. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
you have here. The definition of the word
will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: 𤣩 ,
𡈼 ,
壬 ,
玉 , and 主
Translingual
Stroke order
Stroke order (Japan)
Stroke order
Han character
王 (Kangxi radical 96, 玉 +-1, 4 strokes, cangjie input 一土 (MG ), four-corner 10104 , composition ⿱一 土 )
Shuowen Jiezi radical №5
Derived characters
Appendix:Chinese radical/玉
仼 , 㕵 , 𡉠 , 彺 , 忹 , 抂 , 汪 , 狂 , 旺 , 枉 , 𤆦 , 𥘛 , 𮀍 , 𮂴 , 𥿁 , 蚟 , 𧥶 , 𧴽 , 軖 , 𬫃 , 𩵭 , 迋 , 尪 , 尫 , 㒬 , 尩 , 𪼷 , 䶭 , 𮨧 , 頊 (顼 ), 鳿 , 𰀤
兲 , 丟 , 弄 , 𣅨 , 𪳈 , 主 , 全 , 𦍌 , 呈 , 𡭤 , 㞷 , 𦬬 , 𭥕 , 𭩜 , 皇 , 𦊄 , 䍿 , 𦤃 , 望 , 𩂊 , 聖 , 朢 , 𭼆 , 匡 , 囯 , 閏 (闰 ), 𪡅 , 噩 , 𧘦 , 㝙 , 寚 , 㴏 , 鬥
References
Kangxi Dictionary: page 727 , character 2
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 20823
Dae Jaweon: page 1137, character 1
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1099, character 10
Unihan data for U+738B
Chinese
Glyph origin
Old Chinese
皇
*ɡʷaːŋ
惶
*ɡʷaːŋ
遑
*ɡʷaːŋ
堭
*ɡʷaːŋ
煌
*ɡʷaːŋ
餭
*ɡʷaːŋ
騜
*ɡʷaːŋ
艎
*ɡʷaːŋ
隍
*ɡʷaːŋ
湟
*ɡʷaːŋ
徨
*ɡʷaːŋ
篁
*ɡʷaːŋ
蝗
*ɡʷaːŋ, *ɡʷraːŋ, *ɡʷraːŋs
凰
*ɡʷaːŋ
偟
*ɡʷaːŋ
媓
*ɡʷaːŋ
韹
*ɡʷaːŋ, *ɡʷraːŋ
葟
*ɡʷaːŋ
皝
*ɡʷaːŋʔ
汪
*qʷaːŋ, *qʷaːŋs, *qʷaŋʔ
尪
*qʷaːŋ
迋
*kʷaŋʔ, *kʰʷaŋ, *ɡʷaŋ, *ɢʷaŋs
逛
*kʷaŋʔ
誑
*kʷaŋs, *ɡʷaŋ, *kʷaŋs
匡
*kʰʷaŋ
筐
*kʰʷaŋ
框
*kʰʷaŋ
眶
*kʰʷaŋ
誆
*kʰʷaŋ, *ɡʷaŋs
邼
*kʰʷaŋ
恇
*kʰʷaŋ
劻
*kʰʷaŋ
洭
*kʰʷaŋ
軭
*kʰʷaŋ, *ɡʷaŋ
狂
*ɡʷaŋ, *ɡʷaŋs
軖
*ɡʷaŋ
鵟
*ɡʷaŋ
俇
*ɡʷaŋʔ
王
*ɢʷaŋ, *ɢʷaŋs
蚟
*ɢʷaŋ
彺
*ɢʷaŋ
旺
*ɢʷaŋs
諻
*qʰʷraːŋ
喤
*qʰʷraːŋ, *ɡʷraːŋ
瑝
*ɡʷraːŋ
鍠
*ɡʷraːŋ
揘
*ɡʷaŋ
The traditional interpretation is that the three horizontal strokes represent Heaven, Man and Earth. The vertical stroke is the king, the one who connects them together. Older representation of the character shows a man like 大 or 天 ( tiān ) above a horizontal stroke.
The modern interpretation is that the character is a pictogram (象形 ) of a ritual axe made perhaps of jade, a symbols of the king's power. A ceremonial axe was kept near the throne, and was used for performing rituals in ancient China. As an alternative, it's a crown.
