桀

桀 (Kangxi radical 75, 木+6, 10 strokes, cangjie input 弓手木 (NQD), four-corner 2590₄, composition ⿱舛木)

• 傑, 𠹳, 嵥, 搩, 滐, 榤, 㻧, 磔, 謋, 䮪, 椉(乘,乗), 𡩣

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 524, character 15
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 14753
• Dae Jaweon: page 913, character 3
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1203, character 5
• Unihan data for U+6840

Historical forms of the character 桀
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script

In Chu slips, Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡrad) : phonetic 匄 (OC *kaːds) + semantic 木. In the modern script, 匄 has corrupted into 舛.

According to Schussler (2007), 桀 (OC *ɡrad) and 傑 (OC *ɡrad) are the same word meaning "outstanding > hero"; insides Sinitic, it is cognate to 朅 (OC *kʰrad, “martial”); outsides Sinitic, it is related to either Mizo hrât (“valiant, resolute”) or Tibetan གྱད (gyad, “strength; champion, athlete”).

STEDT reconstructs Proto-Sino-Tibetan *gjat (“hero, champion”) for 傑 (OC) ~ 桀 (OC *ɡrad) and གྱད (gyad).

桀

1. chicken roost

   • 雞棲于桀、日之夕矣、羊牛下括。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     鸡栖于桀、日之夕矣、羊牛下括。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Jī qī yú jié, rì zhī xī yǐ, yáng niú xià kuò.

     The fowls roost on their perches; and in the evening of the day, the goats and cows come down and home;

2. Jie of Xia, an ancient emperor

   • 韋顧既伐、昆吾夏桀。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     韦顾既伐、昆吾夏桀。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Wéi Gù jì fá, Kūnwú Xiàjié.

     Having smitten Wei and Gu, Kunwu, and with Jie of Xia.

   • 桀德，惟乃弗作往任，是惟暴德罔後。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     桀德，惟乃弗作往任，是惟暴德罔后。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Documents, circa 7^th – 4^th centuries BCE

     Jié dé, wéi nǎi fú zuò wǎng rèn, shì wéi bàodé wǎng hòu.

     Jie’s character was such that he did not follow precedents in making appointments, and therefore his character was violent and ruined the future .

3. fierce; brutal; cruel

   • 君不肖而側室賢，太子輕而庶子伉，官吏弱而人民桀，如此則國躁；國躁者，可亡也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     君不肖而侧室贤，太子轻而庶子伉，官吏弱而人民桀，如此则国躁；国躁者，可亡也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Han Feizi, circa 2^nd century BCE, translated based on W. K. Liao's version

     Jūn bùxiào ér cèshì xián, tàizǐ qīng ér shùzǐ kàng, guānlì ruò ér rénmín jié, rúcǐ zé guó zào; guó zào zhě, kěwáng yě.

     If the ruler is unworthy but his half-brothers are worthy; if the heir apparent is powerless and the concubine's son surpasses him; or if the magistrates are weak and the people are fierce; then the state will be seized with a panic. And a panic-stricken state is liable to ruin.

4. to lift; to raise; to shoulder; to bear

   • 齊高固入晉師，桀石以投人，禽之；而乘其車，繫桑本焉，以徇齊壘，曰：「欲勇者，賈余餘勇。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     齐高固入晋师，桀石以投人，禽之；而乘其车，系桑本焉，以徇齐垒，曰：「欲勇者，贾余余勇。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translation from Zuozhuan: Commentary on the "Spring and Autumn Annals" (2017), by Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li and David Schaberg

     Qí Gāo Gù rù Jìnshī, jié shí yǐ tóu rén, qín zhī; ér chéng qí chē, jì sāngběn yān, yǐ xùn Qí lěi, yuē: “Yù yǒng zhě, gǔ yú yúyǒng.”

     Gao Gu of Qi entered the ranks of the Jin army, raised a stone and hurled it against a Jin man, took him captive; and then rode in his chariot, tying it to a mulberry trunk with its roots. He paraded around the Qi fortifications, saying, “Those who want valor can buy my surplus.”

5. Alternative form of 傑／杰 (jié, “outstanding; hero”)

   • 伯兮朅兮、邦之桀兮。 [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

     Bó xī qiè xī, bāng zhī jié xī.

     My noble husband is how martial-like! The hero of the country!

Barnwell (2013) proposes that the 桀 (jié, “hero”) mentioned in Classic of Poetry "Airs of Wey - Bo Xi" was indeed Jié of Xià (夏桀).^[1]

桀

1. (Hokkien) to be not in harmony; to be incompatible; to be contrary
2. (Hokkien) to impede; to obstruct; to hinder
3. (Mainland China and Philippine Hokkien) to get stuck; to wedge
4. (Mainland China Hokkien) to contradict (people)
5. (Xiamen Hokkien) hard to get along with others

桀

1. (Hokkien) to have estrangement; to be in conflict with each other (often reduplicated)

   𪜶兩人桀桀。 [Hokkien, trad.]
   𪜶两人桀桀。 [Hokkien, simp.]

   In lióng lâng khe̍h khe̍h. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   Both of them are in conflict with each other.

2. (Xiamen Hokkien) to hit something

   碗桀著壁。 [Hokkien, trad. and simp.]

   Óaⁿ khe̍h tio̍h piah. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   The bowl hit the wall.

3. (Quanzhou Hokkien) to have a crack (of a jar, vat, etc.)

(Hyōgai kanji)

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• On (unclassified): けつ (ketsu)
• Kun: はりつけ (haritsuke)

桀 (eum 걸 (geol))

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桀: Hán Nôm readings: kiệt

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