其

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

其 (Kangxi radical 12, 八+6, 8 strokes, cangjie input 廿一一金 (TMMC), four-corner 4480₁, composition ⿴共𠄠)

Derived characters

• 倛 掑 唭 帺 猉 淇 娸 㙋 𡸷 㥍 騏 (骐) 琪 棋 𤊄 𦝁 祺 稘 䃆 褀 蜞 粸 綨 𦓿 䑴 踑 諆 𧯯 𨡨 錤 (𫓹) 鯕 (鲯) 鶀 麒 䶞
• 剘 𨛺 斯 期 欺 㪸 䫏 𤻓 䳢 𤿺 萁 箕 㐞 基 棊 朞 惎 㫷 碁 蜝 綦 諅 㠱 魌 旗 𣗍 簸 𫯔 𨿣

See also

• 甚

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 127, character 18
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 1472
• Dae Jaweon: page 286, character 10
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 245, character 1
• Unihan data for U+5176

Bala

Etymology

Cognate with Manchu ᠊ᠴᡳ (-ci).

Suffix

其 (-qi)

1. Used to form the ablative case.

References

• “The Only Known Text from Bala, an Extinct Tungusic Language”, in Studia Orientalia Electronica‎, volume 9, number 1, 2021, pages 173–191

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 其
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts
Transcribed ancient scripts L30282 L30283 L30284 L30285 L30286 L30287 L30288 L30289 L30290 L30291 L30292
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).

In the oracle bone script, it was originally 𠀠, a pictogram (象形) of a basket.

In the bronze inscriptions, 丌 was added under the basket to represent a stand. It may also have acted as a phonetic component.

Later borrowed for an Old Chinese pronoun. The derivative 箕 (OC *kɯ) refers to the original word.

Etymology

third-person possessive pronoun

Schuessler (2007) notes its origin is not certain because in the linguistic area pronouns tend to be of the shape KV (K=velar stop; V=vowel). Perhaps Sino-Tibetan; compare Mizo khi (“that”), Tibetan -ཀྱི, -གྱི (-kyi, -gyi, “genitive suffix”), but a Tibeto-Burman /a/ should be expected in this set. Alternatively, Proto-Austroasiatic *ki/ke ~ *ku/ko (“third person pronoun”) whose earliest form is perhaps *kɨ (Pinnow, 1965) appears to be phonologically closest to the OC word. 其 (OC *ɡɯ) may be related to 渠 (OC *ɡa, “he”).

modal particle "should; probably"

Probably cognate with 期 (OC *ɡɯ, “stipulated time; time”), 期 (OC *kɯ, “year”) (Serruys, 1982).

Pronunciation 1

Definitions

其

1. his; her; its; their

   各司其職／各司其职  ―  gèsīqízhí  ―  each person performs his own function

   • 子曰：「父在，觀其志；父沒，觀其行；三年無改於父之道，可謂孝矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子曰：「父在，观其志；父没，观其行；三年无改于父之道，可谓孝矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zǐ yuē: “Fù zài, guān qí zhì; fù mò, guān qí xíng; sān nián wú gǎi yú fù zhī dào, kěwèi xiào yǐ.”

     The Master said, "While a man's father is alive, look at the bent of his will; when his father is dead, look at his conduct. If for three years he does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial."

   • 臣弒其君可乎？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     臣弑其君可乎？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Chén shì qí jūn kě hū?

     May a minister then put his sovereign to death?

   • 甘橘，大厘城有之，其味酸。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: Tang Dynasty, Fan Chuo, Manshu, chapter 7, part 7

     Gānjú, Dàlí chéng yǒu zhī, qí wèi suān.

     Dali City has sweet tangerines, but their flavour is sour.

2. he; she; it; they; one

   投其所好  ―  tóuqísuǒhào  ―  to adapt to somebody's taste (lit. to cater to that which one likes)

3. that; those

   • 臣竊以為其人勇士，有智謀。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     臣窃以为其人勇士，有智谋。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Chén qiè yǐwèi qí rén yǒngshì, yǒu zhìmóu.

     In my humble opinion that person is brave and wise.

   • 惑而不從師，其為惑也，終不解矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     惑而不从师，其为惑也，终不解矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 8th–9th century, 韓愈 (Han Yu), 師說 (Shīshuō)

     Huò ér bù cóngshī, qí wéi huò yě, zhōng bù jiě yǐ.

     If one is confused yet does not learn from a teacher, those doubts can never be cleared.

4. (literary) among which; therein

   • 寺僧使小僮持斧，於亂石間，擇其一二叩之，硿硿然。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     寺僧使小僮持斧，于乱石间，择其一二叩之，硿硿然。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1084, 蘇軾 (Su Shi), 石鐘山記

     Sìsēng shǐ xiǎotóng chí fǔ, yú luànshí jiān, zé qí yī'èr kòu zhī, kōngkōng rán.

     The temple monk let his young servant hold an axe, and among the rocks pick one or two spots and strike at them. A sonorous sound was produced.

5. (literary) probably; perhaps

   Synonyms: 大概 (dàgài), 或許／或许 (huòxǔ)

   • 知進退存亡而不失其正者，其唯聖人乎！ [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     知进退存亡而不失其正者，其唯圣人乎！ [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: I Ching, 11^th – 8^th century BCE

     Zhī jìntuì cúnwáng ér bù shī qí zhèng zhě, qí wéi shèngrén hū!

     The person who knows to advance and to retire, to maintain and to let perish, without ever acting incorrectly, can probably only be the sage!

   • 子曰：「不怨天，不尤人。下學而上達。知我者，其天乎！」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子曰：「不怨天，不尤人。下学而上达。知我者，其天乎！」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Zǐyuē: “Bù yuàn tiān, bù yóu rén. Xià xué ér shàng dá. Zhī wǒ zhě, qí tiān hū!”

