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Translingual
Stroke order
Han character
南 (Kangxi radical 24, 十 +7, 9 strokes, cangjie input 十月廿十 (JBTJ ), four-corner 40227 , composition ⿱十 ⿵冂 𢆉 )
Derived characters
㑲 , 㓓 , 喃 , 𡎜 , 婻 , 𪩂 , 㣮 , 揇 , 湳 , 暔 , 腩 , 楠 , 煵 , 遖 , 䊖 , 䋻 (䌾 ), 蝻 , 諵 , 𨂾 , 𨡯 , 𨩇 , 𠄼 , 献 , 𢆥 , 𦣰 , 萳 , 罱 , 䈒
References
Kangxi Dictionary: page 157 , character 5
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 2750
Dae Jaweon: page 357, character 8
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 65, character 2
Unihan data for U+5357
Chinese
Wikipedia has articles on:
南 (Written Standard Chinese? ) 南 (Cantonese) 南 (Gan) nàm (Hakka) 南 (Wu)
Glyph origin
Old Chinese
南
*nuːm
楠
*nuːm
腩
*nuːmʔ
湳
*nuːmʔ
揇
*nuːmʔ
萳
*nuːmʔ
罱
*ruːmʔ
喃
*rnuːm
諵
*rnuːm, *rnuːms
This character has been explained as a pictogram (象形 ) of a hanging percussion instrument, originally identical to the left side of 㱿 . Under this hypothesis its borrowing for the word “south” is difficult to explain.
Sagart (1988) instead proposes that it is a pictogram of the front of a house. Archaeological evidence confirms that in antiquity, at least in some regions, houses were built to face south.
Etymology 1
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-nam ( “ sky, sun ” ) (STEDT; Schuessler (2007) ; Benedict (1972) ); the south is traditionally associated with the sun & light, compare 陽 (OC *laŋ , “light, sun-lit south-side of a hill”).
If so, cognate with Tibetan གནམ ( gnam , “ sky ” ) , ནམ ( nam , “ night ” ) , Tshangla ngam ( “ sun, noon, day, sky ” ) , Chepang न्याम् ( nyam , “ sun, sunlight, storm-cloud, weather ” ) .
Alternatively, Sagart (2004) relates this word to Old Chinese *nɨm (revised to *nˤm in 2014) "belly, front of the body", further "south" to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-nam ( “ rib(s) ” ) , as one term for one body-part often shifts its meaning to another body-part nearby.
If so, 南 is cognate with 妊 (OC *njɯms , “to carry inside one's belly → to be pregnant”), 任 (OC *njɯm, *njɯms , “to carry a burden, especially in front of the body”), also 腩 (OC *nuːmʔ , “belly (of an ox)”), Southern Pumi nõ⁵⁵ , Burmese နံရိုး ( nam-rui: , “ side of the body, rib ” ) , and thus is a semantic counterpart to 北 (OC *pɯːɡ , “north”), which is related to 背 (OC *pɯːɡs, *bɯːɡs , “back of the body”).
Pronunciation
Mandarin
(Standard )
(Pinyin ) : nán (nan2 )
(Zhuyin ) : ㄋㄢˊ
(Chengdu , Sichuanese Pinyin ) : nan2
(Dungan , Cyrillic and Wiktionary ) : нан (nan, I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou –Hong Kong , Jyutping ) : naam4
(Taishan , Wiktionary ) : nam3
Gan (Wiktionary ) : lan4
Hakka
(Sixian , PFS ) : nàm
(Hailu , HRS ) : nam
(Meixian , Guangdong ) : nam2
Jin (Wiktionary ) : nan1
Northern Min (KCR ) : nâng
Eastern Min (BUC ) : nàng
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing ): nang2
Southern Min
(Hokkien , POJ ) : lâm
(Teochew , Peng'im ) : lam5 / nam5 / nang5
Wu (Shanghai , Wugniu ) : 6 noe
Xiang (Changsha , Wiktionary ) : lan2
Note :
lam5 - Chaozhou, Raoping;
nam5 - Shantou, Chaoyang, Jieyang;
nang5 - Chenghai.
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
南
Reading #
1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
nán
Middle Chinese
‹ nom ›
Old Chinese
/*nˁm/
English
south
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
南
Reading #
1/1
No.
9355
Phonetic component
南
Rime group
侵
Rime subdivision
2
Corresponding MC rime
南
Old Chinese
/*nuːm/
Definitions
南
south ; southern
Coordinate terms
Descendants
Others :
→ Japanese: 南( ナン ) ( nan , “ south wind (mahjong tile) ” )
Compounds
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
Definitions
南
Only used in 南無 / 南无 (nāmó ).
References
Japanese
Kanji
南
(Second grade kyōiku kanji )
Readings
Compounds
Etymology 1
⟨mi1 nami1 ⟩ → */mʲinamʲɨ/ → /minami/
From Old Japanese .
Pronunciation
(Can we verify (+ ) this pronunciation?)
