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in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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Translingual
Stroke order
In Chinese, the bottom right component is 母 with 2 dots, yielding 海 . In Japanese shinjitai , this component is simplified to 毋 (1 cross stroke), yielding 海 (氵 +毎 ). Both forms are encoded under the same Unicode codepoint – see Han unification .
Han character
海 (Kangxi radical 85, 水 +7 in Chinese and Korean , 水+6 in Japanese , 10 strokes in Chinese and Korean , 9 strokes in Japanese , cangjie input 水人田卜 (EOWY ) or 水人田十 (EOWJ ), four-corner 38157 , composition ⿰氵 每 (G H T K V or U+FA45) or ⿰氵 毎 (J or U+2F901) )
Derived characters
Further reading
Kangxi Dictionary: page 625 , character 14
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 17450
Dae Jaweon: page 1023, character 11
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1627, character 1
Unihan data for U+6D77
Chinese
Wikipedia has articles on:
海 (Written Standard Chinese? ) 海姓 (Written Standard Chinese? ) 海 (Cantonese) 海 (Gan) Hāi (Hakka) Hái (Southern Min) 海 (Wu)
Glyph origin
Old Chinese
脢
*mɯːs, *mɯː, *mɯːs
挴
*mlɯːʔ, *mɯːʔ
海
*hmlɯːʔ
毐
*ʔmɯː, *ʔmɯːʔ
呣
*mɯ
拇
*mɯʔ
母
*mɯʔ
胟
*mɯʔ
姆
*mɯʔ, *mɯs, *maːʔ
畮
*mɯʔ
踇
*mɯʔ
苺
*mɯs, *mɯːʔ, *mɯːs
莓
*mɯs, *mɯː, *mɯːs
敏
*mrɯʔ, *mrɯŋʔ
鰵
*mrɯŋʔ
慜
*mrɯŋʔ
毋
*ma
梅
*mɯː
酶
*mɯː
鋂
*mɯː
每
*mɯːʔ
毎
*mɯːs
痗
*mɯːs, *hmɯːs
晦
*hmɯːs
誨
*hmɯːs
悔
*hmɯːʔ, *hmɯːs
霉
*mrɯl
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声 , OC *hmlɯːʔ ) : semantic 氵 ( “ water ” ) + phonetic 每 ( OC *mɯːʔ) .
Etymology
Probably related to 晦 (OC *hmɯːs , “dark”); in numerous Zhou texts 海 is described as 晦 (Schuessler, 2007 ). Compare the parallelism in Chinese: 溟 (OC *meːŋ, *meːŋʔ , “ocean”) < 冥 (OC *meːŋ , “dark”).
STEDT compares 海 (OC *hmlɯːʔ ) to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *muːŋ ~ r/s-muːk ( “ foggy; dark; sullen; menacing; thunder ” ) .
Pronunciation
Mandarin
(Standard )
(Pinyin ) : hǎi (hai3 )
(Zhuyin ) : ㄏㄞˇ
(Chengdu , Sichuanese Pinyin ) : hai3
(Dungan , Cyrillic and Wiktionary ) : хэ (he, II)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou –Hong Kong , Jyutping ) : hoi2
(Taishan , Wiktionary ) : hoi2
(Yangjiang , Jyutping++ ) : hoi2
Gan (Wiktionary ) : hai3
Hakka
(Sixian , PFS ) : hói
(Hailu , HRS ) : hoiˊ
(Meixian , Guangdong ) : hoi3
Jin (Wiktionary ) : hai2
Northern Min (KCR ) : huǒi
Eastern Min (BUC ) : hāi
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing ): hai3
Southern Min
(Hokkien , POJ ) : hái
(Teochew , Peng'im ) : hai2
(Leizhou , Leizhou Pinyin ) : hai2
Wu (Northern , Wugniu ) : 5 he / 3 he
Xiang (Changsha , Wiktionary ) : hai3
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
海
Reading #
1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
hǎi
Middle Chinese
‹ xojX ›
Old Chinese
/*m̥ˁəʔ/ (dialect *m̥ˁ- > x-)
English
sea
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
海
Reading #
1/1
No.
