柄

柄	U+67C4, 柄 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-67C4

← 柃
[U+67C3]

CJK Unified Ideographs

柅 →
[U+67C5]

Translingual

Han character

柄 (Kangxi radical 75, 木+5, 9 strokes, cangjie input 木一人月 (DMOB), four-corner 4192₇, composition ⿰木丙)

Derived characters

𫪲

References

KangXi: page 518, character 8
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 14603
Dae Jaweon: page 906, character 9
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1179, character 2
Unihan data for U+67C4

Chinese

simp. and trad.		柄

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
更	kraːŋ, kraːŋs
粳	*kraːŋ
埂	kraːŋ, kraːŋʔ
浭	*kraːŋ
稉	*kraːŋ
梗	*kraːŋʔ
哽	*kraːŋʔ
綆	*kraːŋʔ
鯁	*kraːŋʔ
挭	*kraːŋʔ
骾	*kraːŋʔ
郠	*kraːŋʔ
硬	ŋɡraːŋs, ŋɡraːŋs
鞕	*ŋɡraːŋs
丙	*pqraŋʔ
炳	*praŋʔ
邴	praŋʔ, praŋs
怲	praŋʔ, praŋs
苪	*praŋʔ
蛃	*praŋʔ
昺	*praŋʔ
昞	*praŋʔ
窉	*praŋʔ
柄	praŋʔ, praŋs
鈵	*praŋs
寎	*praŋs
病	*braŋs

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *praŋʔ, *praŋs) : semantic 木 (“wood”) + phonetic 丙 (OC *pqraŋʔ) – a wooden handle.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): bǐng, bìng (bing³, bing⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄅㄧㄥˇ, ㄅㄧㄥˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): beng³, bing³
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): pìⁿ / pèⁿ / pèng
(Teochew, Peng'im): bên³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: bǐng
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄧㄥˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: bǐng
  - Wade–Giles: ping³
  - Yale: bǐng
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: biing
  - Palladius: бин (bin)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /piŋ²¹⁴/
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: bìng
  - Zhuyin: ㄅㄧㄥˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: bìng
  - Wade–Giles: ping⁴
  - Yale: bìng
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: binq
  - Palladius: бин (bin)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /piŋ⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: beng³, bing³
  - Yale: beng, bing
  - Cantonese Pinyin: beng³, bing³
  - Guangdong Romanization: béng³, bing³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɛːŋ³³/, /pɪŋ³³/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Taipei, Xiamen)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pìⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: pìnn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: pvix
  - IPA (Xiamen): /pĩ²¹/
  - IPA (Taipei): /pĩ¹¹/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /pĩ⁴¹/
- (Hokkien: Kaohsiung, Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pèⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: pènn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: pvex
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /pɛ̃²¹/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /pẽ²¹/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pèng
  - Tâi-lô: pìng
  - Phofsit Daibuun: pexng
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /piɪŋ⁴¹/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /piɪŋ²¹/

Note:

pìⁿ/pèⁿ - vernacular;
pèng - literary.

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: bên³
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: pèⁿ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /pẽ²¹³/

Middle Chinese: /pˠiæŋ^H/

Rime
Character	柄
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	幫 (1)
Final (韻)	庚 (111)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	陂病切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/pˠiæŋ^H/
Pan Wuyun	/pᵚiaŋ^H/
Shao Rongfen	/piaŋ^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/piajŋ^H/
Li Rong	/piɐŋ^H/
Wang Li	/pĭɐŋ^H/
Bernard Karlgren	/pi̯ɐŋ^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	bìng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	bing³

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*[p]raŋʔ-s/
(Zhengzhang): /*praŋʔ/, /*praŋs/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	柄
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	bìng
Middle Chinese	‹ pjæng^H ›
Old Chinese	/*[p]raŋʔ-s/
English	handle (n.)
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	柄	柄
Reading #	1/2	2/2
No.	892	893
Phonetic component	丙	丙
Rime group	陽	陽
Rime subdivision	0	0
Corresponding MC rime	丙	柄
Old Chinese	/*praŋʔ/	/*praŋs/

Definitions

柄

handle (of an axe, implement, etc.)
手柄 ― shǒubǐng ― handle
椅柄 [Cantonese] ― ji¹ beng³ [Jyutping] ― seat handle
stem (of a flower, leaf, fruit, etc.)
(literary, or in compounds) mistake which can be used against someone
(literary, or in compounds) power; authority
(literary, or in compounds) to wield; to be in control of
(Cantonese, transitive) Alternative form of 偋 (bìng, “to hide”).
(dialectal) Classifier for something with a handle.

