. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
you have here. The definition of the word
will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Translingual
Han character
妹 (Kangxi radical 38, 女+5, 8 strokes, cangjie input 女十木 (VJD), four-corner 45490, composition ⿰女未)
Stroke order
|
|
References
- Kangxi Dictionary: page 257, character 28
- Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 6138
- Dae Jaweon: page 522, character 23
- Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1034, character 6
- Unihan data for U+59B9
Chinese
Glyph origin
|
Old Chinese
|
寐
|
*mids
|
魅
|
*mrɯds
|
鬽
|
*mrɯds
|
昧
|
*mɯːds
|
妹
|
*mɯːds
|
眛
|
*maːds, *mɯːds
|
沬
|
*maːds, *hmɯːds, *mɯds
|
未
|
*mɯds
|
味
|
*mɯds
|
鮇
|
*mɯds
|
菋
|
*mɯds
|
Phono-semantic compound (形聲/形声, OC *mɯːds) : semantic 女 (“female, woman”) + phonetic 未 (OC *mɯds).
Etymology
Probably Sino-Tibetan. Proposed etymologies:
- STEDT relates it to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mi (“girl; female; feminine suffix”), whence Apatani nyimii (“girl; woman; female”), Proto-Loloish *C-mi² (“woman”), Proto-Karen *hmɨᴮ (“female; woman”).
- Schuessler (2007) compares it to Burmese မ (ma., “sister”) (whence အစ်မ (acma., “elder sister”), ညီမ (nyima., “younger sister”)), Miju ku-mai- (“woman”), Tibetan བུད་མེད (bud med, “woman”), and also Mizo hmei (“concubine”) (> Mizo hmei-chhia (“woman; wife”)), which STEDT relates to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-maj (“widow, widower”) instead.
Pronunciation
- Mandarin
- (Standard)
- (Pinyin): mèi (mei4)
- (Zhuyin): ㄇㄟˋ
- (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): mei4
- Cantonese
- (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): mui6, mui6-1, mui6-2
- (Taishan, Wiktionary): moi2
- Gan (Wiktionary): mi5
- Hakka
- (Sixian, PFS): moi
- (Meixian, Guangdong): moi4
- Jin (Wiktionary): mei3
- Northern Min (KCR): mṳē / mṳē→mā̤
- Eastern Min (BUC): muói
- Southern Min
- (Hokkien, POJ): bē / bēr / māi / mōe / běr / bōe / mūi / moāi
- (Teochew, Peng'im): muê6 / muê7
- Wu (Wugniu)
- Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): mei5 / mei4
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
- Jyutping: mui6, mui6-1, mui6-2
- Yale: muih, mūi, múi
- Cantonese Pinyin: mui6, mui6-1, mui6-2
- Guangdong Romanization: mui6, mui6-1, mui6-2
- Sinological IPA (key): /muːi̯²²/, /muːi̯²²⁻⁵⁵/, /muːi̯²²⁻³⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
- Gan
- Hakka
- Jin
- Northern Min
- Eastern Min
- Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Taipei, Magong, Hsinchu, Singapore)
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Sanxia, Kinmen, Hsinchu, Singapore)
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
- (Hokkien: Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan, Taichung)
- (Hokkien: Lukang)
- (Hokkien: Xiamen)
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
Note:
- Xiamen:
- bē - vernacular;
- bōe - literary.
- Quanzhou:
- bēr - vernacular;
- mūi - literary.
- Zhangzhou:
- māi - vernacular;
- moāi - literary.
Note:
- muê6 - literary;
- muê7 - vernacular.
Note:
- mei5 - vernacular;
- mei4 - literary.
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
|
Character
|
妹
|
Reading #
|
1/1
|
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
|
mèi
|
Middle Chinese
|
‹ mwojH ›
|
Old Chinese
|
/*C.mˁə-s/
|
English
|
younger sister
|
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * 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
|
妹
|
Reading #
|
1/1
|
No.
