王

See also: 𤣩, 𡈼, 壬, 玉, and 主

王 U+738B, 王 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-738B ← 玊 [U+738A] CJK Unified Ideographs 玌 → [U+738C]

王 U+2F929, 王 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F929 ← 獺 [U+2F928] CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement 㺬 → [U+2F92A]

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)

1. 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

• Unihan data for U+2F929

Chinese

simp. and trad.		王
alternative forms		𠙻

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 王
Shang		Western Zhou	Spring and Autumn	Warring States			Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)		Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Ancient script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts
Oracle bone script File:ACC-j00555.svg j00555 File:ACC-j00556.svg j00556 File:ACC-j00557.svg j00557 File:ACC-j00558.svg j00558 File:ACC-j00559.svg j00559 File:ACC-j00560.svg j00560 File:ACC-j00561.svg j00561 File:ACC-j00562.svg j00562 File:ACC-j00563.svg j00563 File:ACC-j00564.svg j00564 File:ACC-j00565.svg j00565 File:ACC-j00566.svg j00566 File:ACC-j00567.svg j00567 File:ACC-j00568.svg j00568 File:ACC-j00569.svg j00569 File:ACC-j00570.svg j00570 File:ACC-j00571.svg j00571 File:ACC-j00572.svg j00572 File:ACC-j00573.svg j00573 File:ACC-j00574.svg j00574 File:ACC-j00575.svg j00575 File:ACC-j00576.svg j00576 File:ACC-j00577.svg j00577 File:ACC-j00578.svg j00578 File:ACC-j00579.svg j00579 File:ACC-j00580.svg j00580 File:ACC-j00581.svg j00581 File:ACC-j00582.svg j00582 File:ACC-j00583.svg j00583 File:ACC-j00584.svg j00584 File:ACC-j00585.svg j00585 File:ACC-j00586.svg j00586 File:ACC-j00587.svg j00587 File:ACC-j00588.svg j00588 File:ACC-j00589.svg j00589 File:ACC-j00590.svg j00590 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File:ACC-b00437.svg b00437 File:ACC-b00438.svg b00438 File:ACC-b00439.svg b00439 File:ACC-b00440.svg b00440 File:ACC-b00441.svg b00441 File:ACC-b00442.svg b00442 File:ACC-b00443.svg b00443 File:ACC-b00444.svg b00444 File:ACC-b00445.svg b00445 b00446 b00447 b00448 b00449 File:ACC-b00450.svg b00450 b00451 File:ACC-b00452.svg b00452 b00453 b00454 File:ACC-b00455.svg b00455 Small seal script s00099 s00100 Transcribed ancient scripts File:ACC-L32854.svg L32854 File:ACC-L32855.svg L32855 File:ACC-L32856.svg L32856 File:ACC-L32857.svg L32857 File:ACC-L32853.svg L32853 File:ACC-L09781.svg L09781 File:ACC-L09782.svg L09782 File:ACC-L09783.svg L09783 File:ACC-L09784.svg L09784 File:ACC-L09785.svg L09785 File:ACC-L09786.svg L09786 File:ACC-L09787.svg L09787 File:ACC-L09788.svg L09788 File:ACC-L09789.svg L09789 File:ACC-L09790.svg L09790 File:ACC-L09791.svg L09791 File:ACC-L09792.svg L09792 File:ACC-L09793.svg L09793 File:ACC-L09794.svg L09794 File:ACC-L09795.svg L09795
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

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

	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

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.

The traditional interpretation (most likely a folk etymology given the original appearence of the character) is that the character metaphorically indicates the king or emperor according to the ancient Chinese thought: three horizontal strokes represent Heaven, Man and Earth, and the vertical stroke is the king or emperor, the one who connects them together. However, compare 天 (tiān) (a man with a horizontal stroke above his head to indicate the sky).

Unrelated to 玉 (yù, “a string with three pieces of jade”) and 主 (“master”); partly related to 士 (a war axe and, perhaps, sometimes a variant of 王), to 戉 (an axe drawn vertically), to the inner component of 匡 (kuāng, “square‑shaped bamboo basket”), and to the right component of 往 (< 𢓸).