Synonyms

(handle): 把 (bà)
(power):

edit

手欛子 (Xiang)
權利／权利 (quánlì)

權力／权力 (quánlì)
權柄／权柄 (quánbǐng)

權限／权限 (quánxiàn)
職權／职权 (zhíquán)

(to wield):

edit

Synonyms of 柄

主宰 (zhǔzǎi)
克制 (kèzhì)
克治 (kèzhì) (literary)
君 (jūn) (literary)
局限 (júxiàn)
左右 (zuǒyòu)
把 (bǎ)
把持 (bǎchí)
把控 (bǎkòng)
抑制 (yìzhì)
抵制 (dǐzhì)
拘束 (jūshù)
按 (àn)
按捺 (ànnà) (usually in the negative)
掌控 (zhǎngkòng)
掌握 (zhǎngwò)
控 (kòng) (literary, or in compounds)

控制 (kòngzhì)
提控 (tíkòng) (literary)
操控 (cāokòng)
支配 (zhīpèi)
束 (shù) (literary, or in compounds)
框 (kuàng)
管制 (guǎnzhì)
管束 (guǎnshù)
裁 (cái) (literary, or in compounds)
遏抑 (èyì) (literary)
限 (xiàn) (formal, or in compounds)
限乏 (Xiamen Hokkien)
限制 (xiànzhì)
主張／主张 (zhǔzhāng) (archaic)
制約／制约 (zhìyuē)
執掌／执掌 (zhízhǎng)
壓制／压制 (yāzhì)

撙節／撙节 (zǔnjié)
撥弄／拨弄 (bōnòng)
操縱／操纵 (cāozòng)
擺佈／摆布 (bǎibù)
擺治／摆治 (bǎizhì) (regional)
收斂／收敛 (shōuliǎn)
束縛／束缚 (shùfù)
禁錮／禁锢 (jìngù) (figurative)
積壓／积压 (jīyā) (figurative)
節制／节制 (jiézhì)
約束／约束 (yuēshù)
統御／统御 (tǒngyù) (literary)
統治／统治 (tǒngzhì)
羈束／羁束 (jīshù) (literary)
鎮／镇 (zhèn)
駕馭／驾驭 (jiàyù) (figurative)

Compounds

六柄
兵柄
刀柄 (dāobǐng)
大柄
太阿之柄
孢囊柄
尺土之柄
巴柄
把柄 (bǎbǐng)
授人以柄 (shòu rén yǐ bǐng)
政柄 (zhèngbǐng)
文柄
曲柄笠
朝柄

柄任
柄子
柄政 (bǐngzhèng)
柄用
柄臣
百年之柄
笑柄 (xiàobǐng)
胚柄
胸骨柄 (xiōnggǔbǐng)
花柄 (huābǐng)
菌柄 (jūnbǐng)
落人笑柄
蒴柄
魁柄

斗柄
劍柄／剑柄
國柄／国柄
執柄／执柄
機柄／机柄
權柄／权柄 (quánbǐng)
殺生之柄／杀生之柄
沒把柄／没把柄
沒頭脫柄／没头脱柄
箭柄魚／箭柄鱼
葉柄／叶柄 (yèbǐng)
話柄／话柄 (huàbǐng)
談柄／谈柄
貪權竊柄／贪权窃柄

References

“柄”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學／香港中文大学 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

柄

(common “Jōyō” kanji)

a handle, lever, knob
a design or pattern
one's build or character

Readings

Go-on: ひょう (hyō)^{←ひやう (fyau, historical)}
Kan-on: へい (hei, Jōyō)
Kan’yō-on: ひ (hi)
Kun: え (e, 柄, Jōyō)^{←え (e, historical)}^{←𛀁 (ye, ancient)}; かび (kabi, 柄); かい (kai, 柄); から (kara, 柄); がら (gara, 柄, Jōyō); つか (tsuka, 柄); つく (tsuku, 柄)
Nanori: から (kara); ら (ra)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
柄
え Grade: S
kun’yomi

Change in meaning from 枝 (e, historically ye, “branch, stem”).[1]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) え [è] (Heiban – [0])[2]
IPA^(key): [e̞]