|
12914
|
Phonetic component
|
未
|
Rime group
|
隊
|
Rime subdivision
|
1
|
Corresponding MC rime
|
妹
|
Old Chinese
|
/*mɯːds/
|
Definitions
妹
- younger sister
- girl; young female
- (Hakka) daughter
- a surname
Synonyms
Dialectal synonyms of
妹妹 (“younger sister”)
Variety
|
Location
|
Words
|
Classical Chinese
|
妹, 女弟
|
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)
|
妹妹
|
Mandarin
|
Beijing
|
妹妹
|
Taiwan
|
妹妹
|
Ulanhot
|
老妹兒
|
Tongliao
|
老妹兒
|
Chifeng
|
妹妹
|
Bayanhot
|
妹妹
|
Hulunbuir (Hailar)
|
老妹兒
|
Harbin
|
妹妹, 妹子
|
Shenyang
|
妹妹
|
Yantai (Muping)
|
妹
|
Jinan
|
妹妹
|
Luoyang
|
妹
|
Wanrong
|
妹子
|
Zhengzhou
|
妹妹
|
Xi'an
|
妹子, 妹妹
|
Yinchuan
|
妹妹
|
Lanzhou
|
妹妹
|
Xining
|
妹子
|
Ürümqi
|
妹妹
|
Wuhan
|
妹妹
|
Huanggang
|
妹兒
|
Chengdu
|
妹兒, 妹妹, 妹
|
Guiyang
|
妹
|
Kunming
|
妹子, 妹妹
|
Liuzhou
|
妹子, 妹, 老妹
|
Xuzhou
|
妹妹
|
Yangzhou
|
妹妹
|
Nanjing
|
妹妹, 妹子
|
Hefei
|
妹妹
|
Nantong
|
妹子, 妹妹
|
Malaysia
|
妹妹
|
Singapore
|
妹妹
|
Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)
|
妹妹
|
Cantonese
|
Guangzhou
|
妹妹, 細妹, 阿妹, 妹
|
Hong Kong
|
妹妹, 細妹, 阿妹, 妹
|
Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)
|
阿妹
|
Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)
|
妹
|
Hong Kong (Ting Kok)
|
阿妹
|
Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)
|
阿妹
|
Macau
|
妹
|
Guangzhou (Panyu)
|
細妹, 阿妹
|
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)
|
妹
|
Guangzhou (Conghua)
|
妹
|
Guangzhou (Zengcheng)
|
阿妹
|
Foshan
|
細妹, 妹
|
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)
|
阿妹
|
Foshan (Shunde)
|
妹
|
Foshan (Sanshui)
|
妹
|
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)
|
妹子
|
Zhongshan (Shiqi)
|
妹
|
Zhuhai (Qianshan)
|
妹
|
Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)
|
阿妹
|
Zhuhai (Doumen)
|
阿妹
|
Jiangmen (Baisha)
|
阿妹
|
Jiangmen (Xinhui)
|
阿妹
|
Taishan
|
阿妹
|
Kaiping (Chikan)
|
阿妹
|
Enping (Niujiang)
|
阿妹
|
Heshan (Yayao)
|
妹
|
Dongguan
|
妹
|
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)
|
妹
|
Shaoguan
|
阿妹
|
Yunfu
|
阿妹
|
Yangjiang
|
小妹
|
Xinyi
|
老妹
|
Lianjiang
|
老妹, 阿妹
|
Danzhou
|
老姑
|
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
|
阿妹
|
Singapore (Guangfu)
|
細妹, 阿妹, 妹
|
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)
|
細妹
|
Gan
|
Nanchang
|
妹子
|
Lichuan
|
妹
|
Pingxiang
|
老妹, 妹老子
|
Hakka
|
Meixian
|
老妹, 老妹仔
|
Xingning
|
老妹
|
Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)
|
老妹
|
Huiyang
|
老妹
|
Huidong (Daling)
|
老妹
|
Dongguan (Qingxi)
|
老妹
|
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)
|
老妹
|
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)
|
老妹
|
Wuhua (Shuizhai)
|
老妹
|
Wuhua (Huacheng)
|
老妹
|
Wuhua (Changbu)
|
老妹
|
Wuhua (Mianyang)
|
老妹
|
Wuhua (Meilin)
|
老妹
|
Heyuan (Bendihua)
|
老妹
|
Wengyuan
|
老妹
|
Shaoguan (Qujiang)
|
老妹
|
Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)
|
老妹
|
Liannan
|
老妹
|
Conghua (Lütian)
|
老妹
|
Jiexi
|
老妹
|
Luhe
|
老妹
|
Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan)
|
阿妹
|
Changting
|
老妹
|
Wuping
|
老妹
|
Wuping (Yanqian)
|
老妹子
|
Wuping (Pingyu)
|
老妹
|
Liancheng
|
老妹
|
Ninghua
|
老妹
|
Yudu
|
妹子
|
Ningdu
|
妹
|
Ruijin
|
老妹
|
Shicheng
|
老妹, 妹
|
Shangyou (Shexi)
|
老妹
|
Tonggu (Sandu)
|
老妹
|
Ganzhou (Panlong)
|
老妹
|
Dayu
