方

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方

Translingual

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Stroke order

Stroke order (alternative)

Han character

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Radical 70 方

方 (Kangxi radical 70, 方+0, 4 strokes, cangjie input 卜竹尸 (YHS), four-corner 0022₇, composition ⿱丶万)

1. Kangxi radical #70, ⽅.

Derived characters

• Appendix:Chinese radical/方
• 仿, 𪟀, 㕫, 坊, 妨, 𢁸, 𢎷, 彷, 㤃, 㧍, 汸, 防, 䢍, 𢨲, 昉, 枋, 𬊀, 牥, 𤤁, 肪, 祊, 𭽍, 眆, 𬒂, 䄱, 𫁊, 𫋳, 𭁌, 𪭫, 𮇉, 紡(纺), 舫, 蚄, 訪(访), 𫎒, 趽, 鈁(钫), 𭠈, 𩖫, 𩚠, 𩨣, 𩲠, 魴(鲂), 䲱, 𪕃, 𬬐
• 𠛍, 邡, 放, 𪴩, 𣬵, 瓬, 𨾔, 𩲌, 鴋, 𣁅, 𧘩, 㝑, 芳, 房, 昘, 𬙙, 𥫳, 雱, 髣, 臱, 𢦷, 閍(𨸂), 𡇅, 圀, 堃, 敖, 敫, 𣪧, 𦴪, 𨘋, 㡢, 矈

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 481, character 3
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13620
• Dae Jaweon: page 842, character 5
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2172, character 1
• Unihan data for U+65B9

Further reading

• 方 on Wikidata.Wikidata

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 方
Shang	Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 一 + 刀 (“sword”) – blade; tip of a blade. Original form of 芒 (OC *maːŋ, *maŋ, “awn (of cereal); tip (of blade)”); later borrowed to mean “side”. Other theories regarding the origin of this character also exist.

It is unrelated to 㫃 (“fluttering flag”), from which characters like 旗 (OC *ɡɯ, “flag”) and 旅 (OC *ɡ·raʔ, “troops”) are derived.

Etymology 1

"side; square; region"

Probably related to 旁 (OC *baːŋ), 傍 (OC *baːŋ, *baːŋs) (Schuessler, 2007).

"parallel boats"

Cognate with 舫 (OC *paːŋs, *paŋs, “boat”), 艕 (“boat”). According to STEDT, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *poŋ (“raft; float”); compare Burmese ဖောင် (hpaung, “raft”), Jingpho hpong (“kac”). According to Schuessler (2007), this etymon is an area word; compare Thai พ่วง (pûuang, “raft; pontoon”), Proto-Austronesian *qabaŋ (“boat”), Old Mon kɓaŋ (“ship; boat”).

"just now"; "now"

Cognate with 甫 (OC *paʔ, “just now”). Compare Jingpho hpang (“to begin”), Proto-Kuki-Chin *pran (“to begin”) (STEDT).

"method; law"

Etymology not certain. May be the same word as 方 (OC *paŋ, “side; square; region”). Cognate with 仿 (OC *pʰaŋʔ, “to imitate”). Perhaps cognate with Tibetan བྱང་བ (byang ba, “skill; experience”), Tibetan སྦྱངས (sbyangs, “trained; exercised studied”) (Schuessler, 2007). Alternatively, it may belong to Khmer ព្រាង (priəng, “to draft; to sketch”) < Khmer រាង (riəng, “shape; form; figure”). If so, it belongs to an Austroasiatic allofam which includes 狀 (OC *zraŋs, “form; appearance”). "Law; norm; standard" is a common extension of "form; shape".

Pronunciation 1

Definitions

方

1. (obsolete) parallel; side by side
2. (obsolete) parallel boats; raft made of bamboo

   • 江之永矣，不可方思。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Jiāng zhī yǒng yǐ, bùkě fāng sī.

     The length of the Jiang
     Cannot be navigated with a raft.

3. (obsolete) to match; to be equal to
4. (obsolete) to compare; to set side by side
5. (obsolete) to differentiate; to discriminate
6. (obsolete) to occupy; to take up
7. (mathematics) square; rectangle; cube

   正方形  ―  zhèngfāngxíng  ―  square

   長方形／长方形  ―  chángfāngxíng  ―  rectangle

   方桌  ―  fāngzhuō  ―  square table

8. side; aspect; party

   甲方  ―  jiǎ fāng  ―  Party A

   方面  ―  fāngmiàn  ―  aspect; side

9. place; region; locality

   遠方／远方  ―  yuǎnfāng  ―  faraway place

   方言  ―  fāngyán  ―  dialect; regional variety

10. orientation; direction

    東方／东方  ―  dōngfāng  ―  east

    前方  ―  qiánfāng  ―  front

11. (obsolete) law; rule; reason
12. method; way

    千方百計／千方百计  ―  qiānfāngbǎijì  ―  by every conceivable means

    教導有方／教导有方  ―  jiàodǎo yǒufāng  ―  to teach with the right method

13. (obsolete) sort; category; kind
14. (obsolete) moral principle and knowledge; learning
15. (obsolete) earth; solid earth; ground
16. (traditional Chinese medicine) prescription

    古方  ―  gǔfāng  ―  ancient prescription

    偏方  ―  piānfāng  ―  folk prescription

17. (mathematics) power

    2的3次方是8。  ―  2 de 3 cìfāng shì 8.  ―  2 to the third power is 8.