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): ⁶waon / ²waon
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): uan²

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: wáng
    • Zhuyin: ㄨㄤˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: wáng
    • Wade–Giles: wang²
    • Yale: wáng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wang
    • Palladius: ван (van)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɑŋ³⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: wang²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: uong
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /uaŋ²¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: вон (von, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /vɑŋ²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: wong⁴
    • Yale: wòhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: wong⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: wong⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɔːŋ²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: vong³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /vɔŋ²²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: uong⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /uɔŋ³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: vòng
    • Hakka Romanization System: vong^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: vong²
    • Sinological IPA: /voŋ¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: vong
    • Sinological IPA: /voŋ⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: vong²
    • Sinological IPA: /ʋɔŋ¹¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: von¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /vɒ̃¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: uâng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /uaŋ³³/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: uòng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /uoŋ⁵³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: orng²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɒŋ¹³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ông
    • Tâi-lô: ông
    • Phofsit Daibuun: oong
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɔŋ²³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Taipei, Singapore): /ɔŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɔŋ¹³/
  • (Hokkien: dated in Xiamen, dated in Taiwan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: n̂g
    • Tâi-lô: n̂g
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ngg
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ŋ̍²³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei): /ŋ̍²⁴/

Note: ông - incl. surname.

• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: uang⁵ / hêng⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: uâng / hêng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /uaŋ⁵⁵/, /heŋ⁵⁵/

Note: hêng5 - surname.

• • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: huang⁵ / hiang⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /huaŋ²²/, /hiaŋ²²/

Note:

• huang5 - literary;
• hiang5 - vernacular (incl. surname).

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶waon
    • MiniDict: waon^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³hhuaan
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɦuɑ̃²³/
  • (Northern: Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²waon
    • MiniDict: waon^平
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ɦuɑ̃²²³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: uan²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /u̯an¹³/

---

• Middle Chinese: hjwang

Rime
Character	王
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	云 (35)
Final (韻)	陽 (106)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	雨方切
Baxter	hjwang
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦʉɐŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦʷiɐŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣiuɑŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦuaŋ/
Li Rong	/ɣiuaŋ/
Wang Li	/ɣĭwaŋ/
Bernhard Karlgren	/iwaŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	wáng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	wong4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*ɢʷaŋ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷaŋ/

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. *[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	王
Reading #	1/2
No.	12742
Phonetic component	王
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	王
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷaŋ/

Definitions

王

1. 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. [Pinyin]

   The boy was proclaimed king.

2. duke; prince

   王侯  ―  wánghóu  ―  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

3. 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? [Pinyin]

   Is the lion or the tiger the king of beasts?

4. chief; head; ringleader

   擒賊先擒王／擒贼先擒王  ―  qínzéixiānqínwáng  ―  to defeat the enemy, first catch their chief

5. (chess) king
6. (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. [Pinyin]

   In every tournament there exists a king.

7. ^† grand; great
8. ^† (of feudal monarchs) to see the emperor
9. 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

Sino-Xenic (王):

• → Japanese: 王(おう) (ō)
• → Okinawan: 王(をー) (wō)
• → Korean: 왕(王) (wang)
• → Vietnamese: vương (王)

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)
  • → Old Uyghur: 𐽰𐽳𐽶𐽺𐽷 (öŋ)
• → Tagalog: Ong (via Hokkien), Wong (via Cantonese), Wang (via Mandarin)
• → Thai: อ๋อง (ɔ̌ng) (via Hokkien)
• → Zhuang: vuengz