|
妹佬
|
Miaoli (N. Sixian)
|
老妹
|
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
|
老妹
|
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
|
老妹
|
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
|
老妹
|
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
|
老妹
|
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
|
阿妹
|
Hong Kong
|
老妹
|
Yangxi (Tangkou)
|
老妹
|
Yangchun (Sanjia)
|
老妹
|
Xinyi (Sihe)
|
老妹
|
Xinyi (Qianpai)
|
老妹
|
Gaozhou (Xindong)
|
老妹
|
Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai)
|
老妹
|
Huazhou (Xin'an)
|
老妹
|
Lianjiang (Shijiao)
|
老妹
|
Lianjiang (Qingping)
|
老妹
|
Mengshan (Xihe)
|
老妹
|
Luchuan
|
老妹
|
Sabah (Bao'an)
|
老妹
|
Sabah (Longchuan)
|
老妹
|
Senai (Huiyang)
|
老妹
|
Sungai Tapang, Batu Kawa (Hepo)
|
老妹
|
Singkawang
|
阿妹, 老妹
|
Huizhou
|
Jixi
|
妹
|
Shexian
|
妹妹, 女妹
|
Tunxi
|
令妹兒
|
Xiuning
|
令妹, 令妹兒
|
Yixian
|
奶妹兒
|
Qimen
|
妹吶
|
Wuyuan
|
女妹仂, 女妹, 妹
|
Fuliang
|
小妹, 妹哩
|
Dexing
|
妹子
|
Jin
|
Taiyuan
|
妹妹
|
Pingyao
|
妹妹, 妹子
|
Xinzhou
|
姊妹
|
Taibus (Baochang)
|
妹妹
|
Linhe
|
妹妹
|
Jining
|
妹妹
|
Hohhot
|
妹妹
|
Baotou
|
妹妹
|
Dongsheng
|
妹妹
|
Haibowan
|
妹妹
|
Northern Min
|
Jian'ou
|
妹仔
|
Jian'ou (Dikou)
|
妹仔
|
Songxi
|
妹仔
|
Zhenghe
|
妹
|
Zhenghe (Zhenqian)
|
妹
|
Jianyang
|
妹仔
|
Wuyishan
|
妹仔
|
Pucheng (Shibei)
|
妹仔
|
Eastern Min
|
Fuzhou
|
依妹, 妹
|
Changle
|
依妹
|
Fuqing
|
阿妹
|
Yongtai
|
依妹
|
Gutian
|
妹
|
Fu'an
|
妹
|
Ningde
|
妹
|
Shouning
|
姊妹
|
Zhouning
|
阿妹
|
Fuding
|
阿妹
|
Matsu
|
依妹
|
Southern Min
|
Xiamen
|
小妹, 阿妹 face-to-face
|
Quanzhou
|
小妹, 阿妹 face-to-face
|
Zhangzhou
|
小妹, 阿妹 face-to-face
|
Zhao'an
|
細妹子
|
Taipei
|
小妹
|
New Taipei (Sanxia)
|
小妹
|
Kaohsiung
|
小妹
|
Tainan
|
小妹
|
Kinmen
|
小妹
|
Penghu (Magong)
|
小妹
|
Penang (Hokkien)
|
小妹
|
Singapore (Hokkien)
|
小妹, 阿妹 face-to-face
|
Manila (Hokkien)
|
小妹
|
Chaozhou
|
阿妹
|
Shantou
|
妹
|
Jieyang
|
阿妹
|
Haifeng
|
妹, 妹妹, 阿妹
|
Bangkok (Teochew)
|
阿妹
|
Johor Bahru (Teochew)
|
阿妹
|
Singapore (Teochew)
|
阿妹
|
Leizhou
|
尼妹, 妹
|
Wenchang
|
姑𡠤 of a male, 姨𡠤 of a female
|
Haikou
|
姑𡠤 of a male, 姨𡠤 of a female
|
Puxian Min
|
Putian
|
阿妹
|
Xianyou
|
阿妹, 小妹
|
Zhongshan Min
|
Shaxi (Longdu)
|
妹
|
Southern Pinghua
|
Nanning (Tingzi)
|
妹
|
Shehua
|
Fu'an
|
妹
|
Fuding
|
阿妹
|
Luoyuan
|
妹
|
Sanming
|
妹
|
Shunchang
|
阿妹
|
Hua'an
|
妹
|
Guixi (Zhangping)
|
妹
|
Cangnan
|
妹
|
Jingning
|
妹
|
Lishui
|
妹
|
Longyou
|
妹
|
Chaozhou
|
妹
|
Fengshun
|
妹
|
Wu
|
Shanghai
|
阿妹, 妹妹, 姊妹
|
Shanghai (Chongming)
|
姊妹
|
Suzhou
|
妹子, 妹妹
|
Wuxi
|
妹子, 妹妹
|
Danyang
|
妹子
|
Hangzhou
|
阿妹, 妹妹
|
Ningbo
|
阿妹, 妹妹
|
Wenzhou
|
阿妹
|
Jinhua
|
妹, 妹妹
|
Xiang
|
Changsha
|
老妹, 妹妹
|
Xiangtan
|
老妹
|
Loudi
|
妹妹
|
Shuangfeng
|
妹妹
|
Dialectal synonyms of
女孩子 (“young girl”)
Variety
|
Location
|
Words
|
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)
|
女孩, 女孩子, 女童
|
Mandarin
|
Beijing
|
女孩兒, 小女孩兒, 小姑娘, 小閨女, 小丫頭, 妞兒, 小妞兒, 女花兒
|
Taiwan
|
女孩, 女孩子
|
Weifang (Weicheng)
|
閨女兒, 小妮兒
|
Weifang (Fangzi)
|
小閨女
|
Weifang (Hanting)
|
小閨女
|
Changyi
|
閨女, 小嫚兒
|
Gaomi
|
小嫚兒
|
Zhucheng
|
小閨女子兒
|
Anqiu
|
閨女
|
Changle
|
閨女, 妮兒
|
Linqu
|
閨女
|
Qingzhou
|
小閨女, 小閨妮兒
|
Shouguang
|
妮子
|
Wulian
|
識字班
|
Jinan
|
小閨女兒, 小妮兒
|
Kaifeng
|
女孩兒
|
Xi'an
|
女子娃, 女子, 女娃子
|
Wuhan
|
女伢, 姑娘, 姑娘伢
|
Chengdu
|
女娃子, 女娃兒, 女娃娃
|
Guilin
|
女把爺
