夭

See also: 夫, 禾, 耒, 末, 天, and 未

夭 U+592D, 夭 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-592D ← 夬 [U+592C] CJK Unified Ideographs 央 → [U+592E]

Translingual

Han character

夭 (Kangxi radical 37, 大+1, 4 strokes, cangjie input 竹大 (HK), four-corner 2043₀, composition ⿱丿大)

Derived characters

• 仸, 㓇, 㕭, 妖, 岆, 㤇, 扷, 沃, 枖, 殀, 祅, 矨, 秗, 袄, 訞(𫍚), 跃, 镺, 𨥜(𬬴), 飫(饫), 鴁
• 呑, 岙, 忝, 喬(乔), 鴌, 宎, 芺, 穾, 笑, 𮐔, 䴠
• 忝 (Exception: Only for Japanese character. Other regions contain 天 instead.)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 249, character 3
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 5838
• Dae Jaweon: page 507, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 523, character 2
• Unihan data for U+592D

Chinese

simp. and trad.		夭

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 夭
Shang	Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
笑	*sqʰows
夭	*qoːwʔ, *qrow, *qrowʔ
镺	*qoːwʔ, *qoːws
芺	*qoːwʔ, *qrowʔ
妖	*qrow
祅	*qrow
枖	*qrow
訞	*qrow
殀	*qrowʔ
仸	*qrowʔ
妋	*pa, *qu
飫	*qos
沃	*qoːwɢ
鋈	*qoːwɢ

Ideogram (指事) – a figure leaning forward, presumably running, hence energetic, young. See also the top component of the Kangxi radical 走.

Etymology

Coblin (1986) (apud Schuessler, 2007) considers it cognate to Tibetan ཡོ་བ (yo ba, “oblique, aslant”), གཡོ་བ (g.yo ba, “tilt”), གཡོས (g.yos); if so, probably of Sino-Tibetan origin. However, the medials do not agree, as the expected Middle Chinese reflex should be in division IV, not III-B (Schuessler, 2007). Compare also Mizo eu (“to bend backwards”) (ibid.).

Possibly related to 委 (OC *qrolʔ, “to bend”) (e.g. in Chuci [1]) (ibid.).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yāo (yao¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄠ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jiu¹ / jiu²
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): yêu
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): iau / iáu

  (Teochew, Peng'im): iao¹ / iou¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yāo
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄠ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yao
    • Wade–Giles: yao¹
    • Yale: yāu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iau
    • Palladius: яо (jao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jiu¹ / jiu²
    • Yale: yīu / yíu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jiu¹ / jiu²
    • Guangdong Romanization: yiu¹ / yiu²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːu̯⁵⁵/, /jiːu̯³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yêu
    • Hakka Romanization System: ieu^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /i̯eu̯²⁴/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yêu
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)ieu^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /(j)i̯eu̯²⁴/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iau
    • Tâi-lô: iau
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iaw
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /iau³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /iau⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, General Taiwanese, Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iáu
    • Tâi-lô: iáu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iao
    • IPA (Taipei, Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /iau⁵³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /iau⁵⁵⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /iau⁴¹/

Note:

• iau - literary;
• iáu - vernacular (俗).

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: iao¹ / iou¹
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: iau / iou
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iau³³/, /iou³³/

Note:

• iao1 - Shantou;
• iou1 - Chaozhou.

---

• Middle Chinese: 'jewX

Rime
Character	夭
Reading #	2/3
Initial (聲)	影 (34)
Final (韻)	宵 (92)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	於兆切
Baxter	'jewX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔˠiᴇuX/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔᵚiɛuX/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔiæuX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔiawX/
Li Rong	/ʔjɛuX/
Wang Li	/ĭɛuX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʔi̯ɛuX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yǎo
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jiu2

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*qrowʔ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	夭
Reading #	3/3
No.	14631
Phonetic component	夭
Rime group	宵
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	夭
Old Chinese	/*qrowʔ/

Definitions

夭

1. to die young, to die prematurely
2. to be aggrieved
3. to devastate
4. disaster

References

• (Min Nan) Taiwan Min Nan Common Words Dictionary (臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yāo (yao¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄠ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jiu¹ / jiu²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): iau / iáu

  (Teochew, Peng'im): iou¹ / iao¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yāo
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄠ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yao
    • Wade–Giles: yao¹
    • Yale: yāu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iau
    • Palladius: яо (jao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jiu¹ / jiu²
    • Yale: yīu / yíu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jiu¹ / jiu²
    • Guangdong Romanization: yiu¹ / yiu²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːu̯⁵⁵/, /jiːu̯³⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iau
    • Tâi-lô: iau
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iaw
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /iau³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /iau⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, General Taiwanese, Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iáu
    • Tâi-lô: iáu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iao
    • IPA (Taipei, Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /iau⁵³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /iau⁵⁵⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /iau⁴¹/

Note:

• iau - literary;
• iáu - vernacular (俗).