9283
Phonetic component
母
Rime group
之
Rime subdivision
0
Corresponding MC rime
海
Old Chinese
/*hmlɯːʔ/
Definitions
海
sea ; ocean
好 想 去 看 海 。 ― Hǎo xiǎng qù kàn hǎi . ― I really want to go and look at the sea .
big lake
洱海 ― Ěrhǎi ― Er Lake
北京 的 北海 ― Běijīng de Běihǎi ― Beihai Lake, Beijing
( Cantonese ) wide river, especially the Pearl River
( of containers, amount, etc. ) big ; large
海 碗 ― hǎi wǎn ― extra large bowl
海 量 ― hǎi liàng ― huge amount
海 投 ― hǎi tóu ― to send résumés to many companies; to use shotgun approach in job hunting
海 扁 ― hǎi biǎn ― ( slang ) to beat someone tremendously
海 咪咪 ― hǎi mīmī ― ( slang ) big boobs
overseas ; abroad
海 棗/ 海 枣 ― hǎi zǎo ― date palm
( figurative ) sea ; abundance ; infiniteness
人海 ― rénhǎi ― huge crowd
火海 ― huǒhǎi ― sea of flames
( dialectal , colloquial ) profuse ; numerous
( dialectal , colloquial ) unrestrainedly ; randomly ; casually
a surname . Hai (mainland China, Taiwan ), Hoi (Hong Kong )
海 瑞 ― Hǎi Ruì ― Hai Rui (Chinese scholar-official of the Ming dynasty)
Synonyms
Dialectal synonyms of
海 (“sea”)
Compounds
Descendants
Others :
References
Japanese
Shinjitai
海
Kyūjitai [ 1]
海 海
or海 +︀
?
海󠄀 海 +󠄀
? (Adobe-Japan1 )
海󠄃 海 +󠄃
? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.
Kanji
海
(Second grade kyōiku kanji , shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 海 )
sea , ocean
vastly gathered
large , wide
Readings
Compounds
Compounds
海( かい ) 運( うん ) ( kaiun , “ marine transportation ” )
海( かい ) 外( がい ) ( kaigai , “ abroad , foreign country ” )
海( かい ) 岸( がん ) ( kaigan , “ coast , seashore , seacoast ” )
海( かい ) 峡( きょう ) ( kaikyō , “ strait ” )
海( かい ) 軍( ぐん ) ( kaigun , “ navy ” )
海( かい ) 獣( じゅう ) ( kaijū , “ marine animal ” )
海( かい ) 嘯( しょう ) ( kaishō , “ tidal wave ” )
海( かい ) 上( じょう ) ( kaijō , “ on the sea , marine , maritime ” )
海( かい ) 王( おう ) 星( せい ) ( Kaiōsei , “ Neptune ” )
海( かい ) 神( じん ) ( kaijin , “ sea god /spirit ” )
海( かい ) 図( ず ) ( kaizu , “ sea chart , water map ” )
海( かい ) 水( すい ) ( kaisui , “ seawater ” )
海( かい ) 鮮( せん ) ( kaisen , “ seafood ” )
海( かい ) 戦( せん ) ( kaisen , “ naval battle ” )
海( かい ) 草( そう ) ( kaisō , “ seagrass ” )
海( かい ) 藻( そう ) ( kaisō , “ seaweed ” )
海( かい ) 賊( ぞく ) ( kaizoku , “ pirate ” )
海( かい ) 中( ちゅう ) ( kaichū )
海( かい ) 底( てい ) ( kaitei , “ seabed ” )
海( かい ) 藤( どう ) ( kaidō )
海( かい ) 難( なん ) ( kainan , “ marine ” )
海( かい ) 馬( ば ) ( kaiba , “ sea lion ” )