|
Guanyang
|
妹崽家
|
Yangzhou
|
女霞子
|
Xinghua
|
姑娘, 丫頭, 外家裡
|
Hefei
|
丫頭
|
Yanping
|
女子崽
|
Singapore
|
女孩子
|
Dagudi (Maliba)
|
小姑娘
|
Reshuitang (Longling)
|
小姑娘
|
Mae Salong (Lancang)
|
小姑娘
|
Mae Sai (Tengchong)
|
小姑娘
|
Cantonese
|
Guangzhou
|
女仔, 細路女 child, 姑娘仔
|
Hong Kong
|
女仔, 細路女 child, 姑娘仔
|
Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)
|
女仔
|
Macau
|
女仔
|
Guangzhou (Panyu)
|
女仔
|
Guangzhou (Zengcheng)
|
女仔
|
Foshan
|
女仔
|
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)
|
女仔
|
Foshan (Shunde)
|
女仔
|
Foshan (Sanshui)
|
女仔
|
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)
|
女仔
|
Zhongshan (Shiqi)
|
女仔
|
Zhuhai (Qianshan)
|
女仔
|
Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)
|
女仔
|
Zhuhai (Doumen)
|
女仔
|
Jiangmen (Baisha)
|
女仔
|
Jiangmen (Xinhui)
|
女仔
|
Taishan
|
女仔, 細路女 child, 細民女 child
|
Kaiping (Chikan)
|
女仔, 細佬女 child, 細民女 child
|
Enping (Niujiang)
|
女仔
|
Heshan (Yayao)
|
女仔
|
Dongguan
|
女仔
|
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)
|
婦娘妹
|
Qingyuan
|
女仔
|
Fogang
|
女仔
|
Yingde (Hanguang)
|
女仔
|
Yangshan
|
妹仔
|
Lianshan (Butian)
|
妹仔兒
|
Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui)
|
女仔
|
Shaoguan
|
女仔
|
Shaoguan (Qujiang)
|
女仔, 妹仔
|
Renhua
|
女仔
|
Lechang
|
女仔
|
Yangjiang
|
妹, 妹仔
|
Nanning
|
女仔, 妹仔, 妹丁
|
Dongxing
|
妹仔
|
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
|
女仔
|
Singapore (Guangfu)
|
女仔
|
Gan
|
Nanchang
|
女崽子
|
Pengze
|
女妹
|
Hakka
|
Meixian
|
細妹仔
|
Xingning
|
細妹哩, 賠錢貨 †
|
Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)
|
女仔
|
Huidong (Daling)
|
阿僬妹仔
|
Dongguan (Qingxi)
|
僬妹
|
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)
|
老妹仔
|
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)
|
女仔, 僬妹仔
|
Shaoguan (Qujiang)
|
細妹子
|
Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)
|
細妹仔
|
Conghua (Lütian)
|
妹仔
|
Changting
|
細妹子
|
Wuping
|
細妹子
|
Wuping (Pingyu)
|
細妹子
|
Liancheng
|
妹子人
|
Ninghua
|
女子薩
|
Ruijin
|
女客子, 細女子
|
Shicheng
|
細女女子
|
Miaoli (N. Sixian)
|
細妹仔
|
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
|
細妹仔
|
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
|
細妹仔
|
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
|
細妹
|
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
|
細妹仔, 細妹
|
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
|
妹子, 妹子人
|
Jin
|
Taiyuan
|
妮子, 女娃娃
|
Northern Min
|
Jian'ou
|
阿娘囝仔
|
Eastern Min
|
Fuzhou
|
諸娘囝
|
Matsu
|
諸娘囝
|
Southern Min
|
Xiamen
|
查某囡仔
|
Xiamen (Tong'an)
|
查某囡仔
|
Quanzhou
|
查某囡仔
|
Zhangzhou
|
查某囡仔, 查某嬰
|
Yunxiao
|
查囡仔
|
Taipei
|
查某囡仔
|
New Taipei (Sanxia)
|
查某囡仔
|
Kaohsiung
|
查某囝
|
Yilan
|
查某囡仔
|
Changhua (Lukang)
|
查某囡仔
|
Taichung
|
查某囡仔
|
Tainan
|
查某囡仔
|
Hsinchu
|
查某囡仔
|
Kinmen
|
查某囡仔
|
Penghu (Magong)
|
查某囡仔
|
Penang (Hokkien)
|
查某囡仔
|
Singapore (Hokkien)
|
查某囡仔
|
Manila (Hokkien)
|
查某囡仔
|
Chaozhou
|
諸娘囝
|
Shantou
|
諸娘囝, 查某囝
|
Shantou (Chenghai)
|
諸娘囝
|
Jieyang
|
諸娘囝
|
Lufeng
|
查某囡仔
|
Haifeng
|
查某囡仔
|
Johor Bahru (Teochew)
|
查某囝
|
Singapore (Teochew)
|
查某囝
|
Leizhou
|
查某囝
|
Wenchang
|
查某囝
|
Haikou
|
查某囝
|
Zhongshan Min
|
Shaxi (Longdu)
|
女囝
|
Southern Pinghua
|
Nanning (Tingzi)
|
姑娘
|
Waxiang
|
Guzhang (Gaofeng)
|
女子
|
Wu
|
Shanghai
|
女小囡, 小鬼丫頭
|
Shanghai (Chongming)
