球

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See also: 毬
球 U+7403, 球
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-7403
← 琂
 		CJK Unified Ideographs 琄 →

Translingual

Han character

球 (Kangxi radical 96, 玉+7, 11 strokes, cangjie input 一土戈十水 (MGIJE), four-corner 13132, composition ⿰𤣩求)

Derived characters

References

  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 732, character 29
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 21011
  • Dae Jaweon: page 1144, character 6
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1114, character 15
  • Unihan data for U+7403

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 球
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script
Characters in the same phonetic series (求) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
救 *kus
求 *ɡu
球 *ɡu
逑 *ɡu
賕 *ɡu
蛷 *ɡu
莍 *ɡu
殏 *ɡu
梂 *ɡu
俅 *ɡu
脙 *ɡu, *qʰu
絿 *ɡu
銶 *ɡu
毬 *ɡu
捄 *ɡu, *ko
觩 *ɡu

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *ɡu): semantic 玉 (“jade”) + phonetic 求 (OC *ɡu).

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.
 球
alternative forms 毬
𤥲

"Ball", earlier some "kind of jade". Bodman (1980) relates this to Wuming Zhuang klauA2 (“ball”), and relates 俅 (qiú, “gem-adorned”) to Tibetan གྲུ (gru, “lustre of gems”). This character had a softened initial in Proto-Min.

Originally written as 毬 (since Tang dynasty). The form 球 (since Qing dynasty) is now more common.

Pronunciation

Rime
Character 球
Reading # 1/1
Initial (聲) 群 (30)
Final (韻) 尤 (136)
Tone (調) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 巨鳩切
Baxter gjuw
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang 		/ɡɨu/
Pan
Wuyun 		/ɡiu/
Shao
Rongfen 		/ɡiəu/
Edwin
Pulleyblank 		/guw/
Li
Rong 		/ɡiu/
Wang
Li 		/ɡĭəu/
Bernhard
Karlgren 		/gi̯ə̯u/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex 		qiú
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex 		kau4
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 球
Reading # 1/1
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin) 		qiú
Middle
Chinese 		‹ gjuw ›
Old
Chinese 		/*(r)/
English "ball"?

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 球
Reading # 1/1
No. 10561
Phonetic
component 		求
Rime
group 		幽
Rime
subdivision 		1
Corresponding
MC rime 		𧚍
Old
Chinese 		/*ɡu/

