係

Translingual

Han character

係 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+7, 9 strokes, cangjie input 人竹女火 (OHVF), four-corner 2229₃, composition ⿰亻系)

Derived characters

• 喺, 𦵠, 𨵺

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 104, character 4
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 663
• Dae Jaweon: page 220, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 164, character 8
• Unihan data for U+4FC2

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 係
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts
Small seal script s05880 Transcribed ancient scripts L20298 L35898 L35899 L35900 L35901
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *keːɡs) : semantic 人 + phonetic 系 (OC *ɡeːɡs).

The simplified form 系 also exists as a traditional character, and is also used to simplify 繫. In ancient times, 系, 係, and 繫 were usually interchangeable graphic variants, although in some compounds, only one form is acceptable (e.g. 世系 and 繋辭／繋辞).

Pronunciation

Definitions

係

1. to relate; to bear on
2. to tie; to bind
3. (formal or Cantonese, Hakka) to be (copula)

   其母係北京人。／其母系北京人。  ―  Qí mǔ xì Běijīngrén.  ―  His mother is a native of Beijing.

   烏龍茶係茶嘅一種。 [Guangzhou Cantonese, trad.]
   乌龙茶系茶嘅一种。 [Guangzhou Cantonese, simp.]

   wu¹ lung^4-2 caa⁴ hai⁶ caa⁴ ge³ jat¹ zung².

   Oolong tea is a type of tea.

4. (Cantonese, Hakka) yes (as answer to a question)

Usage notes

• (Cantonese) Not to be confused with 喺 (hai2).
• (Cantonese, Hakka) 係／系 is used in vernacular contexts, while 是 (shì) is used in literary or formal contexts.

Synonyms

Compounds

Descendants

• → Vietnamese: hễ

Japanese

Kanji

(grade 3 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: げ (ge)
• Kan-on: けい (kei, Jōyō)
• Kun: かかる (kakaru, 係る, Jōyō); かかり (kakari, 係, Jōyō); かかわる (kakawaru, 係わる); つながり (tsunagari)

Compounds

• 係(けい)船(せん) (keisen)
• 係(けい)争(そう) (keisō)
• 係(けい)属(ぞく) (keizoku)
• 係(けい)留(りゅう) (keiryū)
• 連(れん)係(けい) (renkei)
• 係(かかり)助(じょ)詞(し) (kakarijoshi), 係(かか)り助(じょ)詞(し) (kakarijoshi)

Noun

係(かかり) • (kakari) 

1. person in charge; person responsible

Alternative forms

• 掛かり (かかり, kakari)

Suffix

係(がかり) • (-gakari) 

1. person in charge; person responsible

   カメラ係(がかり)

   kamera-gakari

   cameraman

   撮(さつ)影(えい)係(がかり)

   satsuei-gakari

   photographer

Alternative forms

• (in titles of public office) 掛(がかり) (-gakari)

Descendants

• → Indonesian: gakari

Korean

Hanja

係 (eumhun 맬 계 (mael gye))

1. Hanja form^? of 계 (“connection”).

Compounds

• 관계 (關係, gwan'gye, “relationship”)

Vietnamese

Han character

係: Hán Nôm readings: hệ, hể, hề, hễ

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

References

• Nom Foundation