|
丫頭, 小娘
|
Suzhou
|
小娘兒, 女小干
|
Ningbo
|
小娘, 小娘屄, 小娘頭, 娘子
|
Wenzhou
|
女兒, 媛子兒
|
Xiang
|
Changsha
|
妹子, 細妹子, 妹伢子
|
Shuangfeng
|
妹唧, 細妹唧
|
Note
|
† - derogatory
|
Dialectal synonyms of
女兒 (“daughter”)
Variety
|
Location
|
Words
|
Classical Chinese
|
女
|
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)
|
女兒
|
Mandarin
|
Beijing
|
女兒, 女花兒, 閨女, 姑娘, 丫頭
|
Taiwan
|
女兒
|
Tianjin
|
女兒, 閨女, 小棉襖 humorous
|
Langfang
|
閨妮
|
Tangshan
|
閨女
|
Cangzhou
|
閨女
|
Baoding
|
閨女
|
Shijiazhuang
|
閨女
|
Daming
|
妮兒
|
Bayanhot
|
丫頭
|
Hulunbuir (Hailar)
|
女兒
|
Harbin
|
女兒, 姑娘, 閨女, 閨娘, 丫頭
|
Shenyang
|
姑娘, 丫頭
|
Yantai (Muping)
|
閨娘, 閨娘子, 女兒
|
Qingdao
|
閨女
|
Weifang (Weicheng)
|
閨女
|
Weifang (Fangzi)
|
閨女, 嫚兒
|
Weifang (Hanting)
|
閨女
|
Changyi
|
閨女, 嫚姑子
|
Gaomi
|
閨女, 嫚兒, 嫚兒姑子
|
Zhucheng
|
閨女
|
Anqiu
|
閨女
|
Changle
|
閨女兒
|
Linqu
|
閨女
|
Qingzhou
|
閨女
|
Shouguang
|
閨女
|
Wulian
|
閨女, 丫頭, 嫚兒, 識字班
|
Jinan
|
閨女
|
Wanrong
|
女子
|
Zhengzhou
|
閨女, 妞
|
Xi'an
|
女, 女兒
|
Yinchuan
|
女兒, 丫頭
|
Lanzhou
|
女兒
|
Xining
|
姑娘, 丫頭
|
Ürümqi
|
女兒, 丫頭
|
Wuhan
|
姑娘, 丫頭
|
Huanggang
|
女兒
|
Chengdu
|
女兒, 女, 姑娘兒
|
Guiyang
|
姑娘, 女娃娃, 女娃兒, 幺女, 幺姑娘, 小丫頭, 小姑娘
|
Kunming
|
囡兒, 姑娘
|
Guilin
|
女兒
|
Liuzhou
|
女, 丫頭
|
Sanjiang (Danzhou)
|
妹崽
|
Xuzhou
|
女兒, 閨女
|
Yangzhou
|
女兒, 姑娘
|
Nanjing
|
女兒, 姑娘
|
Hefei
|
女兒, 丫頭
|
Nantong
|
丫頭
|
Malaysia
|
女兒
|
Singapore
|
女兒
|
Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)
|
女兒, 姑娘兒
|
Cantonese
|
Guangzhou
|
女
|
Hong Kong
|
女, 女女, 阿女
|
Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)
|
女, 妹仔
|
Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)
|
女
|
Hong Kong (Ting Kok)
|
阿女
|
Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)
|
阿女
|
Macau
|
女
|
Guangzhou (Panyu)
|
女
|
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)
|
女
|
Guangzhou (Conghua)
|
女
|
Guangzhou (Zengcheng)
|
女
|
Foshan
|
女
|
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)
|
女
|
Foshan (Shunde)
|
女
|
Foshan (Sanshui)
|
女
|
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)
|
女
|
Zhongshan (Shiqi)
|
女
|
Zhuhai (Qianshan)
|
女
|
Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)
|
女
|
Zhuhai (Doumen)
|
女
|
Jiangmen (Baisha)
|
女
|
Jiangmen (Xinhui)
|
女
|
Taishan
|
女
|
Kaiping (Chikan)
|
女
|
Enping (Niujiang)
|
女
|
Heshan (Yayao)
|
女
|
Dongguan
|
女
|
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)
|
女
|
Shenzhen (Dapeng)
|
阿女
|
Qingyuan
|
女
|
Fogang
|
女
|
Yingde (Hanguang)
|
女
|
Yangshan
|
妹仔
|
Lianshan (Butian)
|
女
|
Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui)
|
女
|
Shaoguan
|
女
|
Shaoguan (Qujiang)
|
女
|
Renhua
|
女
|
Lechang
|
女
|
Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)
|
女
|
Sihui
|
女
|
Guangning
|
女
|
Deqing
|
女
|
Huaiji
|
女
|
Fengkai (Nanfeng)
|
女
|
Yunfu
|
女
|
Xinxing
|
女
|
Luoding
|
女
|
Yunan (Pingtai)
|
女
|
Yangjiang
|
桓仔, 妹仔
|
Xinyi
|
女
|
Maoming (Xinpo)
|
女
|
Lianjiang
|
女
|
Wuchuan (Wuyang)
|
康女兒, 夫娘儂
|
Nanning
|
女
|
Wuzhou
|
女
|
Yulin
|
女
|
Hepu (Lianzhou)
|
女
|
Guiping
|
女
|
Mengshan (Xihe)
|
女
|
Guigang (Nanjiang)
|
女
|
Beiliu (Tangliao)
|
女
|
Baise
|
女
|
Bobai
|
女
|
Lingshan
|
女
|
Pubei
|
女
|
Qinzhou
|
女
|
Beihai
|
女
|
Beihai (Nankang)
|
女
|
Beihai (Yingpan)
|
女
|
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)