海( かい ) 抜( ばつ ) ( kaibatsu , “ above sea level ” )
海( かい ) 錨( びょう ) ( kaibyō , “ sea anchor ” )
海( かい ) 辺( へん ) ( kaihen , “ seaside ” )
海( かい ) 洋( よう ) ( kaiyō , “ marine ” )
海( かい ) 流( りゅう ) ( kairyū , “ sea current , ocean trend ” )
海豹( アザラシ ) ( azarashi )
海驢( アシカ ) ( ashika )
熱海( あたみ ) ( Atami )
海人( あま ) , 海士( あま ) , 海女( あま ) ( ama , “ diver ” )
海参( いりこ ) , 煎海鼠( いりこ ) ( iriko )
海豚( イルカ ) ( iruka , “ dolphin ” )
海胆( ウニ ) ( uni )
海老( エビ ) ( ebi , “ shrimp , prawn , lobster ” )
淡海( おうみ ) ( ōmi )
海髪( オゴ ) ( ogo ) , 海髪( オゴノリ ) ( ogonori )
海月( クラゲ ) ( kurage , “ jellyfish ” )
海鼠腸( このわた ) ( konowata )
海象( セイウチ ) , 海馬( セイウチ ) ( seiuchi )
海鼠( ナマコ ) ( namako )
海苔( ノリ ) ( nori , “ nori ” )
海底( ハイテイ ) ( haitei ) , 海底( ハイテイ ) 摸月( ラオユエ ) ( haitei raoyue )
海星( ヒトデ ) , 海盤車( ヒトデ ) ( hitode , “ starfish ” )
海蘿( フノリ ) ( funori )
海鞘( ホヤ ) ( hoya , “ sea squirt ” )
海松( ミル ) ( miru )
海雲( モズク ) , 海蘊( モズク ) ( mozuku )
海人草( マクリ ) , 海仁草( マクリ ) ( makuri )
天( てん ) 空( くう ) 海( かい ) 闊( かつ ) ( tenkū kaikatsu )
Etymology 1
Alternative spelling
海 ( kyūjitai )
⟨umi1 ⟩ → */umij/ → /umi/
From Old Japanese , theorized as descending from Proto-Japonic *omi .
Has been thought to have been derived from a compound. There are two leading theories regarding the ultimate derivation:
This is problematic phonetically because there is no known term having a related shift from /opo/ → /oː/ → /o/ → /u/ , and semantically as there already exists a compound 大水 ( ōmizu , “ flood ” ) .
From う ( u- , stem indicating “ocean ” ) + 水 ( mi , “ water ” , combining form ) . The u- stem is evident in 魚 ( uo , “ fish ” ) and 潮 ( ushio , “ salt water ; tide ” ) , and in the 海 ( una ) element in various ancient terms (see below).[ 3]
Pronunciation
Noun
海( うみ ) • (umi )
a sea , an ocean
Antonym: 陸 ( oka, riku )
海( うみ ) の中( なか ) にはいろんな 生( い ) き物( もの ) が暮( く ) らし ています。Umi no naka ni wa ironna ikimono ga kurashiteimasu.There are all sorts of creatures living in the sea .
海( うみ ) に 行( い ) こうよ !Umi ni ikō yo!Let's go to the beach!
a lake
Synonym: 湖 ( mizuumi )
( figurative ) an object covering over a large area , as in 血の海 ( chi no umi , “ pool of blood ” ) or 火の海 ( hi no umi , “ sea of fire ” )
( planetology ) a mare ( dark surface of a celestial body , thought to appear like a sea)
( calligraphy ) in a 硯 ( suzuri , “ inkstone ” ) , a reservoir where water is stored
Synonym: 池 ( ike )
Usage notes
This is the most common general term in modern Japanese for sea or ocean .
