益

益	U+76CA, 益 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-76CA

← 盉
[U+76C9]

CJK Unified Ideographs

盋 →
[U+76CB]

益	U+FA17, 益 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-FA17

← 猪
[U+FA16]

CJK Compatibility Ideographs

礼 →
[U+FA18]

益	U+FAA6, 益 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-FAA6

← 瘟
[U+FAA5]

CJK Compatibility Ideographs

盛 →
[U+FAA7]

Translingual

Alternative forms

In Korean hanja, the upper component of the character is written 八 instead of 丷, which is also the historical form found in the Kangxi dictionary.
A CJK compatibility ideograph exists at U+FA17 for the historical form found in the Kangxi dictionary which contains 八 as its upper component.
A CJK compatibility ideograph exists at U+FAA6 for the alternative hanja used in North Korea which contains 丷 as its upper component.

Han character

益 (Kangxi radical 108, 皿+5, 10 strokes, cangjie input 廿金月廿 (TCBT), four-corner 8010₇, composition ⿳䒑八皿(GHTJV or U+FAA6) or ⿱⿳八一八皿(K or U+FA17))

Derived characters

𪝞, 𭂚, 𭄷, 嗌, 塧, 㜋, 𡺬, 𭛃, 𭛽, 𪬘, 搤, 溢, 獈, 隘, 膉, 榏, 㱲, 𬎃, 䅬, 𮄷, 縊(缢), 𬙻, 𫆌, 艗, 螠, 謚(谥), 貖, 賹, 𬦜, 𬧬, 𨢘, 㬲, 𡒪, 鎰(镒), 𥂺, 𤐹, 𩝱, 𪤴, 𪕶, 齸, 𥃠
𪟢, 𨜶, 𣣼, 𬐭, 䚊, 𭘺, 𩔱, 𭾓, 鷁(鹢), 𧔈, 蠲, 𨽪, 𭗆, 𦶩, 𤸸, 𨶂, 𦿯

References

KangXi: page 793, character 18
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 22972
Dae Jaweon: page 1208, character 18
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2560, character 6
Unihan data for U+76CA
Unihan data for U+FA17
Unihan data for U+FAA6

Chinese

simp. and trad.		益
alternative forms		𠍳 ancient form

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
隘	*qreːɡs
賹	*qreːɡs
搤	qreːɡs, qreːɡ
縊	qleːɡs, qleɡs
螠	*qleɡs
謚	ɢliɡs, qleɡ
諡	*ɢliɡs
蠲	*kʷliːŋ
溢	*liɡ
鎰	*liɡ
齸	lig, qleg
貖	*qreːɡ
益	*qleɡ
嗌	*qleɡ
膉	*qleɡ
鷁	*ŋɡleːɡ
艗	*ŋɡleːɡ

Ideogrammic compound (會意) : 水 (“water”) + 皿 (“vessel”). Original form of 溢 (OC *liɡ, “to overflow”). Upper component resembles 氺 (“water”) in a horizontal form.

Etymology

Bodman (1980) relates it to Tibetan སྐྱེད (skyed, “growth; increase; profit; to generate”), སྐྱེ (skye, “to be born”).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): yì (yi⁴)
(Zhuyin): ㄧˋ
(Chengdu, SP): yi²
(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): йи (yi, III)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou, Jyutping): jik¹
(Taishan, Wiktionary): yet²
Gan (Wiktionary): it⁶
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): yit
(Meixian, Guangdong): yid⁵
Jin (Wiktionary): ieh⁴
Min Bei (KCR): ĭ
Min Dong (BUC): ék
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): iah / ek / iak
(Teochew, Peng'im): iah⁴
Wu (Wiktionary): iq (T4)
Xiang (Wiktionary): i⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: yì
  - Zhuyin: ㄧˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yì
  - Wade–Giles: i⁴
  - Yale: yì
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yih
  - Palladius: и (i)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /i⁵¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: yi²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: i
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /i²¹/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: йи (yi, III)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /i⁴⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: jik¹
  - Yale: yīk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: jik⁷
  - Guangdong Romanization: yig¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɪk̚⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: yet²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jet̚⁵⁵/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: it⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /it̚⁵/
Hakka
- (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yit
  - Hakka Romanization System: id`
  - Hagfa Pinyim: yid⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /it̚²/
- (Southern Sixian, incl. Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yit
  - Hakka Romanization System: (r)id`
  - Hagfa Pinyim: yid⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /(j)it̚²/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: yid⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /it̚¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: ieh⁴
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /iəʔ²/
Min Bei
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ĭ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /i²⁴/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: ék
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɛiʔ²⁴/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iah
  - Tâi-lô: iah
  - Phofsit Daibuun: iaq
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /iaʔ³²/
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /iaʔ⁵/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ek
  - Tâi-lô: ik
  - Phofsit Daibuun: eg
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /iɪk̚³²/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iak
  - Tâi-lô: iak
  - Phofsit Daibuun: iag
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /iak̚⁵/

Note:

iah - vernacular;
iak/ek - literary.