Compounds

• 一字王
• 三冠王
• 三王
• 不動明王 / 不动明王 (Bùdòng Míngwáng)
• 不犯王法
• 乃心王室
• 二帝三王
• 二朝王醮
• 二王
• 侯王 (Hóuwáng)
• 先王 (xiānwáng)
• 內聖外王 / 内圣外王
• 八王之亂 / 八王之乱 (Bā Wáng Zhī Luàn)
• 八王日
• 公子王孫 / 公子王孙
• 冥王 (míngwáng)
• 冥王星 (Míngwángxīng)
• 劃地為王 / 划地为王
• 劉王 / 刘王 (Liúwáng)
• 勤王 (qínwáng)
• 十殿閻王 / 十殿阎王
• 南面為王 / 南面为王
• 南面稱王 / 南面称王
• 反王
• 名王
• 后王 (hòuwáng)
• 吹牛大王 (chuīniú dàwáng)
• 君王 (jūnwáng)
• 哲王
• 四大天王 (sìdàtiānwáng)
• 國王 / 国王 (guówáng)
• 土霸王
• 地藏王
• 外王內帝 / 外王内帝 (wàiwángnèidì)
• 大王
• 大王椰子
• 天壤王郎
• 天王 (tiānwáng)
• 太王
• 天王巨星
• 天王星 (Tiānwángxīng)
• 天王殿
• 天王老子
• 女王 (nǚwáng)
• 女王蜂
• 孤王
• 孩子王 (háiziwáng)
• 孫王營 / 孙王营 (Sūnwángyíng)
• 孱王
• 富比王侯
• 尊王攘夷 (zūnwángrǎngyí)
• 小王子
• 小王爺 / 小王爷
• 小霸王 (xiǎobàwáng)
• 岱王溝 / 岱王沟 (Dàiwánggōu)
• 帝王 (dìwáng)
• 帝王之道
• 張王 / 张王 (Zhāngwáng)
• 張王李趙 / 张王李赵 (Zhāng-Wáng-Lǐ-Zhào)
• 後王 / 后王 (hòuwáng)
• 恥居王後 / 耻居王后
• 成者為王，敗者為寇 / 成者为王，败者为寇 (chéng zhě wéi wáng, bài zhě wéi kòu)
• 托塔天王
• 擒賊擒王 / 擒贼擒王 (qínzéiqínwáng)
• 敝屣王侯
• 文王課 / 文王课
• 明王 (míngwáng)
• 昭王墜屨 / 昭王坠屦
• 曳裾王門 / 曳裾王门
• 木王
• 朱王堡
• 果王
• 東王公 / 东王公
• 梵王宮 / 梵王宫
• 棋王 (qíwáng)
• 沒王法 / 没王法
• 法王 (fǎwáng)
• 活捉王魁
• 活閻王 / 活阎王
• 海王星 (Hǎiwángxīng)
• 海龍王 / 海龙王
• 混世魔王
• 淨飯王 / 净饭王 (Jìngfàn Wáng)
• 灶王爺 / 灶王爷 (zàowángyé)
• 無冕王 / 无冕王
• 燒王船 / 烧王船
• 牛皮大王 (niúpí dàwáng)
• 牛魔王 (niú mówáng)
• 猴孫王 / 猴孙王
• 猢猻大王 / 猢狲大王
• 猢猻王 / 猢狲王
• 王不見王 / 王不见王 (wángbùjiànwáng)
• 王事 (wángshì)
• 王人
• 王位 (wángwèi)
• 王佐之才
• 王侯 (wánghóu)
• 王侯將相 / 王侯将相 (wánghóujiàngxiàng)
• 王儲 / 王储 (wángchǔ)
• 王八
• 王八羔子 (wángbagāozi)
• 王八蛋
• 王八辮兒 / 王八辫儿
• 王公 (wánggōng)
• 王公大人
• 王公貴人 / 王公贵人
• 王公貴戚 / 王公贵戚
• 王冠 (wángguān)
• 王制
• 王化 (wánghuà)
• 王吉
• 王后 (wánghòu)
• 王命 (wángmìng)
• 王命旗牌
• 王商 (Wángshāng)
• 王喬 / 王乔
• 王喬騎鶴 / 王乔骑鹤
• 王國 / 王国 (wángguó)
• 王城 (wángchéng)
• 王大橋 / 王大桥 (Wángdàqiáo)
• 王女 (wángnǚ)
• 王妃 (wángfēi)
• 王子 (wángzǐ)
• 王子喬 / 王子乔
• 王子店 (Wángzǐdiàn)
• 王子晉 / 王子晋
• 王孫 / 王孙 (wángsūn)
