語

See also: 语

語	U+8A9E, 語 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8A9E

← 誝

CJK Unified Ideographs

誟 →

Translingual

Stroke order

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 1163, character 8
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 35533
Dae Jaweon: page 1628, character 2
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 3974, character 9
Unihan data for U+8A9E

Chinese

trad.		語
simp.		语

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 語
Spring and Autumn	Warring States			Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Small seal script

Characters in the same phonetic series (五) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
吾	ŋraː, ŋaː
衙	ŋraː, ŋa, *ŋaʔ
鼯	*ŋaː
浯	*ŋaː
珸	*ŋaː
郚	*ŋaː
齬	ŋaː, ŋa, *ŋaʔ
鯃	*ŋaː
娪	*ŋaː
梧	*ŋaː
峿	*ŋaː
五	*ŋaːʔ
伍	*ŋaːʔ
寤	*ŋaːs
啎	*ŋaːs
晤	*ŋaːs
悟	*ŋaːs
逜	*ŋaːs
窹	*ŋaːs
捂	*ŋaːs
鋙	ŋa, ŋaʔ
語	ŋaʔ, ŋas
圄	*ŋaʔ
敔	*ŋaʔ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋaʔ, *ŋas) : semantic 言 + phonetic 吾 (OC *ŋraː, *ŋaː).

Etymology

Compare Tibetan ངག (ngag, “speech”).

According to Schuessler (2007), 言 (OC *ŋan, “to speak; speech; talk”) is 語 (OC *ŋaʔ) with a nominal n-suffix.

Pronunciation 1

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): yǔ (yu³)

(Zhuyin): ㄩˇ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): yu³

(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): йү (yü, II)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): jyu⁵

(Taishan, Wiktionary): ngui⁴
Gan (Wiktionary): nyy³
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): ngî

(Meixian, Guangdong): ngi¹
Jin (Wiktionary): y²
Northern Min (KCR): ngṳ̌
Eastern Min (BUC): ngṳ̄
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): gú / gír / gí

(Teochew, Peng'im): ghe²

(Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): ngi²
Wu (Wugniu)
- (Northern): ⁶gniu / ⁴gni / ⁴gniu / ³yu / ³iu / ³gni
- (Jinhua): ³gniu; ³gniu_r; ³gniunn_r
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): y³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: yǔ
  - Zhuyin: ㄩˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yǔ
  - Wade–Giles: yü³
  - Yale: yǔ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yeu
  - Palladius: юй (juj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /y²¹⁴/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: yu³
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: y
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /y⁵³/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: йү (yü, II)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /y⁵¹/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: jyu⁵
  - Yale: yúh
  - Cantonese Pinyin: jy⁵
  - Guangdong Romanization: yu⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jyː¹³/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: ngui⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵑɡui²¹/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: nyy³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲy²¹³/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngî
  - Hakka Romanization System: ngi´
  - Hagfa Pinyim: ngi¹
  - Sinological IPA: /ŋi²⁴/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: ngi¹
  - Sinological IPA: /ŋi⁴⁴/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: y²
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /y⁵³/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ngṳ̌
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋy²¹/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: ngṳ̄
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋy³³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Taipei, Magong, Penang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gú
  - Tâi-lô: gú
  - Phofsit Daibuun: guo
  - IPA (Penang): /ɡu⁴⁴⁵/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Taipei): /ɡu⁵³/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Nan'an, Tong'an, Lukang, Sanxia, Kinmen, Hsinchu)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gír
  - Tâi-lô: gír
  - IPA (Tong'an): /ɡɯ³¹/
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Nan'an): /ɡɯ⁵⁵⁴/
  - IPA (Kinmen): /ɡɯ⁵³/
  - IPA (Lukang): /ɡɨ⁵⁵/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Zhangpu, Yilan, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Hsinchu, Taichung, Penang, Philippines)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gí
  - Tâi-lô: gí
  - Phofsit Daibuun: gie
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɡi⁴¹/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou, Zhangpu, Yilan, Tainan): /ɡi⁵³/
  - IPA (Penang): /ɡi⁴⁴⁵/
  - IPA (Jinjiang, Philippines): /ɡi⁵⁵⁴/

Note:

General Taiwanese:
- gí/gú - vernacular;
- gú - literary.