     The Master replied, "I do not murmur against Heaven. I do not grumble against men. My studies lie low, and my penetration rises high. There is probably only Heaven who knows me!"

   • 微管仲，吾其被髮左衽矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     微管仲，吾其被发左衽矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Wēi Guǎn Zhòng, wú qí pīfàzuǒrèn yǐ.

     But without Guan Zhong, we should now be wearing our hair unbound, and the lappets of our coats buttoning on the left side.

   • 是故聖益聖，愚益愚，聖人之所以為聖，愚人之所以為愚，其皆出於此乎！ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     是故圣益圣，愚益愚，圣人之所以为圣，愚人之所以为愚，其皆出于此乎！ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 8th–9th century, 韓愈 (Han Yu), 師說 (Shīshuō)

     Shìgù shèng yì shèng, yú yì yú, shèngrén zhīsuǒyǐ wèi shèng, yúrén zhīsuǒyǐ wèi yú, qí jiē chū yú cǐ hū!

     Thus saints become more saintly, and fools become more foolish. The fact that saints become saintly and fools become foolish perhaps entirely originates from this!

6. (obsolete) particle indicating intention; let, shall, will

   • 吾其奔也。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

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

     Wú qí bēn yě.

     I had better flee.

   • 堯曰：「吾其試哉。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     尧曰：「吾其试哉。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Yáo yuē: “Wú qí shì zāi.”

     "Let me test him," said Yao.

   • 子其行矣，我其歸死。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子其行矣，我其归死。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Zǐ qí xíng yǐ, wǒ qí guī sǐ.

     Please leave, my brother! I will heed the summon and meet my death.

7. (literary) adverb indicating a rhetorical question

   Synonyms: 豈／岂 (qǐ), 難道／难道 (nándào)

   • 若火之燎于原，不可向邇，其猶可撲滅？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     若火之燎于原，不可向迩，其犹可扑灭？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE

     Ruò huǒ zhī liáo yú yuán, bùkěxiàng'ěr, qí yóu kě pūmiè?

     When a fire is blazing in the flames so that it cannot be approached, can it still be beaten out?

   • 晉不可啟，寇不可玩；一之謂甚，其可再乎！ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     晋不可启，寇不可玩；一之谓甚，其可再乎！ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Jìn bùkě qǐ, kòu bùkě wán; yī zhī wèi shèn, qí kě zài hū!

     The greed of Jin is not to be triggered; robbers are not to be ignored. Once is already too much; how can there be a second occurrence?

   • 國無主，其能久乎？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     国无主，其能久乎？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Guó wú zhǔ, qí néng jiǔ hū?

     Without a monarch, how can a state last long?

   • 嗚呼！其真無馬邪？ [MSC, trad.]
     呜呼！其真无马邪？ [MSC, simp.]

     From: 8th–9th century, 韓愈 (Han Yu), 馬說

     Wūhū! Qí zhēn wú mǎ yé?

     Alas! Is there really no thousand-li horse?

8. (literary) adverb indicating imperative

   • 吾子其無廢先君之功！ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     吾子其无废先君之功！ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Wúzǐ qí wú fèi xiānjūn zhī gōng!

     Do not you, my friend, nullify his merit!

   • 子其勉之。吾不復見子矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子其勉之。吾不复见子矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Zǐ qí miǎn zhī. Wú bù fù jiàn zǐ yǐ.

     Work hard! I shall not see you again.

   • 秦王使人謂安陵君曰：「寡人欲以五百里之地易安陵，安陵君其許寡人！」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     秦王使人谓安陵君曰：「寡人欲以五百里之地易安陵，安陵君其许寡人！」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

     Qín wáng shǐ rén wèi Ānlíng Jūn yuē: “Guǎrén yù yǐ wǔbǎi lǐ zhī dì yì Ānlíng, Ānlíng Jūn qí xǔ guǎrén!”

     The king of Qin dispatched envoys to tell Anling Jun, "I would like to exchange five hundred li of land for Anling. Please accept my offer!"

9. (obsolete) if

   • 湯其無郼，武其無岐，賢雖十全，不能成功。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     汤其无郼，武其无岐，贤虽十全，不能成功。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE

     Tāng qí wú Yī, Wǔ qí wú Qí, xián suī shíquán, bùnéng chénggōng.

     If Tang did not have Yi, if Wu did not have Qi, even though they were perfectly capable, they would not have been able to succeed.

10. (obsolete) conjunction indicating a question with choices; or

    • 今老邪？其欲干酒肉之味邪？其寡人亦有社稷之福邪？ [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

      From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

      Jīn lǎo yé? Qí yù gān jiǔròu zhī wèi yé? Qí guǎrén yì yǒu shèjì zhī fú yé?

      Are you now old? Or are you seeking the taste of wine and meat? Or may I enjoy the happiness derived from the spirits of the altars of the Land and Grain?

    • 晏子避席曰：「請飲而後辭乎？其辭而後飲乎？」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      晏子避席曰：「请饮而后辞乎？其辞而后饮乎？」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: Annals of Master Yan, c. 3^rd century BCE

      Yànzǐ bìxí yuē: “Qǐng yǐn érhòu cí hū? Qí cí érhòu yǐn hū?”

      Yanzi stood up from his seat and asked, "Should I drink the cup of wine before explaining? Or should I explain before drinking the cup of wine?"

11. (Eastern Min or obsolete) possessive particle.

    • 孟侯，朕其弟，小子封。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

      From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE

      Mèng hóu, zhèn qí dì, xiǎozǐ Fēng.

      Foremost among princes, my brother, Feng the young one!

12. a surname

Synonyms

Compounds