• 王孫公子 / 王孙公子
• 王官
• 王室 (wángshì)
• 王宮 / 王宫 (wánggōng)
• 王家橋 / 王家桥 (Wángjiāqiáo)
• 王家畈 (Wángjiāfàn)
• 王寨 (Wángzhài)
• 王嶺 / 王岭 (Wánglǐng)
• 王師 / 王师 (wángshī)
• 王店 (Wángdiàn)
• 王府 (wángfǔ)
• 王度
• 王庭
• 王座 (wángzuò)
• 王廟 / 王庙 (Wángmiào)
• 王建
• 王敦擊壺 / 王敦击壶
• 王族 (wángzú)
• 王朝 (wángcháo)
• 王條 / 王条
• 王棕 (wángzōng)
• 王業 / 王业 (wángyè)
• 王母 (wángmǔ)
• 王母娘娘 (Wángmǔ Niángniang)
• 王母蟠桃
• 王氣 / 王气 (wángqì)
• 王水 (wāngshuǐ)
• 王法 (wángfǎ)
• 王海 (Wánghǎi)
• 王漿 / 王浆
• 王灘 / 王滩 (Wángtān)
• 王父
• 王爺 / 王爷
• 王爺府 / 王爷府 (wángyefǔ)
• 王牌 (wángpái)
• 王瓜
• 王田
• 王留
• 王畿 (wángjī)
• 王祥臥冰 / 王祥卧冰
• 王綱 / 王纲 (wánggāng)
• 王義貞 / 王义贞 (Wángyìzhēn)
• 王考
• 王老五 (wánglǎowǔ)
• 王老莊 / 王老庄 (Wánglǎozhuāng)
• 王者 (wángzhě)
• 王者師 / 王者师
• 王者香
• 王英 (Wángyīng)
• 王莊 / 王庄 (Wángzhuāng)
• 王蓮 / 王莲
• 王虺
• 王謝 / 王谢
• 王貢彈冠 / 王贡弹冠
• 王跡 / 王迹
• 王道 (wángdào)
• 王集 (Wángjí)
• 王霸
• 王餘魚 / 王余鱼
• 王鮪 / 王鲔
• 白飯王 / 白饭王
• 白馬王 / 白马王
• 白馬王子 / 白马王子 (báimǎ wángzǐ)
• 百獸之王 / 百兽之王
• 百王
• 百花王
• 百谷王
• 盛王
• 目無王法 / 目无王法 (mùwúwángfǎ)
• 相王
• 神聊大王
• 祭王爺 / 祭王爷
• 禹王 (Yǔwáng)
• 秦王構石 / 秦王构石
• 稱王封后
• 稱王稱帝 / 称王称帝
• 稱王稱霸 / 称王称霸 (chēngwángchēngbà)
• 空中霸王
• 空王
• 童天王
• 素王 (sùwáng)
• 老王賣瓜 / 老王卖瓜
• 聚寶尊王 / 聚宝尊王
• 舉王 / 举王
• 花王 (huāwáng)
• 草頭大王 / 草头大王
• 藥王 / 药王 (Yàowáng)
• 藥王菩薩 / 药王菩萨 (Yàowáng Púsà)
• 蜂王 (fēngwáng)
• 蜂王乳
• 西王母 (Xīwángmǔ)
• 見閻王 / 见阎王 (jiàn Yánwáng)
• 親王 / 亲王 (qīnwáng)
• 覺王 / 觉王
• 謀王圖霸 / 谋王图霸
• 賊王八 / 贼王八
• 越王嘗蓼 / 越王尝蓼
• 跳灶王
• 輪王 / 轮王
• 轉輪聖王 / 转轮圣王
• 郡王 (jùnwáng)
• 錢王射潮 / 钱王射潮
• 鍾王 / 钟王
• 閻王 / 阎王 (Yánwáng)
• 閻王帳 / 阎王帐
• 閻王殿 / 阎王殿 (Yánwángdiàn)
• 閻王爺 / 阎王爷 (Yánwángyé)
• 閻王老子 / 阎王老子
• 閻羅王 / 阎罗王 (Yánluó Wáng)
• 阿育王 (Āyùwáng)
• 陸王之學 / 陆王之学
• 霸王 (bàwáng)
• 霸王別姬 / 霸王别姬
• 霸王卸甲
• 霸王悲歌
• 霸王略
• 霸王鞭 (bàwángbiān)
• 霸王風月 / 霸王风月
• 馬明王 / 马明王
• 馬王 / 马王
• 馬王堆 / 马王堆 (Mǎwángduī)
• 魔王 (mówáng)
• 魔王夜叉
• 鳥王 / 鸟王
• 黑王相公
• 齊王捨牛 / 齐王舍牛
• 龍王 / 龙王 (Lóngwáng)
• 龍王埡 / 龙王垭 (Lóngwángyà)
• 龍王廟 / 龙王庙 (lóngwángmiào)