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: iah⁴
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: iah
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /iaʔ²/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: iq (T4)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /i̯ɪʔ⁵⁵/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: i⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /i²⁴/

Middle Chinese: /ʔiᴇk̚/

Rime
Character	益
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	影 (34)
Final (韻)	清 (123)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	伊昔切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔiᴇk̚/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔiɛk̚/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔiæk̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔiajk̚/
Li Rong	/ʔiɛk̚/
Wang Li	/ĭɛk̚/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʔi̯ɛk̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jik¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*q[i]k/
(Zhengzhang): /*qleɡ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	益
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yì
Middle Chinese	‹ ʔjiek ›
Old Chinese	/q[i]k/ (dialect: -ik > *-ek)
English	increase
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	益
Reading #	1/1
No.	15081
Phonetic component	益
Rime group	錫
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	益
Old Chinese	/*qleɡ/

Definitions

益

(obsolete) Original form of 溢 (yì, “to overflow”).
- 澭水暴益，荊人弗知。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  澭水暴益，荆人弗知。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE
  Yōngshuǐ bào yì, Jīng rén fú zhī. [Pinyin]
  The Yong River suddenly overflowed, but the Chu people did not know.
(literary) affluent; well-off
to increase; to add; to cause gain
Antonym: 損／损 (sǔn)
延年益壽／延年益寿 ― yánniányìshòu ― to prolong life
- 為學日益，為道日損。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  为学日益，为道日损。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Tao Te Ching, 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Wéixué rì yì, wéidào rì sǔn. [Pinyin]
  He who devotes himself to learning seeks from day to day to increase; he who devotes himself to the Dao seeks from day to day to diminish.
- 於是出私金以益公賞。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  于是出私金以益公赏。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE
  Yúshì chū sījīn yǐ yì gōngshǎng. [Pinyin]
  Thus he expended his private money to add to the official rewards.
profit; benefit; gain
收益 ― shōuyì ― profit
開卷有益／开卷有益 ― kāijuǎnyǒuyì ― reading is beneficial
(literary) more; further; even more
日益 ― rìyì ― day by day; increasingly
- 如水益深，如火益熱，亦運而已矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  如水益深，如火益热，亦运而已矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE
  Rú shuǐ yì shēn, rú huǒ yì rè, yì yùn éryǐ yǐ. [Pinyin]
  If you make the water more deep and the fire more fierce, they will in like manner make another revolution.
42nd hexagram of the I Ching
(Cantonese) to benefit; to advantage
淨係益自己友 [Cantonese, trad.]
净系益自己友 [Cantonese, simp.]
zing⁶ hai⁶ jik¹ zi⁶ gei² jau^5-2 [Jyutping]
to only benefit people in one's own circle

Synonyms

(more):

edit

Synonyms of 益

加二 (Wu)
加偌 (Min Nan)
又加 (Wu)
愈 (yù)
愈加 (yùjiā)
愈益 (yùyì)
更 (gèng)

更加 (gèngjiā)
罔 (wǎng) (Min Dong)
越 (yuè)
越加 (yuèjiā)
重 (zhòng) (Cantonese)
又閣較／又阁较 (Min Nan)

彌／弥 (mí) (literary)
愈發／愈发 (yùfā)
更見／更见 (Sichuan)
益發／益发 (yìfā)
越發／越发 (yuèfā)
閣較／阁较 (Min Nan)

Compounds

Derived terms from 益

三益
伯益
便益
公益 (gōngyì)
公益捐
公益金 (gōngyìjīn)
冇益
利益 (lìyì)
助益 (zhùyì)
受益 (shòuyì)
受益人
同益 (Tóngyì)
增益 (zēngyì)
多多益善 (duōduōyìshàn)
大有助益
得益 (déyì)
收益 (shōuyì)
效益 (xiàoyì)
教益 (jiàoyì)
文益
新益 (Xīnyì)
既得利益 (jìdé lìyì)
日增月益
日滋月益
日益 (rìyì)
日益月滋
曾益
有益 (yǒuyì)
本益比
李益
毗益
益友 (yìyǒu)
益古演段
益州
益智 (yìzhì)
益智班
益母草 (yìmǔcǎo)
益者三友
相得益彰 (xiāngdéyìzhāng)

私益
精益求精 (jīngyìqiújīng)
能源效益
良朋益友
裒多益寡
裨益 (bìyì)
附益 (fùyì)
黈益
一謙四益／一谦四益
不無小益／不无小益
保險利益／保险利益
兌換利益／兑换利益
公益事業／公益事业 (gōngyì shìyè)
公益廣告／公益广告 (gōngyì guǎnggào)
公益軟體／公益软体
公賣利益／公卖利益
共益權／共益权
利益團體／利益团体 (lìyì tuántǐ)
利益均霑／利益均沾
利益輸送／利益输送
受益憑證／受益凭证
受益無窮／受益无穷
受益費／受益费
多多益辦／多多益办
延年益壽／延年益寿 (yánniányìshòu)
徒勞無益／徒劳无益
徒費無益／徒费无益
損上益下／损上益下
損人益己／损人益己
損益／损益 (sǔnyì)
收益稅／收益税
斟酌損益／斟酌损益
日益壯大／日益壮大
有損無益／有损无益
業主權益／业主权益
權益／权益 (quányì)
欲益反損／欲益反损
求益反損／求益反损
治絲益棼／治丝益棼