(Teochew)
- Peng'im: ghe²
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: gṳ́
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɡɯ⁵²/
(Leizhou)
- Leizhou Pinyin: ngi²
- Sinological IPA: /ŋi³¹/

Wu
- (Shanghai, Songjiang, Suzhou, Haiyan, Shaoxing, Ningbo)
  - Wugniu: ⁶gniu
  - MiniDict: nyu^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³nyy
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /n̠ʲy²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /n̠ʲy¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /n̠ʲy²³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /n̠ʲy²¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /n̠ʲy¹¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /n̠ʲy¹¹³/
- (Chongming, Haining)
  - Wugniu: ⁴gni
  - MiniDict: nyi^上
  - Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦn̠ʲi²⁴²/
  - Sinological IPA (Haining): /n̠ʲi⁴²/
- (Chongming, Jiaxing, Shaoxing)
  - Wugniu: ⁴gniu
  - MiniDict: nyu^上
  - Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦn̠ʲy²⁴²/
  - Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /n̠ʲy²¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /n̠ʲy¹¹³/
- (Changzhou)
  - Wugniu: ³yu
  - MiniDict: yu^上
  - Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /ɦy⁴⁵/
- (Hangzhou)
  - Wugniu: ³iu
  - MiniDict: iu^上
  - Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /y⁵³/
- (Tongxiang)
  - Wugniu: ³gni
  - Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /n̠ʲi⁵³/
- (Jinhua)
  - Wugniu: ³gniu; ³gniu_r; ³gniunn_r
  - Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /n̠ʲy⁵³⁵/, /n̠ʲy¹⁴/, /n̠ʲiũ¹⁴/

Note: ³gniu_r / ³gniunn_r - see 語兒.

Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: y³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /y⁴¹/

Middle Chinese: ngjoX

Rime
Character	語
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	疑 (31)
Final (韻)	魚 (22)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	魚巨切
Baxter	ngjoX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ŋɨʌ^X/
Pan Wuyun	/ŋiɔ^X/
Shao Rongfen	/ŋiɔ^X/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ŋɨə̆^X/
Li Rong	/ŋiɔ^X/
Wang Li	/ŋĭo^X/
Bernard Karlgren	/ŋi̯wo^X/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yǔ
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jyu⁵

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*ŋ(r)aʔ/

(Zhengzhang): /*ŋaʔ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	語
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yǔ
Middle Chinese	‹ ngjo^X ›
Old Chinese	/*ŋ(r)aʔ/
English	speak
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	語
Reading #	1/2
No.	13159
Phonetic component	五
Rime group	魚
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	語
Old Chinese	/*ŋaʔ/

Definitions

語

to speak; to say
- 子不語怪，力，亂，神。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  子不语怪，力，乱，神。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE
  Zǐ bù yǔ guài, lì, luàn, shén.
  The Master spoke not of oddities, feats of strength, disorders, and spirits.
(of an animal) to chirp; to hoot
speech; language
(linguistics) spoken language (contrary to written language 文)
expression; words
saying; proverb; set phrase
movement or signal which transmits information
chirping; tweet

Compounds

Pronunciation 2

Mandarin
(Pinyin): yù (yu⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄩˋ
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): jyu⁶

(Taishan, Wiktionary): ngui⁴
Hakka (Meixian, Guangdong): ngi¹
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): gū / gīr / gī

(Teochew, Peng'im): ghe²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: yù
  - Zhuyin: ㄩˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yù
  - Wade–Giles: yü⁴
  - Yale: yù
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yuh
  - Palladius: юй (juj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /y⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: jyu⁶
  - Yale: yuh
  - Cantonese Pinyin: jy⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: yu⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jyː²²/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: ngui⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵑɡui²¹/
Hakka
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: ngi¹
  - Sinological IPA: /ŋi⁴⁴/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gū
  - Tâi-lô: gū
  - Phofsit Daibuun: gu
  - IPA (Xiamen): /ɡu²²/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gīr
  - Tâi-lô: gīr
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /ɡɯ⁴¹/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gī
  - Tâi-lô: gī
  - Phofsit Daibuun: gi
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɡi²²/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: ghe²
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: gṳ́
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɡɯ⁵²/

Middle Chinese: ngjoH

Rime
Character	語
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	疑 (31)
Final (韻)	魚 (22)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	牛倨切
Baxter	ngjoH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ŋɨʌ^H/
Pan Wuyun	/ŋiɔ^H/
Shao Rongfen	/ŋiɔ^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ŋɨə̆^H/
Li Rong	/ŋiɔ^H/
Wang Li	/ŋĭo^H/
Bernard Karlgren	/ŋi̯wo^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yù
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jyu⁶

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*ŋ(r)aʔ-s/

(Zhengzhang): /*ŋas/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	語
Reading #	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yù
Middle Chinese	‹ ngjo^H ›
Old Chinese	/*ŋ(r)aʔ-s/
English	tell
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	語
Reading #	2/2
No.	13165
Phonetic component	五
Rime group	魚
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	御
Old Chinese	/*ŋas/

Definitions

語

^† to tell; to inform
- 子好遊乎？吾語子遊。人知之亦囂囂、人不知亦囂囂。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  子好游乎？吾语子游。人知之亦嚣嚣、人不知亦嚣嚣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Zǐ hào yóu hū? Wú yù zǐ yóu. Rén zhī zhī yì xiāoxiāo, rén bùzhī yì xiāoxiāo.
  Are you, Sir, fond of travelling to the different courts? I will tell you about such travelling. If a prince acknowledge you and follow your counsels, be perfectly satisfied. If no one do so, be the same.

