求

求	U+6C42, 求 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6C42

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

求 (Kangxi radical 85, 水+2, 7 strokes, cangjie input 戈十水 (IJE), four-corner 4313₂, composition ⿺⿻一氺丶)

Descendants

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 604, character 4
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 17105
Dae Jaweon: page 998, character 1
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1547, character 8
Unihan data for U+6C42

Chinese

simp. and trad.		求
alternative forms		㐤

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 求
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
救	*kus
求	*ɡu
球	*ɡu
逑	*ɡu
賕	*ɡu
蛷	*ɡu
莍	*ɡu
殏	*ɡu
梂	*ɡu
俅	*ɡu
脙	ɡu, qʰu
絿	*ɡu
銶	*ɡu
毬	*ɡu
捄	ɡu, ko
觩	*ɡu

Pictogram (象形) of a centipede. Original form of 蛷 (OC *ɡu).

Etymology

Likely cognate with 救 (OC *kus, “to save, help”), Burmese ကူ (ku, “to help”) (STEDT).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): qiú (qiu²)

(Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄡˊ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): qiu²

(Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): qiú
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): kau⁴

(Dongguan, Jyutping++): kaau⁴

(Taishan, Wiktionary): kiu³
Gan (Wiktionary): qiu²
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): khiù

(Hailu, HRS): kiu

(Meixian, Guangdong): kiu²
Jin (Wiktionary): qiou¹
Northern Min (KCR): giǔ
Eastern Min (BUC): giù
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): giu²
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): kiû

(Teochew, Peng'im): kiu⁵

(Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): kiu⁵
Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): gau⁴
Wu (Wugniu)
- (Northern): ⁶jieu / ²jieu / ²jiu / ²jiou
- (Jinhua): ²jieu
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): qiou²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: qiú
  - Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄡˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: cióu
  - Wade–Giles: chʻiu²
  - Yale: chyóu
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chyou
  - Palladius: цю (cju)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: qiu²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: kiu
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰiəu²¹/
- (Xi'an)
  - Guanzhong Pinyin: qiú
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰiɤu²⁴/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: kau⁴
  - Yale: kàuh
  - Cantonese Pinyin: kau⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: keo⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɐu̯²¹/
- (Dongguan, Guancheng)
  - Jyutping++: kaau⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰau²¹/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: kiu³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰiu²²/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: qiu²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰiu²⁴/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: khiù
  - Hakka Romanization System: kiu^ˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: kiu²
  - Sinological IPA: /kʰi̯u¹¹/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: kiu
  - Sinological IPA: /kʰiu⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: kiu²
  - Sinological IPA: /kʰiu¹¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: qiou¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡ɕʰiəu¹¹/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: giǔ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu²¹/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: giù
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kieu⁵³/
Puxian Min
- (Putian, Xianyou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: giu²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu¹³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kiû
  - Tâi-lô: kiû
  - Phofsit Daibuun: kiuu
  - IPA (Xiamen): /kiu²⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kiu²⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /kiu¹³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /kiu²⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /kiu²³/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: kiu⁵
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khiû
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰiu⁵⁵/
- (Leizhou)
  - Leizhou Pinyin: kiu⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /kʰiu²²/
Southern Pinghua
- (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
  - Jyutping++: gau⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kəu²¹/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁶jieu
  - MiniDict: jieu^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³jjieu
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /d͡ʑiɤ²³/
- (Northern: Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
  - Wugniu: ²jieu
  - MiniDict: jieu^平
  - MiniDict: jiu^平
  - Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /ɟiɯ³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Chongming): /d͡ʑiɵ²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /d͡ʑʏ²²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /d͡ʑiəu³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /d͡ʑiø²³/
  - Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /d͡ʑiɤ²³¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /d͡ʑiʏ³¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /d͡ʑiu²²/
- (Northern: Jiading)
  - Wugniu: ²jiu
  - MiniDict: jiu^平
  - Sinological IPA (Jiading): /d͡ʑy³¹/
- (Northern: Changzhou)
  - Wugniu: ²jiou
  - MiniDict: jiou^平
  - Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /d͡ʑiɤɯ¹³/
- (Jinhua)
  - Wugniu: ²jieu
  - Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /d͡ʑiu³¹³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: qiou²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi̯əu̯¹³/