Definitions

球

  1. † fine jade
  2. † percussion instrument made of jade
  3. ball; globe; orb
    氣球／气球  ―  qìqiú  ―  balloon
    雪球  ―  xuěqiú  ―  snowball
  4. (mathematics) ball; solid sphere
  5. earth
    全球  ―  quánqiú  ―  whole world
  6. ball (in sports)
    發球／发球  ―  fāqiú  ―  to serve
    一個籃球／一个篮球  ―  yī ge lánqiú  ―  a basketball
  7. ball game
    球迷  ―  qiúmí  ―  fan of a ball sport
    一場球／一场球  ―  yī chǎng qiú  ―  a ball game
  8. (Teochew, Xiang) Classifier for spherical objects, such as balls of string
    一球毛線／一球毛线  ―  yī qiú máoxiàn  ―  a ball of knitting wool
  9. (botany) Short for 仙人球 (xiānrénqiú, “ball-shaped cactus”).
  10. Short for 球根 (qiúgēn, “bulb, corm, tuber”).
  11. (slang) testicle
  12. (dialectal Mandarin, Jin, vulgar) Expletive. Often used in the form of ……個球(…… my ass). Underlying meaning may be "testes".
  13. (Cantonese, colloquial) million dollars
  14. (medicine, attributive) bulbar
Synonyms
Dialectal synonyms of 球 (“ball”)
Variety Location Words
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 球
Northeastern Mandarin Beijing 球
Taiwan 球
Singapore 球
Jilu Mandarin Jinan 球
Central Plains Mandarin Xi'an 球
Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) 蛋子
Masanchin (Shaanxi Dungan) 蛋子
Southwestern Mandarin Chengdu 球
Wuhan 球
Lancang 球
Guilin 球
Dagudi (Maliba) 球
Reshuitang (Longling) 球
Mae Salong (Lancang) 球
Mae Sai (Tengchong) 球
Jianghuai Mandarin Yangzhou 球
Hefei 球
Cantonese Guangzhou 波, 球
Hong Kong 波
Taishan 波
Dongguan 波
Rongxian 球
Hepu (Lianzhou) 球, 波
Hepu (Shatian) 球, 波
Qinzhou (Xiniujiao) 球
Beihai 波
Beihai (Nankang) 球
Beihai (Yingpan) 球
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) 球, 波
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) 球, 波
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) 球
Singapore (Guangfu) 波
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) 波
Móng Cái 球
Bangkok (Guangfu) 波
Betong (Rongxian) 球, 波
Gan Nanchang 球
Hakka Meixian 球
Jiexi 球
Miaoli (N. Sixian) 球仔
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 球仔
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 球仔
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 球
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 球仔
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 球
Hong Kong 波
Bangkok (Meixian) 球
Bangkok (Jiexi) 球
Jin Taiyuan 球
Northern Min Jian'ou 球
Eastern Min Fuzhou 球
Southern Min Xiamen 球
Singapore (Hokkien) 球
Chaozhou 球
Shantou 球
Jieyang 球
Bangkok (Teochew) 球
Chiang Mai (Teochew) 球
Hat Yai (Teochew) 球
Singapore (Teochew) 球
Pontianak (Teochew) 球
Leizhou 波
Haikou 波
Zhongshan Min Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) 波
Wu Shanghai 球
Suzhou 球
Wenzhou 球
Xiang Changsha 球
Shuangfeng 球
Dialectal synonyms of 睪丸 (“testicle”)
Variety Location Words
Classical Chinese 外腎, 腎
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 睪丸, 精巢
Northeastern Mandarin Beijing 卵子兒, 卵包子, 小蛋兒
Taiwan 蛋蛋
Harbin 卵子兒
Singapore 球
Jilu Mandarin Jinan 球蛋
Central Plains Mandarin Luoyang 蛋子兒, 蛋
Wanrong 子
Xi'an 蛋子兒
Lanyin Mandarin Yinchuan 卵子
Lanzhou 脬子兒, 腎
Ürümqi 脬卵子, 卵子
Southwestern Mandarin Chengdu 卵, 卵蛋, 蛋蛋, 卵子, 敲敲兒
Wuhan 卵子, 卵蛋, 卵坨
Guiyang 卵蛋
Liuzhou 卵考子, 考子
Jianghuai Mandarin Nanjing 卵子
Yangzhou 卵蛋, 卵子子
Cantonese Guangzhou 春子
Hong Kong 春, 春子, 春核, 波子, 蛋蛋, 睪丸
Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) 核
Hong Kong (Ting Kok) 核春
Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) 核仁
Kaiping (Chikan) 春牯
Dongguan 春核
Hepu (Lianzhou) 卵子
Hepu (Shatian) 卵脬仁
Guiping 核子
Guiping (Mule) 𨳍卵
Pingnan 核卵
Guigang (Gangcheng) 核仔
Guigang (Pingdong) 核仁
Beihai 卵仁
Beihai (Nankang) 卵仁
Beihai (Yingpan) 卵仁
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) 卵仁
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) 卵核
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) 卵核
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) 春仔
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) 卵
Móng Cái 卵核
Gan Lichuan 順子
Pingxiang 卵坨子
Hakka Meixian 核卵
Xingning 核卵
Dabu (Xihe) 核卵仁
Guangzhou (Zhengguo, Zengcheng) 核卵
Zhongshan (Wuguishan) 核卵
Wuhua (Shuizhai) 核卵
Wuhua (Huacheng) 核卵
Wuhua (Changbu) 核卵
Wuhua (Mianyang) 核卵
Jiexi 核卵
Changting 卵子
Longyan (Yongding) 核卵
Longyan (Xiayang, Yongding) 核卵仁
Longyan (Gaobei, Yongding) 核卵
Longyan (Hukeng, Yongding) 核卵
Wuping (Zhongshan) 核卵
Liancheng (Peitian) 卵子
Liancheng (Juxi) 核卵
Liancheng (Zhongbao) 核卵
Liancheng (Laiyuan) 核卵
Yudu 卵子
Miaoli (N. Sixian) 核卵
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 核卵
Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian) 核卵
Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian) 核卵仁
Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian) 核卵仔
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 核卵
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 核卵
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 核卵
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 核卵
Hong Kong 核卵
Sabah (Longchuan) 核卵
Kuala Lumpur (Dabu) 核卵仁
Senai (Huiyang) 核
Singkawang 核卵
Bangkok (Meixian) 核卵
Bangkok (Fengshun) 核卵
Huizhou Jixi 卵子
Jin Pingyao 堆兒, 蛋
Xinzhou 蛋籽子
Eastern Min Fuzhou 𡳞核子, 𡳞核
Fuzhou (Changle) 𡳞核子
Fuqing 𡳞核子
Yongtai 𡳞脬子
Gutian 𡳞核子
Fu'an 𡳞脬子
Ningde 𡳞脬子
Shouning 𡳞脬子
Zhouning 尿脬子
Fuding 卵脬子
Southern Min Xiamen 𡳞核, 腎子
Quanzhou 𡳞核, 腎子
Jinjiang 𡳞核
Yongchun 𡳞核, 𡳞核子
Zhangzhou 𡳞核, 腎子
Zhao'an 𡳞核
Taipei 𡳞核
Taipei (Wanhua) 𡳞脬核仔
New Taipei (Tamsui) 𡳞核
New Taipei (Sanxia) 𡳞核
New Taipei (Pingxi) 𡳞核
Kaohsiung 𡳞核, 𡳞核仔
Kaohsiung (Cijin) 𡳞核仔, 𡳞核
Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang) 𡳞核
Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang) 𡳞核
Kaohsiung (Tianliao) 𡳞核
Yilan 𡳞核
Yilan (Toucheng) 𡳞核仔
Changhua (Lukang) 𡳞核, 𡳞核仔
Taichung 𡳞核仔
Taichung (Wuqi) 𡳞核
Tainan 𡳞核, 𡳞核仔, 腎子
Tainan (Anping) 𡳞核
Taitung 𡳞核仔
Hsinchu 𡳞核, 𡳞核仔
Kinmen 𡳞核
Penghu (Magong) 𡳞核
Penghu (Xiyu) 𡳞核
Penang (Hokkien) 𡳞核, 核, 𡳞脬子
Singapore (Hokkien) 𡳞核, 腎子, 𡳞脬子
Manila (Hokkien) 𡳞核
Chaozhou 核
Shantou 𡳞核
Shantou (Chenghai) 𡳞核
Nan'ao (Houzhai) 𡳞核
Nan'ao (Yun'ao) 𡳞核
Jieyang 𡳞核, 𡳞仁
Haifeng 𡳞脬核
Bangkok (Teochew) 𡳞核
Leizhou 𡳞脬子, 𡳞脬核, 核子
Wenchang 𡳞仁
Haikou 𡳞脬仁
Puxian Min Putian 𡳞核
Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang) 𡳞核
Xianyou 𡳞核
Central Min Sanming (Sanyuan) 石核
Sanming (Shaxian) 尿脬核
Shaojiang Min Mingxi 腎肚子
Southern Pinghua Nanning (Tingzi) 卵子
Wu Shanghai 卵子
Suzhou 卵子
Danyang 卵脬黃, 卵子黃
Hangzhou 卵子
Ningbo 卵黃, 卵袋黃
Wenzhou 卵子, 卵袋子, 陰袋子
Jinhua 老核子
Jinhua (Tangxi) 卵核
Xiang Loudi 考子, 卵子
Hengyang 睪子