Unrelated to 玉 ( yù , “ jade ” ) and 主 ( “ master ” ) . Partly related to 士 .
Etymology 1
Uncertain. There are many proposed etymologies:
Sagart and Baxter (2009) compare it to Tibetan གོང་མ ( gong ma , “ superior one ” ) .
Schuessler (2007) compares it to Tibetan དབང ( dbang , “ strength , power ” ) and Burmese အန် ( an , “ strength, power ” ) , which derive from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *d-baŋ ( “ strength, power ” ) . However, reconstructing the Old Chinese as *waŋ , he notes the mismatch between Old Chinese *w- vs. Tibetan *b- (unless *dw- can become db- ; for possible *b- ~ * w- variation, see 花 ). He also compares it to Proto-Northern Naga *waŋ ( “ chief ” ) .
Schuessler (2007) alternatively proposes a connection to Old Khmer vāṅ , vaṅ ( modern Khmer វាំង ( veăng ) , “royal palace ” ) , which he considers to be cognate with Khmer ហ្លួង ( luŏng , “ king ” ) . This is perhaps supported by a bronze inscription where 王 refers to a place, not the Zhou king (Shaughnessy, 1991 ). The semantic shift from "palace" to "king" parallels Egyptian pr-ꜥꜣ ( “ pharaoh ” , literally “ palace ” ) , from pr ( “ house ” ) + ꜥꜣ ( “ great, big ” ) . The connection to the Old Khmer word would thus relate it to Proto-Mon-Khmer *waŋ ~ *waaŋ ( “ enclosure; to go round ” ) , which is part of a larger Austroasiatic word family, including 營 (OC *ɢʷeŋ ) and 環 (OC *ɡʷraːn ). Bodman (1980) connects 王 with 皇 (OC *ɡʷaːŋ , “sovereign”), which Schuessler (2007) connects to this word family.
Speculations exist about its connection to 尪 (OC *qʷaːŋ , “lame , crippled ”) and 狂 (OC *ɡʷaŋ , “mad ”), based on theories about the connection between ancient Chinese kingship and shamanism (Keightley, 1995 ).
Pronunciation
Mandarin
(Standard )
(Pinyin ) : wáng (wang2 )
(Zhuyin ) : ㄨㄤˊ
(Chengdu , Sichuanese Pinyin ) : wang2
(Dungan , Cyrillic and Wiktionary ) : вон (von, I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou –Hong Kong , Jyutping ) : wong4
(Taishan , Wiktionary ) : vong3
Gan (Wiktionary ) : uong4
Hakka
(Sixian , PFS ) : vòng
(Hailu , HRS ) : vong
(Meixian , Guangdong ) : vong2
Jin (Wiktionary ) : von1
Northern Min (KCR ) : uâng
Eastern Min (BUC ) : uòng
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing ): orng2
Southern Min
(Hokkien , POJ ) : ông / n̂g
(Teochew , Peng'im ) : uang5 / hêng5
(Leizhou , Leizhou Pinyin ) : huang5 / hiang5
Wu (Northern , Wugniu ) : 6 waon / 2 waon
Xiang (Changsha , Wiktionary ) : uan2
Note : ông - incl. surname.
Note : hêng5 - surname.
(Leizhou )
Leizhou Pinyin : huang5 / hiang5
Sinological IPA : /huaŋ²²/, /hiaŋ²²/
Note :
huang5 - literary;
hiang5 - vernacular (incl. surname).
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
王
Reading #
1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
wáng
Middle Chinese
‹ hjwang ›
Old Chinese
/*ɢʷaŋ/
English
king
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
王
Reading #
1/2
No.
