備

備 U+2F809, 備 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F809 ← 偺 CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement 僧 →

Translingual

Han character

備 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+10, 12 strokes, cangjie input 人廿竹月 (OTHB), four-corner 2422₇, composition ⿰亻𤰇 (GT) or ⿰亻⿱卄⿸厂用 (JK))

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 113, character 21
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 967
• Dae Jaweon: page 241, character 11
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 200, character 8
• Unihan data for U+5099

• Unihan data for U+2F809

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 備
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	Ancient script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts
Bronze inscriptions b12291 b12292 b12293 b12294 b12295 Transcribed ancient scripts L35726 L35727 L19650 L19651 L19652 L19653 L19654
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 (形聲／形声, OC *brɯɡs) and ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : a person (亻) carrying a quiver (𤰈 OC *bɯɡ) – "ready; prepared".

Etymology

Area word; compare Burmese ပြင် (prang, “to get ready; to prepare”), Jingpho hpra (pʰraʔ³¹, “to complete”), Mon ပြေၚ် (“to prepare; to arrange for”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

Definitions

備

1. to prepare

   備而不用／备而不用  ―  bèi'érbùyòng  ―  to have something ready just in case; to keep something for possible future use

   • 孔明索紙筆，屏退左右，密書十六字曰：「欲破曹公，宜用火攻；萬事俱備，只欠東風。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     孔明索纸笔，屏退左右，密书十六字曰：「欲破曹公，宜用火攻；万事俱备，只欠东风。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14^th century CE

     Kǒngmíng suǒ zhǐbǐ, píngtuì zuǒyòu, mì shū shíliù zì yuē: “Yù pò Cáo gōng, yí yòng huǒgōng; wànshì jù bèi, zhǐ qiàn dōngfēng.”

     Kongming asked for papers and pen, dismissed the attendants, then secretly wrote sixteen words: "To defeat Lord Cao, must use fire attack; everything is ready, only missing the easternly wind."

2. to provide or prepare against; to take precautions against

   攻其不備／攻其不备  ―  gōngqíbùbèi  ―  to attack when the enemy is unprepared

   以備不時之需／以备不时之需  ―  yǐ bèi bùshízhīxū  ―  for unexpected future use

   • 君子曰：「不備不虞，不可以師。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     君子曰：「不备不虞，不可以师。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Jūnzǐ yuē: “Bùbèi bùyú, bùkěyǐ shī.”

     The gentleman said: "One who is not prepared against the unexpected cannot command troops."

   • 將兵北屯下曲陽，備匈奴。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     将兵北屯下曲阳，备匈奴。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of the Later Han, circa 5^th century CE

     Jiāng bīng běitún Xiàqūyáng, bèi Xiōngnú.

     (Ma Wu) led his troops, whom he stationed north – at Xiaquyang – to defend against the Xiongnu.

3. equipment

   軍備／军备  ―  jūnbèi  ―  armament; arms

4. to possess

   才德兼備／才德兼备  ―  cáidéjiānbèi  ―  to possess both ability and integrity

5. complete

   • 居惡在。仁是也。路惡在。義是也。居仁由義、大人之事備矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     居恶在。仁是也。路恶在。义是也。居仁由义、大人之事备矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Jū wū zài. Rén shì yě. Lù wū zài. Yì shì yě. Jūrén yóuyì, dàrén zhī shìbèi yǐ.

     Wherever you dwell, make it Humane; whatever course you travel, make it Just. Abiding in humaneness and acting through fairness—this is how the great man completes his work

   • 周公謂魯公曰：「君子不施其親，不使大臣怨乎不以。故舊，無大故，則不棄也。無求備於一人。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     周公谓鲁公曰：「君子不施其亲，不使大臣怨乎不以。故旧，无大故，则不弃也。无求备于一人。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

     Zhōugōng wèi Lǔgōng yuē: “Jūnzǐ bù chí qí qīn, bù shǐ dàchén yuàn hū bù yǐ. Gùjiù, wú dàgù, zé bù qì yě. Wú qiú bèi yú yīrén.”

     The Duke of Zhou said to Duke of Lu: "The gentleman does not neglect his kinsmen, does not make the great ministers grudge over being not used, and certainly does not reject old friends without great causes. Neither does he not seek perfection in one man."

6. fully

   備受關注／备受关注  ―  bèi shòu guānzhù  ―  to attract a lot of attention

   • 乃命冢宰，農事備收。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     乃命冢宰，农事备收。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE

     Nǎi mìng zhǒngzǎi, nóngshì bèi shōu.

     Orders are also given to the chief minister, after the fruits of husbandry have all been gathered in,

Compounds

Japanese

Kanji

(grade 5 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. equip, provision

Readings

• Go-on: び (bi, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: ひ (hi)
• Kun: そなえる (sonaeru, 備える, Jōyō); そなわる (sonawaru, 備わる, Jōyō); つぶさに (tsubusani, 備に)
• Nanori: そなう (sonau); たる (taru); とも (tomo); なが (naga); なり (nari); のぶ (nobu); まさ (masa); みつ (mitsu); みな (mina); よ (yo); よし (yoshi); より (yori)

Compounds

• 備(び)蓄(ちく) (bichiku, “emergency stores”)
• 備(び)品(ひん) (bihin, “fixtures”)
• 準(じゅん)備(び) (junbi, “preparation”)
• 装(そう)備(び) (sōbi, “equipment”)

Usage notes

The printed form of this character typically differs from its handwritten form, with the latter nearly matching the Traditional Chinese form.

Korean

Hanja

備 (eumhun 갖출 비 (gatchul bi))

1. Hanja form^? of 비 (“equip, provision”).

Compounds

• 준비 (準備, junbi, “preparation”)
• 비축 (備蓄, bichuk, “reserve”)

Vietnamese

Han character

備: Hán Nôm readings: bị, bẹ, bợ, vựa

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