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: iou¹ / iao¹
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: iou / iau
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iou³³/, /iau³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: 'jew

Rime
Character	夭
Reading #	1/3
Initial (聲)	影 (34)
Final (韻)	宵 (92)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	於喬切
Baxter	'jew
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔˠiᴇu/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔᵚiɛu/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔiæu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔiaw/
Li Rong	/ʔjɛu/
Wang Li	/ĭɛu/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʔi̯ɛu/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yāo
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jiu1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ʔ](r)aw/

  (Zhengzhang): /*qrow/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	夭
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yāo
Middle Chinese	‹ ʔjew ›
Old Chinese	/*[ʔ](r)aw/
English	delicate, slender
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] 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	夭
Reading #	2/3
No.	14626
Phonetic component	夭
Rime group	宵
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	妖
Old Chinese	/*qrow/

Definitions

夭

1. young, fresh-looking
2. tender, gentle
3. lush
4. Alternative form of 妖 (yāo)

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ǎo (ao³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄠˇ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ǎo
    • Zhuyin: ㄠˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ǎo
    • Wade–Giles: ao³
    • Yale: ǎu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ao
    • Palladius: ао (ao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

---

• Middle Chinese: 'awX

Rime
Character	夭
Reading #	3/3
Initial (聲)	影 (34)
Final (韻)	豪 (89)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	烏晧切
Baxter	'awX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔɑuX/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔɑuX/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔɑuX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔawX/
Li Rong	/ʔɑuX/
Wang Li	/ɑuX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʔɑuX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	ǎo
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ou2

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*qoːwʔ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	夭
Reading #	1/3
No.	14622
Phonetic component	夭
Rime group	宵
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	襖
Old Chinese	/*qoːwʔ/

Definitions

夭

1. young animal or plant

Pronunciation 4

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): wò (wo⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄨㄛˋ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: wò
    • Zhuyin: ㄨㄛˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: wò
    • Wade–Giles: wo⁴
    • Yale: wò
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: woh
    • Palladius: во (vo)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɔ⁵¹/

Definitions

夭

1. name of an ancient place

Pronunciation 5

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): wāi (wai¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄨㄞ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: wāi
    • Zhuyin: ㄨㄞ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: wai
    • Wade–Giles: wai¹
    • Yale: wāi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: uai
    • Palladius: вай (vaj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /waɪ̯⁵⁵/

Definitions

夭

1. Only used in 夭斜.

Compounds

• 分外夭夭
• 壽夭 / 寿夭
• 夭亡
• 夭厲 / 夭厉 (yāolì)
• 夭壽 / 夭寿 (yāoshòu)
• 夭夭 (yāoyāo)
• 夭娜
• 夭折
• 夭昏
• 夭札
• 夭枉
• 夭桃穠李 / 夭桃秾李
• 夭桃襛李 / 夭桃𰳺李
• 夭殂
• 夭殞 / 夭殒
• 夭殤 / 夭殇 (yāoshāng)
• 夭疽
• 夭矯 / 夭矫
• 夭矯離奇 / 夭矫离奇
• 夭紅 / 夭红
• 夭逝
• 夭遏
• 夭邪
• 夭閼 / 夭阏 (yǎo'è)
• 早夭
• 桃之夭夭
• 桃夭 (táoyāo)
• 橫夭 / 横夭
• 逃之夭夭 (táozhīyāoyāo)
• 麛夭

 

Japanese

Kanji

夭

(Hyōgai kanji)

1. young
2. disaster

Readings

• Go-on: よう (yō)^{←えう (eu, historical)}
• Kan-on: よう (yō)^{←えう (eu, historical)}
• Kun: わかい (wakai, 夭い)、わざわい (wazawai)、わかじに (wakajini)

Korean

Hanja

夭 • (yo, o) (hangeul 요, 오, revised yo, o, McCune–Reischauer yo, o, Yale yo, o)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

夭: Hán Nôm readings: yểu, eo, ỉu, yếu, èo, yêu

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.