12742
Phonetic component
王
Rime group
陽
Rime subdivision
0
Corresponding MC rime
王
Old Chinese
/*ɢʷaŋ/
Definitions
王
king ; monarch
國王 / 国王 ― guówáng ― king (of a nation)
周 成 王 ― Zhōu Chéng Wáng ― King Cheng of Zhou
這 位 男孩 被 擁立 為 王 。 [MSC , trad. ] 这 位 男孩 被 拥立 为 王 。 [MSC , simp. ] Zhè wèi nánhái bèi yōnglì wéi wáng . The boy was proclaimed king .
duke ; prince
王 侯 ― wáng hóu ― nobles; aristocrats (literally, “princes and marquises”)
親王 / 亲王 ― qīnwáng ― prince
秦 王 李 世 民 ― Qín Wáng Lǐ Shìmín ― Li Shimin, the Prince of Qin
best or strongest of its kind
拳王 ― quánwáng ― boxing champion
百獸 之 王 是 獅子 還是 老虎 ? [MSC , trad. ] 百兽 之 王 是 狮子 还是 老虎 ? [MSC , simp. ] Bǎishòu zhī wáng shì shīzǐ háishì lǎohǔ? Is the lion or the tiger the king of beasts?
chief ; head ; ringleader
擒賊先擒王 / 擒贼先擒王 ― qínzéixiānqínwáng ― to defeat the enemy, first catch their chief
( chess ) king
( graph theory ) king ( a vertex in a directed graph which can reach every other vertex via a path with a length of at most 2 )
任意 競賽圖 都 有 一 個 王 。 [MSC , trad. ] 任意 竞赛图 都 有 一 个 王 。 [MSC , simp. ] Rènyì jìngsàitú dōu yǒu yī ge wáng . In every tournament there exists a king .
† grand ; great
† ( of feudal monarchs ) to see the emperor
a surname : Wang ; Wong ; Ong ; Heng
王 勃 ― Wáng Bó ― Wang Bo (Tang dynasty poet)
王 延 政 ― Wáng Yánzhèng ― Wang Yanzheng (Emperor of Min)
Descendants
Others :
→ Classical Mongolian: ᠸᠠᠩ ( wang ) ( via Mandarin )
Mongolian:
Mongolian script: ᠸᠠᠩ ( wang )
Cyrillic script: ван ( van )
→ Buryat: ван ( van )
→ English: Wang ( via Mandarin ) , Wong ( via Cantonese ) , Ong ( via Hokkien ) , Heng ( via Teochew )
→ Iu Mien: hungh
→ Manchu: ᠸᠠᠩ ( wang ) ( via Mandarin )
→ Middle Mongol: ( via Early Mandarin )
Uigurjin script: ᠣᠩ ( ʾwnk /oŋ/ )
→ Old Uyghur: 𐽰𐽳𐽺𐽷 ( oŋ ) ( via Early Mandarin ) , 𐽳𐽰𐽺𐽷 ( wʾnk /waŋ/ ) ( via Early Mandarin )
→ Tagalog: Ong ( via Hokkien ) , Wong ( via Cantonese ) , Wang ( via Mandarin )
→ Thai: อ๋อง ( ɔ̌ng ) ( via Hokkien )
→ Zhuang: vuengz
Compounds
Etymology 2
王 (OC *ɢʷaŋ ) with a denominalizing *-s suffix (Schuessler, 2007 ; Baxter and Sagart, 2014 ).
Pronunciation
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
王
Reading #
2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
wàng
Middle Chinese
‹ hjwangH ›
Old Chinese
/*ɢʷaŋ-s/
English
be king
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
王
Reading #
2/2
No.
12746
Phonetic component
王
Rime group
陽
Rime subdivision
0
Corresponding MC rime
迋
Old Chinese
/*ɢʷaŋs/
Definitions
王
† to reign ; to rule , to be a king
† Alternative form of 旺 ( wàng , “ flourishing ; prosperous ” )
Compounds
See also
References
Japanese
Kanji
王
(First grade kyōiku kanji )
Readings
Etymology 1
/wau/ → /wɔː/ → */woː/ → /oː/
From Middle Chinese 王 (MC hjwang ).