潤益／润益
無益／无益 (wúyì)
營業利益／营业利益
獨享權益／独享权益
獲益／获益 (huòyì)
獲益不淺／获益不浅
獲益匪淺／获益匪浅 (huòyìfěiqiǎn)
獲益良多／获益良多 (huòyìliángduō)
益上損下／益上损下
益壽／益寿 (yìshòu)
益壽延年／益寿延年 (yìshòuyánnián)
益智圖／益智图
益氣／益气 (yìqì)
益氣生津／益气生津
益無忌憚／益无忌惮
益發／益发 (yìfā)
益者三樂／益者三乐
益處／益处 (yìchù)
益蟲／益虫 (yìchóng)
益謙虧盈／益谦亏盈
益鳥／益鸟 (yìniǎo)
窮且益堅／穷且益坚
窮當益堅／穷当益坚
純益／纯益
老當益壯／老当益壮 (lǎodāngyìzhuàng)
股東權益／股东权益
自益權／自益权
良師益友／良师益友 (liángshīyìyǒu)
補益／补益 (bǔyì)
請益／请益
謙受益／谦受益
買菜求益／买菜求益
進益／进益 (jìnyì)
邊際利益／边际利益
錢謙益／钱谦益
開卷有益／开卷有益 (kāijuànyǒuyì)
集思廣益／集思广益 (jísīguǎngyì)
饒益／饶益

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (益):

→ Japanese: 益(えき) (eki); 益(やく) (yaku)
→ Korean: 익(益) (ik)
→ Vietnamese: ích (益)

Others:

→ Thai: อีก (ìik, “again, (do something) more”)

Japanese

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

Kanji

益

(grade 5 “Kyōiku” kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 益)

benefit
gain
profit
advantage

Readings

Go-on: やく (yaku, Jōyō ^†)
Kan-on: えき (eki, Jōyō)
Kun: ます (masu, 益す); ますます (masumasu, 益)
Nanori: あり (ari); すすむ (susumu); のり (nori); まし (mashi); ます (masu); また (mata); み (mi); みつ (mitsu); やす (yasu); よし (yoshi)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
益
えき Grade: 5
kan’on

From Middle Chinese 益 (MC ʔiᴇk̚, “increase”). The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing.

Pronunciation

On’yomi: Kan’on

(Tokyo) えき [èkí] (Heiban – [0])[2][3]
(Tokyo) えき [éꜜkì] (Atamadaka – [1])[2][3]
IPA^(key): [e̞kʲi]

Noun

益(えき) • (eki)

benefit
profit

Derived terms

益(えき)獣(じゅう) (ekijū)
益(えき)虫(ちゅう) (ekichū)
益(えき)鳥(ちょう) (ekichō)
益(えき)する (ekisuru)
共(きょう)益(えき) (kyōeki)
公(こう)益(えき) (kōeki)
国(こく)益(えき) (kokueki)
実(じつ)益(えき) (jitsueki)
収(しゅう)益(えき) (shūeki)
損(そん)益(えき) (son'eki)
無(む)益(えき) (mueki)
有(ゆう)益(えき) (yūeki)
利(り)益(えき) (rieki)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
益
やく Grade: 5
goon

From Middle Chinese 益 (MC ʔiᴇk̚, “increase”). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing.

Pronunciation

On’yomi: Goon

(Tokyo) やく [yáꜜkù] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
IPA^(key): [ja̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

益(やく) • (yaku)

benefit

Derived terms

ご-利(り)益(やく) (go-riyaku), 御(ご)-利(り)益(やく) (go-riyaku)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
益
ますます Grade: 5
kun’yomi

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

【ますます】

[adverb] even more

Alternative spellings
益々, 増々, 増す増す, 益

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

References

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

Korean

Hanja

益 (eumhun 더할 익 (deohal ik))

Hanja form^? of 익 (“gain; benefit”).

Compounds

공익 (公益, gong'ik)
권익 (權益, gwonik)
수익 (收益, su'ik)
유익 (有益, yuik)
이익 (利益, iik)
편익 (便益, pyeonik)
다다익선 (多多益善, dadaikseon)

Vietnamese

Han character

益: Hán Việt readings: ích (伊(y)昔(tích)切(thiết))[1][2][3][4][5]
益: Nôm readings: ích[1][2][4][6], ịch[3][5]

chữ Hán form of ích (“benefit”).
Nôm form of ịch (“thud”).

Compounds

有益 (hữu ích)
利益 (lợi ích)
無益 (vô ích)

References

Nguyễn (2014).
Nguyễn et al. (2009).
Trần (2004).
Bonet (1899).
Génibrel (1898).
Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).

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

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

[NHK-3] 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN

[tdcndg-4] Nguyễn (2014).

[tdcntd-5] Nguyễn et al. (2009).

[gdhn-6] Trần (2004).

[bonet-7] Bonet (1899).

[genibrel-8] Génibrel (1898).

[taberd-9] Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).