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (語):

→ Japanese: 語(ご) (go)
→ Korean: 어(語) (eo)
→ Vietnamese: ngữ (語)

References

“語”, 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

語

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

Go-on: ご (go, Jōyō)
Kan-on: ぎょ (gyo)
Kun: かたらう (katarau, 語らう, Jōyō)^{←かたらふ (katarafu, 語らふ, historical)}; かたる (kataru, 語る, Jōyō); ことば (kotoba, 語); つげる (tsugeru, 語げる)

Compounds

Etymology

Kanji in this term
語
ご Grade: 2
goon

Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:

語

Wikipedia ^ja

English Wikipedia has an article on:

Word

Wikipedia

From Middle Chinese 語 (MC ngjoX).

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) ご (Atamadaka – )
IPA^(key):

This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

Noun

語(ご) • (go)

(linguistics) a word, term
Synonyms: 言葉 (kotoba), 単語 (tango)
a proverb
Synonyms: 諺 (kotowaza), 成句 (seiku)

Derived terms

Suffix

語(ご) • (-go)

language of, -ese, -ish
日(に)本(ほん)語(ご) ― nihongo ― Japanese

英(えい)語(ご) ― eigo ― English

スペイン語(ご) ― supeingo ― Spanish

Derived terms

Affix

語(ご) • (go)

talk, speak
word, language, term
Short for 物語 (monogatari): story, tale, narrative

Derived terms

語(ご)意(い) (goi)
語(ご)彙(い) (goi)
語(ご)格(かく) (gokaku, “grammar”)
語(ご)学(がく) (gogaku)
語(ご)感(かん) (gokan)
語(ご)幹(かん) (gokan)
語(ご)気(き) (goki)
語(ご)義(ぎ) (gogi)
語(ご)句(く) (goku)
語(ご)群(ぐん) (gogun, “language group”)
語(ご)形(けい) (gokei)
語(ご)源(げん) (gogen)
語(ご)根(こん) (gokon)
語(ご)釈(しゃく) (goshaku, “explanation or explication of a word, term, phrase, or clause”)
語(ご)順(じゅん) (gojun)
語(ご)数(すう) (gosū, “number of words”)
語(ご)勢(せい) (gosei, “stress, tone, or emphasis; a manner of speaking”)
語(ご)族(ぞく) (gozoku)
語(ご)調(ちょう) (gochō)
語(ご)頭(とう) (gotō, “head or beginning of a word”)
語(ご)尾(び) (gobi)
語(ご)弊(へい) (gohei, “a misleading expression; a misunderstanding”)
語(ご)法(ほう) (gohō)
語(ご)脈(みゃく) (gomyaku, “the interrelationship of words”)
語(ご)類(るい) (gorui, “part of speech”)
語(ご)呂(ろ) (goro)
語(ご)録(ろく) (goroku)
隠(いん)語(ご) (ingo)
漢(かん)語(ご) (kango)
敬(けい)語(ご) (keigo)
結(けつ)語(ご) (ketsugo)
源(げん)語(ご) (Gengo)
言(げん)語(ご) (gengo)
古(こ)語(ご) (kogo)
口(こう)語(ご) (kōgo)
豪(ごう)語(ご) (gōgo)
言(ごん)語(ご) (gongo)
私(し)語(ご) (shigo)
耳(じ)語(ご) (jigo)
熟(じゅく)語(ご) (jukugo)
新(しん)語(ご) (shingo)
勢(せい)語(ご) (Seigo)
成(せい)語(ご) (seigo)
祖(そ)語(ご) (sogo)
壮(そう)語(ご) (sōgo)
単(たん)語(ご) (tango)
珍(ちん)語(ご) (chingo)
独(どく)語(ご) (dokugo)
難(なん)語(ご) (nango)
標(ひょう)語(ご) (hyōgo)
平(へい)語(ご) (heigo)
文(ぶん)語(ご) (bungo)
母(ぼ)語(ご) (bogo)
妄(ぼう)語(ご) (bōgo)
妄(もう)語(ご) (mōgo)

References

^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
^ 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

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 語 (MC ngjoX).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᅌᅥᆼ〯 (Yale: ngě)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
Text	*Gloss (hun)*	Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527	말〯ᄉᆞᆷ〮 (Yale: mǎlsóm)	어〯 (Yale: ě)

Pronunciation

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