi | 左 | |
Bijie | 左 | |
Liping | 左 | |
Zhaotong | 左 | |
Dali | 左 | |
Kunming | 左 | |
Mengzi | 左 | |
Guilin | 左 | |
Liuzhou | 左 | |
Jishou | 左 | |
Changde | 左 | |
Anqing | 左 | |
Xuzhou | 左 | |
Fuyang | 左 | |
Wuhu | 左 | |
Yangzhou | 左 | |
Lianyungang | 左 | |
Lianshui | 左 | |
Nanjing | 左 | |
Hefei | 左 | |
Nantong | 左 | |
Malaysia | 左 | |
Singapore | 左 | |
Cantonese | Guangzhou | 左 |
Hong Kong | 左 | |
Macau | 左 | |
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 左 | |
Singapore (Guangfu) | 左 | |
Gan | Nanchang | 左 |
Lichuan | 左 | |
Huizhou | Shexian | 左 |
Jin | Taiyuan | 左 |
Yangyuan | 左 | |
Datong | 左 | |
Xinzhou | 左 | |
Lishi | 左 | |
Linfen | 左 | |
Changzhi | 左 | |
Linhe | 左 | |
Jining | 左 | |
Hohhot | 左 | |
Erenhot | 左 | |
Pingshan | 左 | |
Zhangjiakou | 左 | |
Handan | 左 | |
Linzhou | 左 | |
Suide | 左 | |
Min Dong | Fuzhou | 左 |
Min Nan | Xiamen | 倒 |
Quanzhou | 倒 | |
Zhangzhou | 倒 | |
Taipei | 倒 | |
New Taipei (Sanxia) | 倒 | |
Kaohsiung | 倒 | |
Yilan | 倒 | |
Changhua (Lukang) | 倒 | |
Taichung | 倒 | |
Tainan | 倒 | |
Hsinchu | 倒 | |
Kinmen | 倒 | |
Penghu (Magong) | 倒 | |
Penang (Hokkien) | 倒 | |
Singapore (Hokkien) | 倒 | |
Manila (Hokkien) | 倒 | |
Chaozhou | 倒 | |
Shantou | 倒 | |
Jieyang | 倒 | |
Singapore (Teochew) | 倒 | |
Wenchang | 左 |
Variety | Location | Words edit |
---|---|---|
Classical Chinese | 過誤, 誤, 謬, 謬誤, 訛 | |
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 錯, 不對, 錯誤 | |
Mandarin | Beijing | 錯, 左 |
Taiwan | 錯, 不對 | |
Jinan | 錯, 差 | |
Xi'an | 錯 | |
Ürümqi | 錯 | |
Wuhan | 錯, 左 | |
Chengdu | 錯, 拐 | |
Guilin | 錯 | |
Yangzhou | 錯 | |
Nanjing | 差 | |
Hefei | 錯 | |
Malaysia | 錯, 不對 | |
Singapore | 錯, 不對 | |
Cantonese | Guangzhou | 錯, 唔啱 |
Hong Kong | 錯, 唔啱 | |
Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou) | 錯 | |
Macau | 錯 | |
Guangzhou (Panyu) | 錯 | |
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 唔啱 | |
Guangzhou (Conghua) | 錯 | |
Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 錯 | |
Foshan | 錯 | |
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 錯 | |
Foshan (Shunde) | 錯 | |
Foshan (Sanshui) | 錯, 唔啱 | |
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 錯 | |
Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 錯 | |
Zhuhai (Qianshan) | 錯 | |
Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka) | 錯 | |
Zhuhai (Doumen) | 錯 | |
Jiangmen (Baisha) | 錯 | |
Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 錯 | |
Taishan | 錯 | |
Kaiping (Chikan) | 錯 | |
Enping (Niujiang) | 錯 | |
Heshan (Yayao) | 錯 | |
Dongguan | 錯 | |
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 錯 | |
Yangjiang | 錯 | |
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 唔啱, 錯 | |
Singapore (Guangfu) | 唔啱, 錯 | |
Gan | Nanchang | 錯 |
Lichuan | 錯 | |
Hakka | Meixian | 差, 唔啱 |
Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua) | 錯 | |
Dongguan (Qingxi) | 錯 | |
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 錯 | |
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 錯 | |
Conghua (Lütian) | 錯 | |
Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 唔著 | |
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 唔著 | |
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 唔著 | |
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 唔著 | |
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 唔著 | |
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 唔著 | |
Jin | Taiyuan | 錯, 不對, 差 |
Min Bei | Jian'ou | 錯 |
Min Dong | Fuzhou | 賺 |
Matsu | 賺 | |
Min Nan | Xiamen | 賺, 毋著 |
Quanzhou | 賺, 毋著 | |
Shishi | 賺 | |
Zhangzhou | 賺, 毋著 | |
Zhao'an | 毋著 | |
Taipei | 毋著 | |
Kaohsiung | 毋著 | |
Penang (Hokkien) | salah, 毋著, 賺 | |
Singapore (Hokkien) | salah, 毋著 | |
Manila (Hokkien) | 毋著, 賺 | |
Chaozhou | 賺 | |
Shantou | 賺, 唔對, 唔著 | |
Jieyang | 賺 | |
Singapore (Teochew) | salah, 唔著, 賺 | |
Wenchang | 無著 | |
Haikou | 錯 | |
Singapore (Hainanese) | 無著 | |
Zhongshan Min | Shaxi (Longdu) | 錯 |
Wu | Shanghai | 錯 |
Suzhou | 錯 | |
Danyang | 賺 | |
Ningbo | 錯, 賺 | |
Wenzhou | 賺 | |
Xiang | Changsha | 錯, 左 |
Shuangfeng | 造, 錯 |
Antonyms
- 右 (yòu, “right”)
Pronunciation 2
Definitions
左
- † Original form of 佐 (zuǒ, “to assist”).