Compounds

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (球):
  • → Japanese: 球(きゅう) (kyū)
  • → Korean: 구(球) (gu)
  • → Vietnamese: cầu (球)

Others

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of 球 – see 璆 (“beautiful jade; tinkle of jade objects”).
(This character is a variant form of 璆).

Etymology 3

For pronunciation and definitions of 球 – see 毬.
(This character is the simplified form of 毬).
Notes:

References

Japanese

Kanji

球

(Third grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

  • Go-on: ぐ (gu)
  • Kan-on: きゅう (kyū, Jōyō)←きう (kiu, historical)
  • Kun: たま (tama, 球, Jōyō)
  • Nanori: く (ku)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
球
きゅう
Grade: 3
kan'on

From Middle Chinese 毬 / 球 (gjuw, “ball, sphere, orb”).

Pronunciation

Noun

球(きゅう) • (kyū) ←きう (kiu)?

  1. sphere, globe, orb
  2. (baseball) pitch
  3. (slang, electronics) vacuum tube, valve
    五(ご)球(きゅう)スーパーラジオ
    gokyū sūpā rajio
    five-tube superheterodyne receiver

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
球
たま
Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Pronunciation

Noun

球(たま) • (tama) 

  1. ball
  2. bulb (as in a light bulb)
  3. (slang, electronics) vacuum tube, valve
    球(たま)のアンプ
    tama no anpu
    tube amplifier
  4. (baseball) pitch
    いい球(たま)
    ii tama
    good pitch

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 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), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

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

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

Wikisource

球 (eumhun 공 구 (gong gu))

  1. hanja form? of 구 (“ball”)

Compounds

Vietnamese

Han character

球: Hán Việt readings: cầu

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