Noun

柄(え) • (e)

a handle, a grip, a shaft, a haft
大(おお)鎌(がま)の柄(え)
ōgama no e
a snath, a scythe shaft

Synonyms

取(と)っ手(て), 取(とっ)手(て), 把(とっ)手(て) (totte)

Idioms

柄(え)の無(な)い所(ところ)に柄(え)をすげる (e no nai tokoro ni e o sugeru): “to attach a handle where there isn't one” → to strain credibility with one's words, to talk out one's ass

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
柄
かび Grade: S
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
穎

From Old Japanese. Used in the Kojiki. Generally regarded as cognate with 黴 (kabi, “mold”), from the shared idea of sprouts or shoots. Appears to be noun stem of Old Japanese verb かぶ (kabu) (source of modern Japanese 黴る, kabiru, “to go moldy”), with probable original meaning of to sprout.[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ka̠bʲi]

Noun

柄(かび) • (kabi)

(archaic) a sprout
(archaic) an ear of grain, particularly of rice
(archaic) the handle or grip of a tool, or hilt of a blade (by extension from the idea of “a smaller portion sticking out from the main body” like a sprout)

Usage notes

The grain sense is more commonly spelled 穎.

Synonyms

(sprout): 芽(め) (me)
(ear of grain): 穂(ほ) (ho), 穂(ほ)先(さき) (hosaki)
(handle): 柄(つか) (tsuka) (see below)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
柄
かい Grade: S
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
穎

/kabi/ → /kai/

Alteration of kabi.[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ka̠i]

Noun

柄(かい) • (kai) ^{←かひ (kafi)^?}

(archaic) see kabi above

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
柄
から Grade: S
kun’yomi

From Old Japanese. Origin of particle から (kara, “from, because”).[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ka̠ɾa̠]

Suffix

柄(から) • (-kara)

of the same lineage
the inherent qualities or characteristics of a thing

Usage notes

The lineage sense is often found embedded in other words, such as the first few of the following.

Derived terms

(lineage): 同胞(はらから) (harakara): “of the (same) belly” → a sibling, more specifically a sibling from the same mother
(lineage): 族(やから) (yakara): “of the (same) house” → a family member
(lineage): 親族(うから) (ukara): “of the (same) parents/ancestors” → a blood relative
(qualities): 神柄(かみから) (kamikara), 神柄(かむから) (kamukara): the true nature of a god
(qualities): 山柄(やまから) (yamakara): the nature or characteristics of a mountain

Noun

柄(から) • (kara)

(archaic) (by extension from the qualities sense) an origin or source, a reason for something

Usage notes

Often followed by the particle に (ni). This usage evolved into the modern particle から (kara, “from, because”).[1]

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
柄
から Grade: S
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
幹

In light of the stem sense, probably derived semantically from origin, source meanings.

Compare also Korean 가락 (garak), similarly used as a counter for long and slender objects.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ka̠ɾa̠]

Counter

柄(から) • (-kara)

used to count items with shafts

Noun

柄(から) • (kara)

the trunk or stem of a plant
the shaft of an arrow
the shaft, haft, or handle of a tool

Prefix

柄(から) • (kara-)

describes something with a stem, shaft, or handle

Usage notes

The shaft sense is often found embedded in other words, such as the following, which are often spelled with other kanji.

Derived terms

柄臼(からうす), 唐臼(からうす), 碓(からうす) (karausu): a kind of mortar and pestle with the pestle mounted on a long shaft for leverage
柄(から)秤(はかり), 唐(から)秤(はかり), 権(から)衡(はかり) (karahakari): a balance scale (as opposed to a spring scale)
柄(から)秤(ばかり), 唐(から)秤(ばかり), 権(から)衡(ばかり) (karabakari): same as above
柄楫(からかじ), 唐楫(からかじ) (karakaji): a tiller with a shafted handle
柄鋤(からすき), 唐鋤(からすき), 犂(からすき) (karasuki): a plow (literally, “a spade on a long shaft”)

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
柄
がら Grade: S
kun’yomi

Alteration of kara, “qualities, characteristics”. Originally only found as a suffix. The kara changes to gara as an instance of rendaku (連濁). The rendaku pronunciation was then later used independently.[1]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) がら [gàrá] (Heiban – [0])[2]
IPA^(key): [ɡa̠ɾa̠]