Middle Chinese: gjuw

Rime
Character	求
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	群 (30)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	巨鳩切
Baxter	gjuw
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɡɨu/
Pan Wuyun	/ɡiu/
Shao Rongfen	/ɡiəu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/guw/
Li Rong	/ɡiu/
Wang Li	/ɡĭəu/
Bernhard Karlgren	/gi̯ə̯u/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	qiú
Expected Cantonese Reflex	kau⁴

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*[ɡ](r)u/

(Zhengzhang): /*ɡu/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	求
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	qiú
Middle Chinese	‹ gjuw ›
Old Chinese	/*[ɡ](r)u/
English	seek
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	求
Reading #	1/1
No.	10560
Phonetic component	求
Rime group	幽
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	𧚍
Old Chinese	/*ɡu/
Notes	說文作裘古文，甲文爲蛷初文與裘大異

Definitions

求

to seek; to look for
求《月亮代表我的心》的歌詞 [MSC, trad.]
求《月亮代表我的心》的歌词 [MSC, simp.]
qiú “Yuèliàng Dàibiǎo Wǒ de Xīn” de gēcí [Pinyin]
looking for the lyrics to "The Moon Represents My Heart"
- 嚶其鳴矣，求其友聲。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
  嘤其鸣矣，求其友声。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Yīng qí míng yǐ, qiú qí yǒu shēng. [Pinyin]
  While ying goes its cry, seeking with its voice its companion.
- 以若所為求若所欲，猶緣木而求魚也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  以若所为求若所欲，犹缘木而求鱼也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE
  Yǐ ruò suǒ wéi qiú ruò suǒ yù, yóu yuán mù ér qiú yú yě. [Pinyin]
  But doing what you do to seek for what you desire is like climbing a tree to seek for fish.
to beg; to request; to implore
求他別走／求他别走 ― qiú tā bié zǒu ― begged for him to not leave
to request; to ask for
to require; to demand
to covet; to seek (fame, riches)
- 不忮不求，何用不臧。 [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
  Bù zhì bù qiú, hé yòng bùzāng. [Pinyin]
  He hates none; he covets nothing; -What does he which is not good?
to attract
a surname

Synonyms

(to seek):

edit

參訪 / 参访 (cānfǎng) (literary)
尋摸 / 寻摸 (xúnmō) (literary or colloquial)
尋求 / 寻求 (xúnqiú)
探求 (tànqiú)
搜 (sōu)
求思 (qiúsī) (literary)
熱衷 / 热衷 (rèzhōng)
牟取 (móuqǔ) (usually illegally)
獵取 / 猎取 (lièqǔ)
考究
覓 / 觅 (mì) (literary, or in compounds)
訪查 / 访查 (fǎngchá) (literary)
謀取 / 谋取 (móuqǔ)
謀求 / 谋求 (móuqiú)
講求 / 讲求 (jiǎngqiú)
講究 / 讲究 (jiǎngjiu)
追求 (zhuīqiú)
追逐 (zhuīzhú)

(to beg):

edit

乞丐 (qǐgài) (archaic)
乞憐 / 乞怜 (qǐlián) (to beg for pity)
乞求 (qǐqiú)
哀告 (āigào)
哀求 (āiqiú)
央告 (yānggào)
央求 (yāngqiú)
憑 / 凭 (píng) (literary)
懇求 / 恳求 (kěnqiú)
懇請 / 恳请 (kěnqǐng)
沽情 (Hokkien)
煩請 / 烦请 (fánqǐng) (honorific, polite)
祈求 (qíqiú) (to pray for)
祈祝 (qízhù) (literary)
祝禱 / 祝祷 (zhùdǎo) (literary)
要求 (yāoqiú)
請 / 请
請求 / 请求 (qǐngqiú)

Compounds

Japanese

Kanji

求

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

request, wish

Readings

Go-on: ぐ (gu)
Kan-on: きゅう (kyū, Jōyō)^{←きう (kiu, historical)}
Kun: もとめる (motomeru, 求める, Jōyō)、もとむ (motomu, 求む)、まぐ (magu, 求ぐ)

Compounds

Proper noun

求(もとむ) • (Motomu)

a male given name

Korean

Hanja

求 (eumhun 구할 구 (guhal gu))

hanja form^? of 구 (“request, wish”)

Compounds

구인 (求人, gu'in, “offer of job (situation)”)
욕구 (慾求, yokgu, “desire”)

Vietnamese

Han character

求: Hán Nôm readings: cầu

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