Pronunciation
Noun
王( おう ) • (ō ) ←わう ( wau ) ?
a king , especially one who is not East Asian or was East Asian in pre-imperial times ; in China and Vietnam, generally a king before Qin Shi Huangdi who invented the title 皇帝 ( kōtei , “ huangdi; emperor ” ) ; in Korea, one of the many kings before the Korean Empire which was modeled after Japan's; in Japan, one of the rulers before Emperor Jinmu
越( えつ ) 王( おう ) 勾( こう ) 践( せん ) ― Etsuō Kōsen ― King Goujian of Yue
an East Asian queen regnant
親( しん ) 魏倭( ぎわ ) 王( おう ) ― Shingi Waō ― the pro-Wei Queen of Wa
徴( ちょう ) (女( じょ ) )王( おう ) ― Chō (Jo)ō ― the Trưng Queen
善( ぜん ) 徳( とく ) (女( じょ ) )王( おう ) ― Zentoku (Jo)ō ― Queen Seondeok
a nobility title for a Chinese or Vietnamese prince, bestowed on one of the 皇帝 ( kōtei , “ huangdi; emperor ” ) 's adult sons, brothers, or nephews, especially as a coming-of-age title, generally comes with an estate ("principality"); compare 皇子 ( ōji , “ imperial princes ” , especially pre-adult ones ) and 公 ( kō , “ dukes ” , an alternative used by certain dynasties )
武( ぶ ) 成( せい ) 王( おう ) ― Busei ō ― Prince Wucheng
興( こう ) 道( どう ) 王( おう ) ― Kōdō Ō ― Prince Hưng Đạo
a Japanese prince 's son ( such princes include 親王 ( shinnō ) or 王 ( ō ) themselves )
Usage notes
An East Asian queen regnant (except in Korea) has the same title as a king, not specifically a “queen (regnant)” like in European languages. Similarly, an empress regnant has the same title as an emperor.
See also
Affix
王( おう ) • (ō ) ←わう ( wau ) ?
king
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Ultimately from Baekje 鞬吉支 ( *k(j)ənkilci ) .
Noun
王( コニキシ ) or 王( コキシ ) • (konikishi or kokishi )
( archaic ) an ancient Korean king
百済( くだらの ) 王( こにきし ) ― Kudara no Konikishi ― King of Baekje
References
^ Matsumura, Akira , editor (2006 ), 大辞林 [Daijirin ] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo : 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), Tokyo : NHK Publishing, Inc. , →ISBN
Korean
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 王 (MC hjwang ).
Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun , 1448
ᅌᅪᇰ (Yale : ngwàng )
Middle Korean
Text
Eumhun
Gloss (hun )
Reading
Hunmong Jahoe , 1527
님〯굼〮 (Yale : nǐmkwúm )
와ᇰ (Yale : wàng )
Gwangju Cheonjamun , 1575
긔ᄌᆞ (Yale : kuyco )
왕 (Yale : wang )
Pronunciation
Hanja
Wikisource
王 (eumhun 임금 왕 ( imgeum wang ) )
hanja form? of 왕 ( “ king ; monarch ” )
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 .
Okinawan
Kanji
王
(First grade kyōiku kanji )
Readings
On (unclassified): をー ( wō )
Kun : ちみ ( chimi , 王 )
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 王 (MC hjwang ).
Pronunciation
Noun
王( をー ) (wō )
a king
an East Asian queen regnant
an East Asian sovereign prince
Usage notes
An East Asian queen regnant (except in Korea) has the same title as a king, not specifically a “queen (regnant)” like in European languages. Similarly, an empress regnant has the same title as an emperor.
See also
Affix
王( をー ) (wō )
king
Derived terms
Old Japanese
Etymology
From Baekje 鞬吉支 ( *k(j)ə-n kici ) .
Noun
王 (*ko2 niki1 si ) (kana こにきし )
an ancient Korean king
Descendants
Japanese: 王 ( konikishi, kokishi ) , in modern Japanese dictionaries
Vietnamese
Han character
王 : Hán Việt readings: vương (雨 ( vũ ) 方 ( phương ) 切 ( thiết ) )[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] [ 4] [ 5] , vượng [ 5]
王 : Nôm readings: vương [ 1] [ 2] [ 3] [ 4] [ 5] [ 6] , vướng [ 1] [ 7] [ 5]
chữ Hán form of vương ( “ king ” ) .
chữ Hán form of Vương ( “ a surname ; a male given name ” ) .
王翠翹 ― Vương Thuý Kiều
Nôm form of vướng ( “ to be entangled in; to be involved in ” ) .
chữ Hán form of vượng ( “ to reign ” ) .
Compounds
References