Compounds
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Descendants
- → Japanese: 左 (sa)
- → Korean: 좌(左) (jwa)
- → Vietnamese: tả (左)
Others:
- → Ahom: 𑜏𑜩 (say, “left”)
- → Bouyei: soix (“left”)
- → English: Tso, Zuo
- → Lao: ຊ້າຍ (sāi, “left”)
- → Shan: သၢႆႉ (sâ̰ai, “left”)
- → Thai: ซ้าย (sáai, “left”)
- → Zhuang: swix (“left”)
References
- “左”, 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), A01151
Japanese
Kanji
(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)
Readings
- Go-on: さ (sa, Jōyō)
- Kan-on: さ (sa, Jōyō)
- Kun: ひだり (hidari, 左, Jōyō)
Alternative forms
- 㔫
Compounds
- 左遷 (sasen)
- 左官 (sakan)
- 左派 (saha)
- 左右 (sayū)
- 左翼 (sayoku)
Etymology 1
Kanji in this term |
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左 |
ひだり Grade: 1 |
kun’yomi |
/hidari/: *[pidari] → [ɸidari] → [çidari].
From Old Japanese. First attested in the Kojiki of 712 CE.[1] From Proto-Japonic *pintari.
Pronunciation
- Kun’yomi
- (Tokyo) ひだり [hìdárí] (Heiban – [0])[2][3]
- IPA(key): [çida̠ɾʲi]
Noun
左 • (hidari)
- (direction) left, the side of the left hand
- 1603–1604, Nippo Jisho (page 229)
- Fidari. ヒダリ (左) 左手, または, 左の方
- 1999 August 10, “封印されし者の左腕 [Left Arm of the Sealed One]”, in 幻の召喚神 [Phantom God], Konami:
- 封印された左腕。封印を解くと、無限の力を得られる。
- Fūinsareta hidariude. Fūin o toku to, mugen no chikara o erareru.
- A sealed left arm. Whosoever breaks the seal shall earn infinite power.
- 封印された左腕。封印を解くと、無限の力を得られる。
- 1603–1604, Nippo Jisho (page 229)
- (politics) a leftist
Antonyms
- (left): 右 (migi, “right”)
Derived terms
- 左側 (hidarigawa)
- 左利き (hidarikiki)
- 左手 (hidarite)
- 左巻き (hidarimaki)
- 左上 (hidariue)
- 左下 (hidarishita)
- 右左 (migihidari)
Etymology 2
Kanji in this term |
---|
左 |
さ Grade: 1 |
on’yomi |
Middle Chinese 左
Pronunciation
- On’yomi
- (Tokyo) さ [sáꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])[2][3]
- IPA(key): [sa̠]
Noun
左 • (sa)
- the left in vertical writing
- the following (one)
- 1905–06, Natsume Sōseki, I Am a Cat (text here):
- 吾輩はまず彼がどのくらい無学であるかを試してみようと思って左の問答をして見た。
- Wagahai wa mazu kare ga dono kurai mugaku de aru ka o tameshite miyō to omotte sa no mondō o shite mita.
- To judge just how uneducated he was, I posed the following question.
- 吾輩はまず彼がどのくらい無学であるかを試してみようと思って左の問答をして見た。
- 1905–06, Natsume Sōseki, I Am a Cat (text here):
Prefix
左 • (sa-)
- to the left; on the left side
- (historical, government) "of the left", senior or superior to 右 (u-, “of the right”)
- 左衛門
- Saemon
- the Gate Guard of the Left
- 左大臣
- Sadaijin
- the Minister of the Left
- 左衛門
References
- “左”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”) (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN
- 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
- Doi, Tadao (1603–1604) Hōyaku Nippo Jisho (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, published 1980, →ISBN.
Korean
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 左 (MC t͡sɑX).
Historical readings |
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|
Pronunciation
- (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [t͡ɕwa̠(ː)]
- Phonetic hangul: [좌(ː)]
- Though still prescriptive in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.
Hanja
Wikisource左 (eumhun 왼 좌 (oen jwa))
- Hanja form? of 좌 (“left (direction)”).
Derived terms
- 좌파 (左派, jwapa)
- 좌우 (左右, jwau)
- 좌익 (左翼, jwaik)
- 좌천 (左遷, jwacheon)
- 좌측 (左側, jwacheuk)
- 좌향좌 (左向左, jwahyangjwa)
- 좌수사 (左水使, jwasusa)
- 좌승지 (左承旨, jwaseungji)
- 좌익수 (左翼手, jwaiksu)
- 좌의정 (左議政, jwauijeong)
- 좌우지간 (左右之間, jwaujigan)
- 좌지우지 (左之右之, jwajiuji)
References
- 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전/電子字典.
Okinawan
Kanji in this term |
---|
左 |
ひじゃい Grade: 1 |
kun’yomi |
Etymology
From Proto-Ryukyuan *pidari, from Proto-Japonic *pintari. Cognate with Japanese 左 (hidari).
Noun
左 (hiragana ひじゃい, rōmaji hijai)
- (direction) left
Vietnamese
Han character
左: Hán Nôm readings: tả, tá
- left (direction)