|
女, 妹仔
|
Ningming
|
女
|
Hengzhou
|
女
|
Hezhou (Pumen)
|
女仔
|
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)
|
女
|
Danzhou
|
女
|
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
|
女
|
Singapore (Guangfu)
|
女
|
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)
|
女
|
Móng Cái
|
女
|
Gan
|
Nanchang
|
女, 姑娘
|
Lichuan
|
女
|
Pingxiang
|
女, 妹仔
|
Hakka
|
Meixian
|
妹仔
|
Xingning
|
妹哩
|
Dabu (Xihe)
|
妹兒, 女
|
Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)
|
阿女
|
Huiyang
|
妹子
|
Huidong (Daling)
|
妹仔
|
Dongguan (Qingxi)
|
妹主
|
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)
|
妹主
|
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)
|
妹子
|
Wuhua (Shuizhai)
|
妹哩
|
Wuhua (Huacheng)
|
妹哩
|
Wuhua (Changbu)
|
妹哩
|
Wuhua (Mianyang)
|
妹哩
|
Heyuan (Bendihua)
|
阿女
|
Wengyuan
|
妹子
|
Shaoguan (Qujiang)
|
妹子
|
Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)
|
妹仔
|
Liannan
|
妹子
|
Conghua (Lütian)
|
女
|
Jiexi
|
妹
|
Luhe
|
妹仔, 阿女
|
Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan)
|
阿女
|
Changting
|
妹子, 女
|
Wuping
|
妹子
|
Wuping (Yanqian)
|
女哩
|
Wuping (Pingyu)
|
妹子
|
Liancheng
|
妹子娘
|
Ninghua
|
女
|
Yudu
|
女, 女子
|
Ningdu
|
女
|
Ruijin
|
女, 女子
|
Shicheng
|
女
|
Shangyou (Shexi)
|
女
|
Tonggu (Sandu)
|
妹子
|
Ganzhou (Panlong)
|
女
|
Dayu
|
女哩
|
Miaoli (N. Sixian)
|
妹仔, 妹子
|
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
|
妹仔, 妹子
|
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
|
妹仔, 妹子
|
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
|
妹, 妹子, 細妹
|
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
|
妹仔, 妹子
|
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
|
阿女
|
Hong Kong
|
妹子
|
Yangxi (Tangkou)
|
妹子
|
Yangchun (Sanjia)
|
女
|
Xinyi (Sihe)
|
女
|
Xinyi (Qianpai)
|
女
|
Gaozhou (Xindong)
|
女
|
Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai)
|
女
|
Huazhou (Xin'an)
|
女子
|
Lianjiang (Shijiao)
|
妹𧊅, 女子
|
Lianjiang (Qingping)
|
女
|
Mengshan (Xihe)
|
妹子
|
Luchuan
|
女
|
Luchuan (Daqiao)
|
女
|
Bobai (Shahe)
|
女
|
Beiliu (Tang'an)
|
妹
|
Mashan (Pianlian)
|
妹子
|
Sabah (Bao'an)
|
妹子
|
Sabah (Longchuan)
|
妹哩
|
Kuala Lumpur (Dabu)
|
妹
|
Senai (Huiyang)
|
妹子
|
Singkawang
|
妹子
|
Huizhou
|
Jixi
|
女
|
Shexian
|
女
|
Tunxi
|
囡, 囡囝
|
Xiuning
|
囡兒
|
Yixian
|
囡兒
|
Qimen
|
女, 女兒
|
Wuyuan
|
女, 女兒, 囡
|
Fuliang
|
女崽
|
Dexing
|
𡚴姑
|
Jingde
|
女伲
|
Shitai (Xianyu)
|
女兒
|
Jin
|
Taiyuan
|
閨女, 姑娘, 妮子
|
Pingyao
|
閨女, 女子
|
Xinzhou
|
閨女
|
Hohhot
|
閨女, 女子
|
Zhangjiakou
|
閨女
|
Handan
|
閨女
|
Northern Min
|
Jian'ou
|
阿娘囝
|
Jian'ou (Dikou)
|
娘囝
|
Songxi
|
阿娘囝
|
Zhenghe
|
阿娘囝
|
Zhenghe (Zhenqian)
|
娘囝
|
Jianyang
|
阿娘囝
|
Wuyishan
|
阿娘囝
|
Pucheng (Shibei)
|
阿娘囝
|
Eastern Min
|
Fuzhou
|
諸娘囝
|
Changle
|
諸娘囝
|
Fuqing
|
諸娘囝
|
Yongtai
|
諸娘囝
|
Gutian
|
諸娘囝
|
Pingnan
|
諸娘囝
|
Fu'an
|
諸娘囝
|
Ningde
|
諸母囝
|
Shouning
|
諸母囝
|
Zhouning
|
諸娘囝
|
Fuding
|
諸母囝
|
Matsu
|
諸娘囝
|
Southern Min
|
Xiamen
|
查某囝, 查某仔
|
Quanzhou
|
查某仔
|
Yongchun
|
查某囝
|
Zhangzhou
|
查某仔, 灶雞
|
Zhangzhou (Changtai)
|
查某仔
|
Pinghe
|
查某囝, 查某仔 Xiazhai, Jiufeng, Luxi
|
Zhangpu
|
查某仔
|
Dongshan
|
查囝
|
Taipei
|
查某囝
|
New Taipei (Sanxia)
|
查某囝
|
Kaohsiung
|
查某囡仔, 查某囝
|
Yilan
|
查某囝
|
Changhua (Lukang)
|
查某囝
|
Taichung
|
查某囝
|
Taichung (Wuqi)
|
查某囝
|
Tainan
