稀

See also: 希

稀	U+7A00, 稀 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-7A00

← 秿
[U+79FF]

CJK Unified Ideographs

稁 →
[U+7A01]

Translingual

Han character

稀 (Kangxi radical 115, 禾+7, 12 strokes, cangjie input 竹木大大月 (HDKKB), four-corner 2492₇, composition ⿰禾希)

Derived characters

𤏨, 𦻎, 𤏤

References

KangXi: page 853, character 10
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 25058
Dae Jaweon: page 1277, character 18
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2609, character 1
Unihan data for U+7A00

Chinese

simp. and trad.		稀
2nd round simp.		希
alternative forms		希

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
桸	hral, hlɯl
郗	*l̥ʰɯl
絺	*l̥ʰɯl
脪	l̥ʰɯl, hrɯnʔ, *hlɯns
瓻	*l̥ʰɯl
希	*hlɯl
晞	*hlɯl
莃	*hlɯl
鵗	*hlɯl
稀	*hlɯl
睎	*hlɯl
豨	hlɯl, hlɯlʔ
悕	*hlɯl
俙	hlɯl, hlɯlʔ
欷	hlɯl, hlɯls
浠	*hlɯl
唏	hlɯlʔ, hlɯls

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *hlɯl) and ideogrammic compound (會意) : semantic 禾 (“grain”) + phonetic 希 (OC *hlɯl, “rare; sparse”).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): xī (xi¹)
(Zhuyin): ㄒㄧ
(Chengdu, SP): xi¹
Cantonese (Jyutping): hei¹
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): hî
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): hi
(Teochew, Peng'im): hi¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: xī
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄧ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: si
  - Wade–Giles: hsi¹
  - Yale: syī
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shi
  - Palladius: си (si)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi⁵⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: xi¹
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xi
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: hei¹
  - Yale: hēi
  - Cantonese Pinyin: hei¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: héi¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hei̯⁵⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: hî
  - Hakka Romanization System: hi´
  - Hagfa Pinyim: hi¹
  - Sinological IPA: /hi²⁴/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hi
  - Tâi-lô: hi
  - Phofsit Daibuun: hy
  - IPA (Xiamen): /hi⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /hi³³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /hi⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Taipei): /hi⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /hi⁴⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: hi¹
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hi
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hi³³/

Middle Chinese: /hɨi/

Rime
Character	稀
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	曉 (32)
Final (韻)	微 (20)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	香衣切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/hɨi/
Pan Wuyun	/hɨi/
Shao Rongfen	/xiəi/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/hɨj/
Li Rong	/xiəi/
Wang Li	/xĭəi/
Bernard Karlgren	/xe̯i/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hei¹

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*hlɯl/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	稀
Reading #	1/1
No.	13254
Phonetic component	希
Rime group	微
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	希
Old Chinese	/*hlɯl/

Definitions

稀

rare; uncommon; scarce
sparse
diluted; thin
thin or watery thing
very

Synonyms

(dilute):

Dialectal synonyms of 稀 (“dilute; thin”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		稀
Mandarin	Beijing	稀
	Taiwan	稀
	Jinan	稀
	Xi'an	稀
	Wuhan	稀, 清
	Chengdu	清, 稀
	Yangzhou	稀, 消
	Hefei	稀, 消
Cantonese	Guangzhou	稀
	Hong Kong	稀
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	稀
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	清
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	鮮
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	稀
	Macau	稀
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	稀
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	稀
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	稀
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	青
	Foshan	稀
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	稀
	Foshan (Shunde)	稀
	Foshan (Sanshui)	稀
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	稀
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	稀
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	稀
	Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)	稀
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	稀
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	稀
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	稀
	Taishan	稀
	Kaiping (Chikan)	稀
	Enping (Niujiang)	稀
	Heshan (Yayao)	稀
	Dongguan	青
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	青
	Yangjiang	清
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	稀
Gan	Nanchang	清, 稀
Hakka	Meixian	鮮
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	稀
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	鮮
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	鮮
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	稀
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	鮮
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	鮮
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	鮮
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	鮮
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	鮮
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	鮮
	Hong Kong	鮮
	Senai (Huiyang)	鮮
Jin	Taiyuan	稀
Min Bei	Jian'ou	䭕
Min Dong	Fuzhou	清
Min Nan	Xiamen	漖, 飲
	Quanzhou	漖
	Zhangzhou	漖
	Chaozhou	漖, 𬓤
	Shantou	𬓤
	Shantou (Chenghai)	𬓤
	Jieyang	漖, 𬓤
	Bangkok (Teochew)	𬓤
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	𬓤
	Leizhou	浮
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	稀
Wu	Suzhou	薄
	Yuyao	薄, 朗
	Wenzhou	薄
Xiang	Changsha	清, 稀
Xiang	Shuangfeng	清, 稀

Antonyms

(thin): 稠 (chóu)