Derived terms
Derived terms
海牛( うみうし ) ( umiushi , “ sea slug ” )
海風( うみかぜ ) ( umikaze , “ sea breeze ” )
海亀( うみがめ ) ( umigame , “ sea turtle ” )
海草( うみぐさ ) ( umigusa , “ seaweed ” )
海幸( うみさち ) ( umisachi ) , 海( うみ ) の幸( さち ) ( umi no sachi , “ seafood ” )
海( うみ ) 沿( ぞ ) い ( umizoi , “ coastlands ” )
海( うみ ) 狸( だぬき ) ( umidanuki , “ beaver ” )
海鳥( うみどり ) ( umidori , “ sea bird ” )
海鳴( うみな ) り ( uminari , “ rumbling of the sea” )
海( うみ ) の日( ひ ) ( Umi no Hi )
海( うみ ) 辺( べ ) ( umibe , “ beach , seashore ” )
海山( うみやま ) ( umiyama , “ sea and mountains ” )
海綿( うみわた ) ( umiwata , “ sea sponge ” )
海猫( ウミネコ ) ( umineko , “ black-tailed gull ” )
荒海( あらうみ ) ( araumi , “ rough sea” )
淡海( あわうみ ) ( awaumi )
入海( いりうみ ) ( iriumi , “ bay , inlet , gulf , creek ” )
大( おお ) 海( うみ ) ( ōumi , “ ocean, large sea ” )
外( そと ) 海( うみ ) ( sotōmi , “ open seas ” )
血( ち ) の海( うみ ) ( chi no umi , “ pool of blood ” )
泥( どろ ) 海( うみ ) ( dorōmi , “ muddy sea” )
鳰( にお ) の海( うみ ) ( Nio-no-umi )
Idioms
海( うみ ) を渡( わた ) る ( umi o wataru , “ cross over the ocean → go to a foreign country ” )
Proper noun
海( うみ ) • (Umi )
a female given name
Etymology 2
Alternative spelling
海 ( kyūjitai )
From Old Japanese . Thought to be comprised of う ( u- , stem indicating “ocean ” ) + な ( na , ancient alternative form of the possessive particle の ( no ) ) .[ 6] The u- stem is also evident in 魚 ( uo , “ fish ” ) and 潮 ( ushio , “ salt water ; tide ” ) .
First cited to the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE .[ 6]
Pronunciation
Prefix
海( うな ) • (una- )
of the sea , of the ocean
Derived terms
Etymology 3
Alternative spelling
海 ( kyūjitai )
From Old Japanese .
Probably related to Korean 바다 ( bada , “ ocean , sea ” ) ; perhaps an ancient Koreanic borrowing into Japanese.
Also read as wada .[ 7]
Pronunciation
Noun
海( わた ) • (wata )
( obsolete ) sea , ocean
Derived terms
Etymology 4
Alternative spelling
海 ( kyūjitai )
Either cognate with 水 ( mi , “ water ” ) , or an abbreviation of umi above.
Pronunciation
Noun
海( み ) • (mi )
( obsolete ) sea , ocean
Derived terms
Etymology 5
Alternative spelling
海 ( kyūjitai )
From Middle Chinese 海 (MC xojX ).
Pronunciation
Affix
海( かい ) • (kai )
sea ; ocean
References
^ “海 ”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia ] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation , 2015–2024
^ “海 ”, in 日本大百科全書:ニッポニカ ( Nippon Dai Hyakka Zensho: Nipponica , “ Encyclopedia Nipponica ” ) (in Japanese), Tōkyō : Shogakukan , 1984
^ “海/うみ ”, in 語源由来辞典 ( Gogen Yurai Jiten , “ Etymology Derivation Dictionary ” ) (in Japanese), 2003–2024 .
^ 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
^ Matsumura, Akira , editor (2006 ), 大辞林 [Daijirin ] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo : Sanseidō , →ISBN
↑ 6.0 6.1 Shōgaku Tosho (1988 ) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition) ] (in Japanese), Tōkyō : Shogakukan , →ISBN
↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 “わた 【海】 ”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten ] (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo : Shogakukan , 2000-2002, released online 2007 , →ISBN , concise edition entry available here
Korean
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 海 (MC xojX ).
Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun , 1448
ᄒᆡᆼ〯 (Yale : hǒy )
Middle Korean
Text
Eumhun
Gloss (hun )
Reading
Hunmong Jahoe , 1527
바다〮 (Yale : pàtá )
ᄒᆡ〯 (Yale : hǒy )
Pronunciation
(SK Standard /Seoul ) IPA (key ) : ~ Phonetic hangul: Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.
Hanja
Wikisource
海 (eumhun 바다 해 ( bada hae ) )
hanja form? of 해 ( “ sea ; ocean ” )
Compounds
References
국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전/電子字典 .
Vietnamese
Han character
海 : Hán Việt readings: hải (呼 ( hô ) 改 ( cải ) 切 ( thiết ) )[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] [ 4] [ 5]
海 : Nôm readings: hẩy [ 1] [ 2] [ 3] [ 6] , hải [ 1] [ 2] [ 7] [ 4] , hái [ 1] , hơi [ 1] , hãi [ 2] , hỏi [ 2]
Chữ Hán form of hải ( “ sea ; ocean ” ) .
Nôm form of hẩy ( “ to toss ; to throw ” ) .
Compounds
References