|
查某囝
|
Taitung
|
查某囝
|
Hsinchu
|
查某囝
|
Kinmen
|
查某囡仔
|
Penghu (Magong)
|
查某囝
|
Penang (Hokkien)
|
查某囝, 查某仔
|
Singapore (Hokkien)
|
查某囝
|
Manila (Hokkien)
|
查某仔, 查某囝
|
Longyan
|
查某仔
|
Zhangping
|
查某仔
|
Zhangping (Yongfu)
|
查某仔
|
Datian
|
阿使
|
Pingnan (Shangdu)
|
女
|
Chaozhou
|
走囝
|
Shantou
|
走囝
|
Shantou (Chenghai)
|
走囝
|
Jieyang
|
走囝
|
Haifeng
|
查某囝
|
Bangkok (Teochew)
|
走囝
|
Johor Bahru (Teochew)
|
走囝
|
Singapore (Teochew)
|
查某囝, 走囝
|
Batam (Teochew)
|
查某囝, 走囝
|
Pontianak (Teochew)
|
查某囝
|
Leizhou
|
查某囝
|
Wenchang
|
查某囝
|
Haikou
|
查某囝, 查囝
|
Qionghai
|
查某囝
|
Puxian Min
|
Putian
|
嬸娘囝
|
Xianyou
|
子囝
|
Central Min
|
Yong'an
|
娘囝
|
Zhongshan Min
|
Shaxi (Longdu)
|
中母囝
|
Southern Pinghua
|
Nanning (Tingzi)
|
女
|
Northern Pinghua
|
Guilin (Dahe)
|
女
|
Shehua
|
Fu'an
|
女
|
Fuding
|
女
|
Luoyuan
|
女
|
Sanming
|
女
|
Shunchang
|
女
|
Hua'an
|
妹仔
|
Guixi (Zhangping)
|
女
|
Cangnan
|
女
|
Jingning
|
女
|
Lishui
|
女
|
Longyou
|
女
|
Chaozhou
|
女
|
Fengshun
|
女
|
Wu
|
Shanghai
|
囡兒, 囡 dated, 囡兒大細 dated, 小鬼丫頭 endearing
|
Shanghai (Chongming)
|
丫頭
|
Suzhou
|
囡兒
|
Wuxi
|
囡兒
|
Danyang
|
女兒
|
Hangzhou
|
女兒
|
Ningbo
|
囡
|
Wenzhou
|
奶兒
|
Jinhua
|
囡兒, 囡, 女兒
|
Xiang
|
Changsha
|
女, 妹子
|
Xiangtan
|
女, 妹唧
|
Loudi
|
女
|
Shuangfeng
|
女
|
Jiangyong
|
女
|
Quanzhou
|
女崽
|
Compounds
Descendants
- → Thai: หมวย (mǔai, “younger sister”) (said by Chinese ethnicity)
References
Japanese
Kanji
妹
(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)
Readings
Compounds
Etymology 1
⟨imo1⟩ → */imʷo/ → /imo/
From Old Japanese 妹 (imo1). First cited in the Kojiki of 712.
Speculatively, may be related to terms such as 女 (me1, womi1na, “woman”), 嫗 (omi1na, “elderly woman”), and 母 (omo1, “mother”), wherein the medial /-m-/ appears to signify woman, female. However, the difference in vowel values presents a difficulty.
Pronunciation
Noun
妹 • (imo)
- (archaic, said from a male speaker) a close female companion
- one's sister regardless of age difference
- one's lover or sweetheart who is the subject of marriage or is already married
- 905–914, Kokin Wakashū (book 11, poem 485)
- かりごもの思ひ乱れて我恋ふといも知るらめや人し告げずは
- karigomo no omoimidarete ware kou to imo shirurame ya hito shi tsugezu wa
- (please add an English translation of this example)
- (archaic, said from a female speaker) a close female companion
Antonyms
Derived terms
Etymology 2
/imo ɸito/ → /imowito/ → */imowuto/ → /imoːto/
Originally a compound of 妹 (imo, “sister, close female companion”) + 人 (hito, “person”). First cited in The Tales of Ise of the early 900s.
This is an instance of ウ音便 (u onbin, “u sound shift”), found in terms with bilabial consonants (/m/, /b/, /w/) followed by i; commonly seen in terms such as 玄人 (kurōto, “professional”), 素人 (shirōto, “amateur”), or possibly, 相撲 (sumō, “sumo”).
Pronunciation
Noun
妹 • (imōto)
- one's own younger sister
- Antonym: 姉 (ane, “older sister”)
-
- 妹の仇だ!何万人だろうが地獄へ送ってやる‼
- Imōto no kataki da! Nanmannin darō ga jigoku e okutte yaru‼
- This is for my sister! Keep coming, all of you! I’ll send you all straight to hell‼
-
- 永束君 「少年」じゃない…西宮の妹だってよ
- Nagatsuka-kun “Shōnen” ja nai… Nishimiya no imōto da tte yo
- Nagatsuka-kun. That's not a "boy"… Nishimiya said that's her sister.