Noun
南( みなみ ) • (minami )
the south ( cardinal point )
c. 762 , Shōsōin Man'yōgana Monjo [ 3]
和可夜之奈比乃可波利爾波( わがやしなひのかはりには ) 、於保末之末須( おほまします ) 、美奈美( みなみ ) 乃末知奈流( のまちなる ) 奴( やつこ ) 乎宇氣與止( をうけよと ) ... [Man'yōgana ] 我( わ ) が養( やしな ) ひの代( かは ) りには、おほ坐( ま ) します、南( みなみ ) の街( まち ) なる奴( やつこ ) を受( う ) けよと... [Modern spelling] waga yashinai no kawari ni wa, ōmashimasu, minami no machi naru yatsuko o ukeyo to... (please add an English translation of this example)
Antonym: 北 ( kita )
a southerly , south wind
Synonym: 南風 ( minamikaze, hae )
Antonym: 北 ( kita )
Coordinate terms
(compass points ) 方角 ( hōgaku ) ;
北西 ( hokusei ) 西北 ( seihoku )
北 ( kita )
北東 ( hokutō ) 東北 ( tōhoku )
西 ( nishi )
東 ( higashi )
西南 ( seinan ) 南西 ( nansei )
南 ( minami )
東南 ( tōnan ) 南東 ( nantō )
Derived terms
Proper noun
南( みなみ ) or 南( ミナミ ) • (Minami )
( historical ) the red-light district in modern-day Shinagawa Ward , Tokyo ( as it was located south of Edo Castle )
the name of a ward in various cities throughout Japan, especially a former ward in the city of Osaka which is now part of Chūō Ward
a male given name
a female given name
a surname
Verb
南( みなみ ) する • (minami suru ) suru (stem 南( みなみ ) し ( minami shi ) , past 南( みなみ ) した ( minami shita ) )
( archaic ) to go south
1789 , Seikashū (haikai by Takai Kitō )
紅楓( もみぢ ) 深( ふか ) し、みなみし 西( にし ) す、水( みづ ) の隅( すみ ) momiji fukashi, minami shi nishi su, mizu no sumi (please add an English translation of this example)
Conjugation
Katsuyōkei ("stem forms")
Mizenkei ("imperfective")
南し
みなみし
minami shi
Ren’yōkei ("continuative")
南し
みなみし
minami shi
Shūshikei ("terminal")
南する
みなみする
minami suru
Rentaikei ("attributive")
南する
みなみする
minami suru
Kateikei ("hypothetical")
南すれ
みなみすれ
minami sure
Meireikei ("imperative")
南せよ¹ 南しろ²
みなみせよ¹ みなみしろ²
minami seyo¹ minami shiro²
Key constructions
Passive
南される
みなみされる
minami sareru
Causative
南させる 南さす
みなみさせる みなみさす
minami saseru minami sasu
Potential
南できる
みなみできる
minami dekiru
Volitional
南しよう
みなみしよう
minami shiyō
Negative
南しない
みなみしない
minami shinai
Negative continuative
南せず
みなみせず
minami sezu
Formal
南します
みなみします
minami shimasu
Perfective
南した
みなみした
minami shita
Conjunctive
南して
みなみして
minami shite
Hypothetical conditional
南すれば
みなみすれば
minami sureba
¹ Written imperative
² Spoken imperative
Stem forms
Irrealis (未然形 )
南せ
みなみせ
minamise
Continuative (連用形 )
南し
みなみし
minamisi
Terminal (終止形 )
南す
みなみす
minamisu
Attributive (連体形 )
南する
みなみする
minamisuru
Realis (已然形 )
南すれ
みなみすれ
minamisure
Imperative (命令形 )
南せよ
みなみせよ
minamiseyo
Key constructions
Negative
南せず
みなみせず
minamisezu
Contrasting conjunction
南すれど
みなみすれど
minamisuredo
Causal conjunction
南すれば
みなみすれば
minamisureba
Conditional conjunction
南せば
みなみせば
minamiseba
Past tense (firsthand knowledge)
南しき
みなみしき
minamisiki
Past tense (secondhand knowledge)
南しけり
みなみしけり
minamisikeri
Perfect tense (conscious action)
南しつ
みなみしつ
minamisitu
Perfect tense (natural event)
南しぬ
みなみしぬ
minamisinu
Perfect-continuative tense
南せり 南したり
みなみせり みなみしたり
minamiseri minamisitari
Volitional
南せむ
みなみせむ
minamisemu
Etymology 2
/minami/ → /minːami/
Appears in The Pillow Book , completed in 1002.
Alteration of minami .[ 1]
Pronunciation
Noun
南( みんなみ ) • (minnami )
( archaic ) the south
Proper noun
南( みんなみ ) • (Minnami )
( historical , archaic ) the red-light district in modern-day Shinagawa Ward , Tokyo
Etymology 3
/namʉ/ → /naɴ/
From Middle Chinese 南 (MC nom ).