 

Etymology 2

王 (OC *ɢʷaŋ) with a denominalizing *-s suffix (Schuessler, 2007; Baxter and Sagart, 2014).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): wàng (wang⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄨㄤˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): wong⁶
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): ōng

  (Teochew, Peng'im): uang⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: wàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄨㄤˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: wàng
    • Wade–Giles: wang⁴
    • Yale: wàng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wanq
    • Palladius: ван (van)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɑŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: wong⁶
    • Yale: wohng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: wong⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: wong⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɔːŋ²²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ōng
    • Tâi-lô: ōng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ong
    • IPA (Xiamen): /ɔŋ²²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ɔŋ⁴¹/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɔŋ²²/
    • IPA (Taipei): /ɔŋ³³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɔŋ³³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: uang⁶
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: uăng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /uaŋ³⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: hjwangH

Rime
Character	王
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	云 (35)
Final (韻)	陽 (106)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	于放切
Baxter	hjwangH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦʉɐŋH/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦʷiɐŋH/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣiuɑŋH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦuaŋH/
Li Rong	/ɣiuaŋH/
Wang Li	/ɣĭwaŋH/
Bernhard Karlgren	/iwaŋH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	wàng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	wong6

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*ɢʷaŋ-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷaŋs/

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. *[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	王
Reading #	2/2
No.	12746
Phonetic component	王
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	迋
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷaŋs/

Definitions

王

1. ^† to reign; to rule, to be a king

   • 不以王天下為己處顯。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     不以王天下为己处显。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Bù yǐ wàng tiānxià wèi jǐ chù xiǎn. [Pinyin]

     He would not desire to rule over the whole world as his own private distinction.

   • 又彊令吳廣之次所旁叢祠中，夜篝火，狐鳴呼曰「大楚興，陳勝王」。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     又强令吴广之次所旁丛祠中，夜篝火，狐鸣呼曰「大楚兴，陈胜王」。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Yòu qiáng lìng Wú Guǎng zhī cì suǒ páng cóng cí zhōng, yè gōuhuǒ, hú míng hū yuē “Dà Chǔ xīng, Chén Shèng wàng”. [Pinyin]

     (Chen Sheng) also let Wu Guang go to the temple in the woods near the place they stationed. At night, they made a bonfire and shouted like foxes, “Great Chu prospers, Chen Sheng rules!”

2. ^† Alternative form of 旺 (wàng, “flourishing; prosperous”)

   • 神雖王，不善也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     神虽王，不善也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Shén suī wàng, bù shàn yě. [Pinyin]

     Though its spirit would (there) enjoy a royal abundance, it does not think (such confinement) good.

Compounds

• 王天下
• 王長 / 王长

 

See also

Chess pieces in Mandarin · 國際象棋棋子 / 国际象棋棋子 (guójì xiàngqí qízǐ) (layout · text)
王 (wáng), 國王 / 国王 (guówáng)	后 (hòu), 皇后 (huánghòu)	車 / 车 (jū), 城堡 (chéngbǎo)	象 (xiàng), 主教 (zhǔjiào)	馬 / 马 (mǎ), 騎士 / 骑士 (qíshì)	兵 (bīng)

References

• “王”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• “Entry #1229”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