Suffix

柄(がら) • (-gara)

the inherent qualities or characteristics of a thing
a shape, pattern, or design

Derived terms

(qualities): 国(くに)柄(がら) (kunigara): a nation's (good) qualities; the state of a nation
(qualities): 人(ひと)柄(がら) (hitogara): a person's character
(qualities): 家(いえ)柄(がら) (iegara): a family's or household's station or standing in society
(qualities): 続(つづき)柄(がら), 続(つづ)き柄(がら) (tsuzukigara): one's immediate relations, such as parents or siblings
(qualities): 場(ば)所(しょ)柄(がら) (bashogara): the qualities of a place; that which is appropriate or suitable for a place
(qualities): 時(じ)節(せつ)柄(がら) (jisetsugara): the qualities of a time or season; that which is appropriate or suitable for a time or season
(shape): 花(はな)柄(がら) (hanagara): a flower pattern

Noun

柄(がら) • (gara)

one's physical shape or build
柄(がら)の大(おお)きいやつだな。
Gara no ōkii yatsu da na.
Wow, he's sure built big.
one's character, personality, or temperament
柄(がら)の悪(わる)い人(ひと)
gara no warui hito
a person with a bad character
a pattern or design, such as on cloth
あの柄(がら)は派手過(はです)ぎるよ。
Ano gara wa hade-sugiru yo.
That pattern is way too colorful.

Synonyms

(build): 体(から)付(だつ)き, 体(から)付(だつき) (karadatsuki); なり (nari)
(pattern): 模(も)様(よう) (moyō)

Idioms

柄(がら)にもない (gara ni mo nai): “not even in one's character” → just not in one, just not suitable for one's character or abilities

Etymology 7

Kanji in this term
柄
つか Grade: S
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
欛

Cognate with 束 (tsuka, ancient unit of length, equivalent to the amount covered from pinky to forefinger when gripping something; analogous to English hand).[1]

Both likely derive from verb 付く (tsuku, “to set to, to attach, to accompany”), particularly as seen in modern Japanese idioms such as 手を付ける (te o tsukeru, “to set one's hand to something”), 手が付く (te ga tsuku, “to start using something”, literally “one's hand sets on something”).

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) つか [tsùkáꜜ] (Odaka – [2])[2]
IPA^(key): [t͡sɨᵝka̠]

Noun

柄(つか) • (tsuka)

the hilt of a sword or knife, or the grip of a bow or staff
the portion of a brush pen held in the hand
a penis

Idioms

柄(つか)を握(にぎ)る (tsuka o nigiru): “to hold the grip” → to stay the course in a career or trade and become an old master
柄(つか)を取(と)る (tsuka o toru): “to take the grip” → to stay the course in a career or trade and become an old master

Etymology 8

Kanji in this term
柄
つく Grade: S
kun’yomi

Alternative spellings
銑釻

Nominalization of verb 付く (tsuku, “to attach”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [t͡sɨᵝkɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

柄(つく) • (tsuku)

the nock on either end of a bow where the bowstring rests
a bent nail or other kind of spike attached to or driven through an iron staff or a truncheon to make the weapon more dangerous
the areas on either end of a yoke or other carrying pole where cordage or rope is attached, from which the load is carried
the grip of a tiller, boathook, or other pole
(as a pun on the verb sense of stick to, attach) a female entertainer's or prostitute's secret lover

Usage notes

The grip sense is not spelled using the alternative forms, and is only spelled 柄 in kanji.

Synonyms

(secret male lover): 隠(かく)し男(おとこ), 隠(かくし)男(おとこ) (kakushi otoko)

Etymology 9

Kanji in this term
柄
ほぞ Grade: S
irregular

Alternative spellings
枘臍蔕

Ateji or misspelling for uncommon 表外字 (hyōgaiji, “off-the-chart character”, in reference to the chart of official educational kanji) character 枘 (hozo, “navel”, also generic term for something that protrudes slightly). Note that the right half of 柄 is 丙, with a top bar, while the right half of 枘 is 内, without a top bar.[1]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) ほぞ [hóꜜzò] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
(Tokyo) ほぞ [hóꜜzò] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
IPA^(key): [ho̞zo̞]

Noun

柄(ほぞ) • (hozo)

a tenon, as in a mortise and tenon carpentry join
(slang) a penis

References

1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

Korean

Hanja

柄 • (byeong) (hangeul 병, revised byeong, McCune–Reischauer pyŏng, Yale pyeng)

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

Vietnamese

Han character

柄: Hán Nôm readings: bính

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

[KDJ-1] 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan

[DJR-2] 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN