從

Translingual

Han character

從 (Kangxi radical 60, 彳+8, 11 strokes, cangjie input 竹人人人人 (HOOOO), four-corner 2828₁, composition ⿰彳⿱从龰)

Derived characters

• 傱 㗰 㙡 㜡 嵷 摐 漎 暰 樅 瑽 䐫 瞛 磫 䙕 縱 䗥 豵 蹤 䡮 鏦
• 㞞 㢔 瘲 嵸 蓯 篵 䰌 䢨 慫 熧 㹐 㼻 聳 䳷
• 𢐔 𢕩 𢠰 𤡆 𥡬 𦗜 𨲧 𩀨 𩞆 𪅜 𪖁 𢖗 𧽵 𦌇 𣯨 𧐱 𨄦 𩀰 𩞐 𭜅 𬥯

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 368, character 18
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 10152
• Dae Jaweon: page 692, character 14
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 829, character 12
• Unihan data for U+5F9E

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 從
Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 辵 (“walk”) + 从 (“follow”).

Etymology 1

Etymology not certain. Perhaps cognate with Tibetan རྫོང་བ (rdzong ba, “to dispatch; to dismiss”) (Schuessler, 2007). Alternatively, compare Tibetan སྟོངས་པ (stongs pa, “to accompany”), or perhaps 送 (OC *sloːŋs, “to escort; to send”).

Pronunciation 2 is a derivation of pronunciation 1.

Pronunciation 1

Definitions

從

1. to follow; to come after

   盲從／盲从  ―  mángcóng  ―  to follow blindly

   從師／从师  ―  cóngshī  ―  to follow a teacher and learn from him/her

2. to comply with; to submit to

   順從／顺从  ―  shùncóng  ―  to submit to; to yield to; to obey

   差點就從了他了！ [MSC, trad.]
   差点就从了他了！ [MSC, simp.]

   Chādiǎn jiù cóng le tā le!

   (I) nearly gave in to him (and became his girlfriend). (slang)

3. to follow the principle of

   從寬處理／从宽处理  ―  cóngkuān chùlǐ  ―  to treat leniently

4. to join; to be engaged in

   從軍／从军  ―  cóngjūn  ―  to join the army

5. from (a place or time); since

   他從中國來。／他从中国来。  ―  Tā cóng zhōngguó lái.  ―  He comes from China.

   火車從隧道裡出來。 [MSC, trad.]
   火车从隧道里出来。 [MSC, simp.]

   Huǒchē cóng suìdào lǐ chūlái.

   The train comes out of the tunnel.

   你是從哪個國家來的？ [MSC, trad.]
   你是从哪个国家来的？ [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ shì cóng nǎ ge guójiā lái de?

   Where are you from? (Which country are you from?)

   我們只能從我們的錯誤中學習。 [MSC, trad.]
   我们只能从我们的错误中学习。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒmen zhǐ néng cóng wǒmen de cuòwù zhōng xuéxí.

   We can learn only from our mistakes.

   這家店從早上9點開到晚上6點。 [MSC, trad.]
   这家店从早上9点开到晚上6点。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè jiā diàn cóng zǎoshàng 9 diǎn kāi dào wǎnshàng 6 diǎn.

   This shop is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

   我們從小學三年級就是朋友了。 [MSC, trad.]
   我们从小学三年级就是朋友了。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒmen cóng xiǎoxué sān niánjí jiùshì péngyǒu le.

   We have been friends since the third grade.

   • 賣：出物貨也。從出從買。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     卖：出物货也。从出从买。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Shuowen Jiezi, circa 2^nd century CE

     Mài: chū wù huò yě. Cóng chū cóng mǎi.

     賣／卖 (mài): To put something out and sell it. Derived from 出 (chū) and 買／买 (mǎi).

6. through; via; by

   一陣清風從窗口吹來。 [MSC, trad.]
   一阵清风从窗口吹来。 [MSC, simp.]

   Yī zhèn qīngfēng cóng chuāngkǒu chuī lái.

   A cool breeze came in through the window.

   我每天都從郵局經過。 [MSC, trad.]
   我每天都从邮局经过。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ měi tiān dōu cóng yóujú jīngguò.

   I go past the post-office every day.

7. from; according to

   從目前來看／从目前来看  ―  cóng mùqián lái kàn  ―  (please add an English translation of this usage example)

8. (followed by negative) never; ever

   我以前從沒見過她。 [MSC, trad.]
   我以前从没见过她。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ yǐqián cóngméi jiàn guò tā.

   I have never seen her before

   我從不違約。／我从不违约。  ―  Wǒ cóngbù wéiyuē.  ―  I never break my promise.

9. 19th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "following" (𝌘)
10. a surname

Compounds

Pronunciation 2

Definitions

從

1. (of relatives) paternal (with the same surname)

   從兄／从兄  ―  cóngxiōng  ―  paternal male cousin elder than oneself with the same surname

2. auxiliary; subsidiary

   從屬／从属  ―  cóngshǔ  ―  subordinate

3. follower; attendant; entourage

   侍從／侍从  ―  shìcóng  ―  attendant

Compounds

Descendants

• → Korean: 종 (jong, “servant; slave”)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Definitions

從

1. Only used in 從容／从容 (cóngróng, “calm; at ease”).

Compounds

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

Definitions

從

1. ^† Alternative form of 縱／纵 (“straight; vertical”)
2. ^† Alternative form of 縱／纵 (“to give free reign to”)

Compounds

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

Definitions

從

1. ^† Alternative form of 蹤／踪 (zōng)

References

• “從”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

(“Jinmeiyō” kanji used for names, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 従)

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

Readings

• Go-on: しゅ (shu); じゅ (ju); じゅう (jū)
• Kan-on: しょう (shō)
• Kan’yō-on: じゅう (jū)
• Kun: したがう (shitagau, 從う); したがえる (shitagaeru, 從える); より (yori)

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 從 (MC dzjowng).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

從

Wikisource

從 (eumhun 좇을 종 (jocheul jong))

1. Hanja form^? of 종 (“to follow; to pursue”).
2. Hanja form^? of 종 (“to obey; to comply”).
3. Hanja form^? of 종 (“from; since”).

Compounds

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 從 (MC dzjowngH).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

從 (eum 종 (jong))

1. Hanja form^? of 종 (“prefix indicating cousinhood”).

   Synonym: 堂 (당 (dang))

Compounds

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

從: Hán Nôm readings: tòng, tùng, thủng, tuồng, thong, thung, thùng, tồng, tụng

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

References

• Nôm Foundation