Japanese

Kanji

王

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: おう (ō, Jōyō)^{←わう (wau, historical)}
• Kan-on: おう (ō, Jōyō)^{←わう (wau, historical)}
• Kun: おおきみ (ōkimi, 王)^{←おほきみ (ofokimi, 王, historical)}、きみ (kimi, 王)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
王
おう Grade: 1
on'yomi

/wau/ → /wɔː/ → */woː/ → /oː/

From Middle Chinese 王 (MC hjwang).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) おー [óꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [o̞ː]

Noun

王(おう) • (ō) ^{←わう (wau)?}

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

• 女王(じょおう) (joō, female equivalent)
• 親(しん)王(のう) (shinnō, brother or son)
• 大(だい)王(おう) (daiō)
• 皇(こう)帝(てい) (kōtei, “emperor”)
• 帝(みかど) (mikado), 天(てん)皇(のう) (tennō, “Emperor of Japan”)
• 王(おう)家(か) (ōka)
• 大(たい)公(こう) (taikō, “grand duke; European ruling prince”)

Affix

王(おう) • (ō) ^{←わう (wau)?}

1. king

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 王(おう)子(じ) (ōji)
• 王(おう)女(じょ) (ōjo)
• 王(おう)女(にょ) (ōnyo)
• 女(じょ)王(おう) (jōu), 女(じょう)王(おう) (jōō)
• 親(しん)王(のう) (shinnō)
• 帝(てい)王(おう) (teiō)
• 女(にょ)王(おう) (nyōu)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
王
こきし Grade: 1
irregular

Kanji in this term
王
こにきし Grade: 1
irregular

Alternative spelling
国主

Ultimately from Baekje 鞬吉支 (*k(j)ənkilci).

Noun

王(コニキシ) or 王(コキシ) • (konikishi or kokishi) 

1. (archaic) an ancient Korean king

   百済(くだらの)王(こにきし) ― Kudara no Konikishi ― King of Baekje

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[2]	님〯굼〮 (Yale: nǐmkwúm)	와ᇰ (Yale: wàng)
Gwangju Cheonjamun, 1575	긔ᄌᆞ (Yale: kuyco)	왕 (Yale: wang)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [wa̠ŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [왕]

Hanja

Wikisource

王 (eumhun 임금 왕 (imgeum wang))

1. hanja form^? of 왕 (“king; monarch”)

Compounds

Compounds

• 왕국 (王國, wangguk)
• 왕관 (王冠, wanggwan)
• 왕비 (王妃, wangbi)
• 왕조 (王朝, wangjo)
• 왕정 (王政, wangjeong)
• 왕권 (王權, wanggwon)
• 왕족 (王族, wangjok)
• 왕좌 (王座, wangjwa)
• 왕궁 (王宮, wanggung)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [3]

Okinawan

Kanji

王

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

• On (unclassified): をー (wō)
• Kun: ちみ (chimi, 王)

Etymology

Kanji in this term
王
をー Grade: 1
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 王 (MC hjwang).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /(ʷ)oː/

Noun

王(をー) (wō) 

1. a king
2. an East Asian queen regnant
3. 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

• 皇(こー)帝(てぃー) (kōtī, “emperor”)

Affix

王(をー) (wō) 

1. king

Derived terms

• 王(をー)子(じ) (wōji)
• 王(をー)妃(ふぃ) (wōfi)
• 国(くく)王(をー) (kukuwō)

Old Japanese

Etymology

From Baekje 鞬吉支 (*k(j)ə-n kici).

Noun

王 (*ko₂niki₁si) (kana こにきし)

1. 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)), vượng
王: Nôm readings: vương, vướng

1. chữ Hán form of vương (“king”).
2. chữ Hán form of Vương (“a surname; a male given name”).

   王翠翹 ― Vương Thuý Kiều

3. Nôm form of vướng (“to be entangled in; to be involved in”).
4. chữ Hán form of vượng (“to reign”).

Compounds

Compounds

• 王家 (vương gia)
• 王后 (vương hậu)
• 王國 (vương quốc)
• 王朝 (vương triều)
• 王子 (vương tử)
• 海王星 (Hải Vương tinh)
• 女王 (nữ vương)
• 封王 (phong vương)
• 國王 (quốc vương)