18. (mathematics) Short for 平方米 (píngfāngmǐ, “Classifier for square metre.”).
19. (mathematics) Short for 立方米 (lìfāngmǐ, “Classifier for cubic metre.”).
20. Classifier for square objects.

    一方手帕  ―  yī fāng shǒupà  ―  one handkerchief

    兩方圖章／两方图章  ―  liǎng fāng túzhāng  ―  two seal

21. (literary, preceding a measurement of length to indicate area) area surrounding (something); surroundings; vicinity

    • 天子之制，地方千里，公侯皆方百里。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

      From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

      Tiānzǐ zhī zhì, dì fāng qiān lǐ, gōng hóu jiē fāng bǎi lǐ.

      To the Son of Heaven there was allotted a territory of a thousand li square. A Gong and a Hou had each a hundred li square.

22. upright; honest; irreproachable

    方正  ―  fāngzhèng  ―  upright; righteous

    品行端方  ―  pǐnxíng duānfāng  ―  righteous

23. just; just when; at the time when; just now; now

    方興未艾／方兴未艾  ―  fāngxìngwèi'ài  ―  to be now rising or flourishing and have not yet stopped

    • 國家方危，諸侯方貳，將以襲敵人，不亦難乎？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      国家方危，诸侯方贰，将以袭敌人，不亦难乎？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

      Guójiā fāng wēi, zhūhóu fāng èr, jiāng yǐ xí dírén, bùyì nán hū?

      The State is now in a perilous condition, and the other States are now disaffected towards it; shall we not find it a difficult enterprise to invade an enemy in such circumstances?

    • 方其夢也，不知其夢也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      方其梦也，不知其梦也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

      Fāng qí mèng yě, bùzhī qí mèng yě.

      When they were dreaming, they did not know it was a dream.

    • 趙方西憂秦，南憂楚，其力不能禁我。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      赵方西忧秦，南忧楚，其力不能禁我。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

      Zhào fāng xī yōu Qín, nán yōu Chǔ, qí lì bùnéng jìn wǒ.

      Zhao is now worrying about Qin in the west and Chu in the south; it cannot restrain us with its strength.

24. just; only

    書到用時方恨少／书到用时方恨少  ―  shū dào yòng shí fāng hèn shào  ―  to regret not acquiring enough knowledge only when it comes time to apply it

    • 一旦段生以事繫獄，半年方得釋。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      一旦段生以事系狱，半年方得释。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: 11^th century CE, 文瑩 (Wenying), 玉壺清話

      Yīdàn Duàn Shēng yǐ shì xìyù, bànnián fāng dé shì.

      One day Duan was imprisoned because of some matters, and was released only after half a year.

    • 今年方四十上下年紀，只有薛蟠一子。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
      今年方四十上下年纪，只有薛蟠一子。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

      From: Cao Xueqin, Dream of the Red Chamber, mid-18^th century CE

      Jīnnián fāng sìshí shàngxià niánjì, zhǐ yǒu Xuē pán yī zǐ.

      (please add an English translation of this usage example)

    • 對於文化問題，我是門外漢，想研究一下，也方在開始。 [MSC, trad.]
      对于文化问题，我是门外汉，想研究一下，也方在开始。 [MSC, simp.]

      From: 1940, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《新民主主義論》 (On New Democracy), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

      Duìyú wénhuà wèntí, wǒ shì ménwàihàn, xiǎng yánjiū yīxià, yě fāng zài kāishǐ.

      I am a layman in matters of culture; I would like to study them, but have only just begun to do so.

    Synonym: 才 (cái)

25. at (a specific time); when

    • 為人子，方少時，親師友，習禮儀。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
      为人子，方少时，亲师友，习礼仪。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

      From: Three Character Classic, circa 13^th century CE

      Wéi rénzǐ, fāng shàoshí, qīn shīyǒu, xí lǐyí.

      He who is the son of a man, when he is young, should attach himself to his teachers and friends, and practise ceremonial usages.

26. will; going to

    • 今方來，吾欲辱之，何以也？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      今方来，吾欲辱之，何以也？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

      Jīn fāng lái, wú yù rǔ zhī, héyǐ yě?

      is now about to visit, and I want to insult him. How should I do so?