- the wife of one's younger brother; one's sister-in-law
- Synonym: 義妹 (gimai)
- a younger female
- (archaic, said from a male speaker) one's sister regardless of age difference
- Antonym: 兄人 (shōto)
(alternative reading hiragana いもっ, rōmaji imo')
- (Kagoshima) younger sister
Derived terms
Etymology 3
Analyzed as a shortening of imōto, itself a compound 妹 (imo, “sister, close female companion”) + 人 (hito, “person”).
Appears in The Tale of Heiji, written around the mid-12th century. May be much older, as this reading is also included in kun'yomi glosses for the Nihon Shoki of 720 (although the manuscripts with the glosses themselves are not as old).
Noun
妹 • (imoto)
- (rare) Same as いもうと (imōto) above
Proper noun
妹 • (Imoto)
- a placename
Etymology 4
From Middle Chinese 妹 (MC mwojH).
Affix
妹 • (mai)
- Same as いもうと (imōto) above
Proper noun
妹 • (Mai)
- a female given name
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 “妹”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”) (in Japanese), concise edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 “妹”, in デジタル大辞泉 (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
- ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK Publishing, →ISBN
- ^ Shinmura, Izuru, editor (1998), 広辞苑 (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN
Korean
Hanja
妹 (eumhun 누이 매 (nu'i mae))
- Hanja form? of 매 (“younger sister”).
Old Japanese
Etymology 1
Speculatively, may be related to terms such as 女 (me1, womi1na, “woman”), 嫗 (omi1na, “elderly woman”), and 母 (omo1, “mother”), wherein the medial /-m-/ appears to signify woman, female. However, the difference in vowel values presents a difficulty.
Noun
妹 (imo1 → imo) (kana いも)
- said from a male speaker:
- one's sister regardless of age difference
- , text here
言不問木尚妹與兄有云乎直獨子尓有之苦者- ko2to2 to1panu ki2 sura imo to2 se ari to2 ipu wo tada pi1to2riko1 ni aru ga kurusisa
- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- one's lover or sweetheart who is the subject of marriage or is already married
- , text here
秋去者見乍思跡妹之殖之屋前乃石竹開家流香聞- aki1 saraba mi1tutu sino1pe1 to2 imo ga uwesi nipa no2 nadesiko1 saki1nike1ru ka mo
- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- said from a female speaker:
- a close female companion
- , text here
風高邊者雖吹為妹袖左倍所沾而苅流玉藻焉- kaze takaku pe1 ni pa pukedo2mo imo ga tame2 so1de sape2 nurete kareru tamamo so2
- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- one's sister regardless of age difference
- a daughter
711–712, Kojiki, (poem 51):...母登弊波岐美袁淤母比傅須恵幣波伊毛袁淤母比傅...- ...mo2to2pe1 pa ki1mi1 wo omo2pi1de suwepe1 pa imo1 wo omo2pi1de...
- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
Antonyms
Derived terms
Derived terms
- 妹ら (imora)
- 妹が家に (imo ga ipe1 ni, pillow word)
- 妹が髪 (imo ga *kami, pillow word)
- 妹が着る (imo ga ki1ru, pillow word)
- 妹が袖 (imo ga so1de, pillow word)
- 妹が手を (imo ga te wo, pillow word)
- 妹が紐 (imo ga pi1mo, pillow word)
- 妹が目を (imo ga me2 wo, pillow word)
- 妹許 (imogari)
- 妹に恋ひ (imo ni ko1pi2, pillow word)
- 汝妹 (nanimo1)
- 継妹 (mamaimo1)
- 吾妹 (wagi1mo1)
Descendants
Etymology 2
Shortening of imo1, due possibly to poetic reasons, haplology, or a reduction of vowel clusters to avoid hiatus, which was phonologically prohibited in Old Japanese. This hiatus avoidance is also seen in 吾妹 (wagi1mo1), which would otherwise have been wa ga imo1.
Noun
妹 (mo1 → mo) (kana も)
- same as いも (imo1) above
- , text here
多妣等弊等麻多妣爾奈理奴以弊乃母加枳世之己呂母爾阿加都枳爾迦理- tabi1 to2 pe1do2 ma-tabi1 ni narinu ipe1 no2 mo ga ki1sesi ko2ro2mo ni aka tuki1nikari
- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
Etymology 3
Eastern dialectal variant of imo1.
Noun
妹 (imu) (kana いむ)
- (regional, Eastern Old Japanese) Same as いも (imo1) above
- , text here
可之古伎夜美許等加我布理阿須由利也加曳我牟多祢牟伊牟奈之爾志弖- kasiko1ki1 ya mi1-ko2to2 kagapuri asu yuri ya kaye ga muta nemu imu nasi ni site
- (please add an English translation of this usage example)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 “妹”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”) (in Japanese), concise edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000
- ^ “妹”, in デジタル大辞泉 (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
- ^ Shinmura, Izuru, editor (1998), 広辞苑 (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN
Vietnamese
Han character
妹: Hán Nôm readings: muội
- This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text
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