Compounds

七十瓦上霜，八十不稀奇 (qīshí wǎ shàng shuāng, bāshí bù xīqí)
不稀奇
不稀罕
依稀 (yīxī)
古稀 (gǔxī)
和稀泥 (huò xī ní)
地瘠人稀
年近古稀
年逾古稀
抹稀泥
拉稀 (lāxī)
月明星稀 (yuèmíngxīngxī)
稀世 (xīshì)
稀土元素 (xītǔ yuánsù)
稀奇 (xīqí)
稀奇古怪 (xīqí gǔguài)
稀客 (xīkè)

稀少 (xīshǎo)
稀微 (hi-bî) (Min Nan)
稀有 (xīyǒu)
稀泥 (xīní)
稀疏 (xīshū)
稀破
稀碎 (xīsuì)
稀稀疏疏
稀罕 (xīhan)
稀薄 (xībó)
稀行
稀零 (xīlíng)
音稀信杳
稀里打哄
人煙稀少／人烟稀少 (rényānxīshǎo)
人生七十古來稀／人生七十古来稀 (rénshēng qīshí gǔlái xī)
地廣人稀／地广人稀 (dìguǎngrénxī)

稀世珍寶／稀世珍宝 (xīshìzhēnbǎo)
稀巴爛／稀巴烂 (xībālàn)
稀有氣體／稀有气体 (xīyǒu qìtǐ)
稀有金屬／稀有金属
稀爛／稀烂 (xīlàn)
稀釋／稀释 (xīshì)
稀釋劑／稀释剂 (xīshìjì)
稀里嘩啦／稀里哗啦 (xīlǐhuālā)
稀飯／稀饭 (xīfàn)
稀鬆／稀松 (xīsōng)
稀鬆平常／稀松平常
綠暗紅稀／绿暗红稀
綠豆稀飯／绿豆稀饭
路斷人稀／路断人稀
路絕人稀／路绝人稀
躥稀／蹿稀 (cuānxī)
鴻稀鱗絕／鸿稀鳞绝

Japanese

Kanji

稀

(“Jinmeiyō” kanji used for names)

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

Readings

Go-on: け (ke)
Kan-on: き (ki)
Kun: まれ (mare); まばら (mabara)

Usage notes

In modern Japanese, 稀 is mostly replaced by 希, due to the deprecation of non-tōyō kanji caused by the Japanese script reform.

Japanese terms with 稀 replaced by daiyōji 希

希ガス

古希

希

希代

希少

希有

希薄

希釈

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
稀
き Jinmeiyō
on’yomi

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

【希き】4

[affix] rare; scarce

[affix] sparse; dilute

Alternative spellings
稀, け

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

Compounds

依(い)稀(き) (iki): faint, dim, vague, unclear
稀(き)元(げん)素(そ) (kigenso)
稀(き)釈(しゃく) (kishaku)
稀(き)少(しょう) (kishō)
稀(き)代(だい) (kidai)
稀(き)薄(はく) (kihaku)
稀(き)硫(りゅう)酸(さん) (kiryūsan)
古(こ)稀(き) (koki)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
稀
まれ Jinmeiyō
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
希

Adjective

稀(まれ) • (mare) -na (adnominal 稀(まれ)な (mare na), adverbial 稀(まれ)に (mare ni))

rare

Inflection

Inflection of 稀

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	稀だろ	まれだろ	mare daro
Continuative (連用形)	稀で	まれで	mare de
Terminal (終止形)	稀だ	まれだ	mare da
Attributive (連体形)	稀な	まれな	mare na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	稀なら	まれなら	mare nara
Imperative (命令形)	稀であれ	まれであれ	mare de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	稀ではない稀じゃない	まれではないまれじゃない	mare de wa nai mare ja nai
Informal past	稀だった	まれだった	mare datta
Informal negative past	稀ではなかった稀じゃなかった	まれではなかったまれじゃなかった	mare de wa nakatta mare ja nakatta
Formal	稀です	まれです	mare desu
Formal negative	稀ではありません稀じゃありません	まれではありませんまれじゃありません	mare de wa arimasen mare ja arimasen
Formal past	稀でした	まれでした	mare deshita
Formal negative past	稀ではありませんでした稀じゃありませんでした	まれではありませんでしたまれじゃありませんでした	mare de wa arimasen deshita mare ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	稀で	まれで	mare de
Conditional	稀なら（ば）	まれなら（ば）	mare nara (ba)
Provisional	稀だったら	まれだったら	mare dattara
Volitional	稀だろう	まれだろう	mare darō
Adverbial	稀に	まれに	mare ni
Degree	稀さ	まれさ	maresa

Korean

Hanja

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

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

Vietnamese

Han character

稀: Hán Việt readings: hi (香(hương)依(y)切(thiết))[1][2][3]
稀: Nôm readings: sè[2][3][4][5], si[6][3][5], sây[3][4][5], hì[2][6], sầy[2][6], hi[3][4], sề[1], hề[2], sì[2], sé[6]

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

References

Nguyễn et al. (2009).
Trần (2004).
Bonet (1899).
Génibrel (1898).
Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).
Hồ (1976).

[tdcntd-1] Nguyễn et al. (2009).

[gdhn-2] Trần (2004).

[bonet-3] Bonet (1899).

[genibrel-4] Génibrel (1898).

[taberd-5] Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).

[btcn-6] Hồ (1976).