    • 今治水軍八十萬眾，方與將軍會獵於吳。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
      今治水军八十万众，方与将军会猎于吴。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

      From: Pei Songzhi, Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms, circa 5^th century CE

      Jīn zhì shuǐjūn bāshí wàn zhòng, fāng yǔ jiāngjūn huìliè yú Wú.

      (please add an English translation of this usage example)

27. (lexicography) Short for 方言 (fāngyán, “dialect”).
28. a surname

    方孝孺  ―  Fāng Xiàorú  ―  Fang Xiaoru (Confucian scholar-bureaucrat of the Ming Dynasty)

Compounds

Descendants

Others:

• → English: Fang, Fong, Png
• → Vietnamese: vuông

Pronunciation 2

Definitions

方

1. Only used in 方輿／方舆 (Fángyù, “an ancient county in modern Shandong”).
2. to disobey
3. Alternative form of 房
4. Alternative form of 防 (fáng)

Etymology 2

Rendering of a dialectal pronunciation of 慌 (huāng).

Pronunciation

Definitions

方 (Mainland China, neologism, slang)

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   Please see Module:checkparams for help with this warning.Pronunciation spelling of 慌 (huāng).

   我方了！  ―  Wǒ fāng le!  ―  I panic!

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   Please see Module:checkparams for help with this warning.Pronunciation spelling of 慌 (huāng).

   好方！  ―  Hǎo fāng!  ―  So panicky!

Etymology 3

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

Definitions

方

1. Used in 方羊 and 方洋.
2. Used in 方皇.
3. Alternative form of 旁

Etymology 5

Pronunciation

Definitions

方

1. Only used in 方良.

Etymology 6

Borrowed from English phon.

Pronunciation

Definitions

方

1. phon (unit of apparent loudness)

References

• “方”, 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

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. direction
2. person
3. alternative
4. (algebra, geometry) square

Readings

• Go-on: ほう (hō, Jōyō)^{←はう (fau, historical)}
• Kan-on: ほう (hō, Jōyō)^{←はう (fau, historical)}
• Kun: かた (kata, 方, Jōyō)
• Nanori: まさ (masa)

Compounds

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 方 (MC bjang|pjang).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ほ​ー (Atamadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

方(ほう) • (hō) ^{←はう (fau)?}

1. direction, way, side

   鬼(おに)さんこちら、手(て)の鳴(な)る方(ほう)へ

   oni-san kochira, te no naru hō e

   hey, "it", over here, to (the direction of) the clapping of the hands (phrase said in tag)

2. more so (preceded by ～の, often followed by ～が)

   この時計(とけい)の方(ほう)がそっちより高(たか)いです。

   Kono tokei no hō ga sotchi yori takai desu.

   This watch is more expensive than that one.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) かた​ (Odaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

方(かた) • (kata) 

1. (polite) person

   あの方(かた)。

   Ano kata.

   That person. (polite)

   あの方(かた)はどなたですか。

   Ano kata wa donata desu ka.

   Who is that gentleman? (formal)

Synonyms

• (plain) 人(ひと) (hito)

Suffix

方(かた) • (-kata) 

1. way, method (of doing)

   書(か)き方(かた)

   kakikata

   way of writing something; how to write something

   使(つか)い方(かた)

   tsukaikata

   way of using something; how to use something

See also

• 道(みち) (michi)
• 法(ほう) (hō)
• 方法(ほうほう) (hōhō)

Etymology 3

pe > ɸe > we > e.

Suffix

方(え) • (-e) ^{←へ (fe)?}

1. a suffix expressing location, direction, or time

Derived terms

• 古(いにしえ) (inishie)
• 行方(ゆくえ) (yukue)

Etymology 4

From Old Japanese. Originally a compound of さ (sa, “that”, pronominal indicating a person, place, thing, or direction in the middle distance) +‎ ま (ma, “likeness, way, similarity”, suffix indicating a quality).

Alternative forms

• 様

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) さま​ (Odaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

方(さま) • (sama) 

1. a person's appearance (as of body, or style, or face, etc.)
2. the state or situation of a thing
3. the general trend, tenor, or feel of a thing
4. one's social station, status, or quality
5. the way or means of doing something, how one does something
6. the reason or circumstances for something

References

Korean

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

Pronunciation

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

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

方

Wikisource

方 (eumhun 모 방 (mo bang))

1. Hanja form^? of 방 (“direction”).

Compounds

Vietnamese

Han character

方: Hán Việt readings: phương (府(phủ)良(lương)切(thiết))
方: Nôm readings: phương, vuông, phăng

1. chữ Hán form of phương (“way; direction; means; method”).

References