Noun
南( なん ) • (nan )
the south
Synonym: 南方 ( nanpō )
Short for 南鐐 ( nanryō ) : beautiful silver ; a type of silver coin in the Edo period
Derived terms
Affix
南( なん ) • (nan )
south , southern
Used in Sanskrit transliterations
Derived terms
Proper noun
南( なん ) • (Nan )
a female given name
a surname
Etymology 4
From Mandarin 南 ( nán ) .
Noun
南( ナン ) • (nan )
( mahjong ) south wind (mahjong tile )
Hypernym: 風牌 ( kazehai, fanpai )
( mahjong ) a 役 ( yaku , “ winning hand ” ) with a triplet or quad of south wind tiles; depending on wind round and player's seat wind, it is worth either 1 or 2 翻 ( han , “ doubles ” )
Hypernym: 役牌 ( yakuhai, yaku-pai )
Coordinate terms
Etymology 5
Shift from standard Japanese minami , dropping the final vowel and keeping the nasal.
Pronunciation
Noun
南( みなん ) • (minan )
( dialect , Kagoshima ) south ( cardinal point )
References
↑ 1.0 1.1 Matsumura, Akira , editor (2006 ), 大辞林 [Daijirin ] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo : Sanseidō , →ISBN
↑ 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
^ Takeuchi, Rizō (1962 ) Nara Ibun: Volume 3 (in Japanese), Tōkyō : Tōkyōdō Shuppan, →ISBN .
Korean
Etymology 1
From Middle Chinese 南 (MC nom ).
Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun , 1448
남 (Yale : nàm )
Middle Korean
Text
Eumhun
Gloss (hun )
Reading
Hunmong Jahoe , 1527
앏 (Yale : àlp )
남 (Yale : nàm )
Sinjeung Yuhap , 1576
남녁 (Yale : namnyek )앏 (Yale : alp )
남 (Yale : nam )
Pronunciation
Hanja
Wikisource
南 (eumhun 남녘 남 ( namnyeok nam ) )
hanja form? of 남 ( “ south ; southern ” )
Compounds
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
Hanja
南 (eumhun 나무 나 ( namu na ) )
hanja form? of 나 ( “ Only used in 나무 (南無 , namu ) ” )
References
국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전/電子字典 .
Okinawan
Kanji
南
(Second grade kyōiku kanji )
Readings
Compounds
Etymology
Cognate to Yonaguni 南 ( hai , “ south , southerly ” ) and western Japanese 南風 ( hae , “ southerly winds ” ) .
Pronunciation
Noun
南( ふぇー ) (fē )
the south ( cardinal point )
a southerly ( wind blowing from the south)
Derived terms
References
“ふぇー【南・南風】 ” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary , 2019.
Old Japanese
Etymology
This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium . Particularly: “Compound of み ( mi1 , uncertain, possibly “sea ” or “water ” ) + な ( na , apophonic form of attributive particle の ( no2 ) ) + 見 ( mi1 , the 連用形 ( ren'yōkei , “ stem form ” ) of verb 見る ( mi1 ru ) , “to look , see ” ) ?”
Noun
南 (mi1 nami1 ) (kana みなみ )
the south ( cardinal point )
Shosoin document, text here
和可夜之奈比乃、可波利爾波、於保末之末須、美奈美 乃末知奈流奴乎、宇気与止 wa ga yasinapi₁ no₂, kapari ni pa, opo masimasu mi₁nami₁ no₂ mati naru nu wo, uke₂ yo₂ to₂ (please add an English translation of this usage example)
a southerly ( wind blowing from the south)
...南 吹雪消益而射水河流水沫能余留弊奈美... ...mi1 nami1 puki1 yuki1 ke2 *masarite Imi1 du-gapa nagaru mi1 nawa no2 yo2 ru pe1 nami1 ... (please add an English translation of this quotation)
Usage notes
Also used in the Man'yōshū (759 CE ) as 借音 ( shakuon ) kana for ⟨na⟩ and 借訓 ( shakkun ) kana for ⟨namu⟩ .
Descendants
Tày
Noun
南 (nam )
Nôm form of nam ( “ south ” ) .
References
Lục Văn Pảo, Hoàng Tuấn Nam (2003 ) Hoàng Triều Ân, editor, Từ điển chữ Nôm Tày [A Dictionary of (chữ) Nôm Tày ] (in Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học Xã hội
Vietnamese
Han character
南 : Hán Nôm readings: nam
Adjective
南 • (nam )
south , southern
References
Yonaguni
Kanji
南
(Second grade kyōiku kanji )
Readings
Etymology
Cognate to Okinawan 南 ( fē , “ south , southerly ” ) and western Japanese 南風 ( hae , “ southerly winds ” ) .
Pronunciation
Noun
南( はい ) (hai )
the south ( cardinal point )
a southerly ( wind blowing from the south)
References
“はい【南・南風】 ” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary , 2019.
Zhuang
Noun
南
Sawndip form of namz