息

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

息 (Kangxi radical 61, 心+6, 10 strokes, cangjie input 竹山心 (HUP), four-corner 2633₀, composition ⿱自心)

Derived characters

媳, 𢥷, 㮩, 㴧, 熄, 瘜, 蒠, 鎴

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 385, character 20
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 10601
Dae Jaweon: page 717, character 10
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2291, character 4
Unihan data for U+606F

Bailang

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *siŋ ~ sik (“tree, wood”). Compare Burmese သစ် (sac, “wood, timber”).

Noun

息 (*sik)

wood

References

Hill, Nathan W. (2017) “Songs of the Bailang: A New Transcription with Etymological Commentary”, in Bulletin de l'École française d'Extrême-Orient‎^[1], volume 103, pages 386—429

Chinese

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
息	*slɯɡ
熄	*slɯɡ
媳	*slɯɡ
鄎	*slɯɡ
瘜	*slɯɡ
蒠	*slɯɡ

Ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意) : 自 (“nose”) + 心 (“heart”) – to breathe (life) through one’s nose. Note that 自 originally meant “nose” and was later borrowed for “self”.

Etymology 1

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-sak (“breath; life; to breathe”). Cognate with Jingpho sa' (“to breathe”), Burmese အသက် (a.sak).

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

simp. and trad.		息

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): xī, xí

(Zhuyin): ㄒㄧ, ㄒㄧˊ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): xi²
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): sik¹

(Taishan, Wiktionary): lhet²
Gan (Wiktionary): xit⁶
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): sit

(Hailu, HRS): sid

(Meixian, Guangdong): xid⁵
Jin (Wiktionary): xieh⁴
Northern Min (KCR): sĭ
Eastern Min (BUC): sék
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): sih⁶
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): sek / siak / sit

(Teochew, Peng'im): sêg⁴

(Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): xig⁴
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁷shiq
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): si⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, Mainland)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: xī
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄧ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: si
  - Wade–Giles: hsi¹
  - Yale: syī
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shi
  - Palladius: си (si)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi⁵⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: xí
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄧˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: sí
  - Wade–Giles: hsi²
  - Yale: syí
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shyi
  - Palladius: си (si)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi³⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: xi²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xi
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi²¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: sik¹
  - Yale: sīk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: sik⁷
  - Guangdong Romanization: xig¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɪk̚⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: lhet²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬet̚⁵⁵/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: xit⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕit̚⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sit
  - Hakka Romanization System: xid^ˋ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: xid⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /sit̚²/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: sid
  - Sinological IPA: /sit⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: xid⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /sit̚¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: xieh⁴
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕiəʔ²/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: sĭ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /si²⁴/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: sék
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛiʔ²⁴/
Puxian Min
- (Putian)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: sih⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬiʔ¹/
- (Xianyou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: sih⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬiʔ²/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sek
  - Tâi-lô: sik
  - Phofsit Daibuun: seg
  - IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /siɪk̚³²/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siak
  - Tâi-lô: siak
  - Phofsit Daibuun: siag
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /siak̚⁵/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sit
  - Tâi-lô: sit
  - Phofsit Daibuun: sid
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /sit̚⁵/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /sit̚³²/

Note:

Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taiwan:
- sek/siak - literary;
- sit - vernacular.

(Teochew)
- Peng'im: sêg⁴
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sek
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /sek̚²/
(Leizhou)
- Leizhou Pinyin: xig⁴
- Sinological IPA: /sik̚⁵/

Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁷shiq
  - MiniDict: shih^入
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁴xiq
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɕiɪʔ⁵⁵/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: si⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /si²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /ɕi²⁴/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 息
Mandarin	Beijing	/ɕi⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/ɕi²¹³/
	Tianjin	/ɕi²¹/ /ɕi⁵³/
	Jinan	/ɕi²¹³/
	Qingdao	/si⁵⁵/
	Zhengzhou	/si²⁴/
	Xi'an	/ɕi²¹/
	Xining	/ɕji⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ɕi¹³/
	Lanzhou	/ɕi¹³/
	Ürümqi	/ɕi²¹³/
	Wuhan	/ɕi²¹³/
	Chengdu	/ɕi³¹/
	Guiyang	/ɕi²¹/
	Kunming	/ɕi³¹/
	Nanjing	/siʔ⁵/
	Hefei	/ɕiəʔ⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/ɕiəʔ²/
	Pingyao	/ɕiʌʔ¹³/
	Hohhot	/ɕiəʔ⁴³/
Wu	Shanghai	/ɕiɪʔ⁵/
	Suzhou	/siəʔ⁵/
	Hangzhou	/ɕiəʔ⁵/
	Wenzhou	/sei²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/siʔ²¹/
Hui	Tunxi	/si⁵/
Xiang	Changsha	/si²⁴/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/si²⁴/
Gan	Nanchang	/ɕiʔ⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/sit̚¹/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/sit̚²²/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/sek̚⁵/
	Nanning	/ɬek̚⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/sik̚⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/sik̚³²/ /sit̚³²/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/sɛiʔ²³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/si²⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/sek̚²/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/tek̚⁵/ 利～

Middle Chinese: sik

Rime
Character	息
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	職 (134)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	相即切
Baxter	sik
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/sɨk̚/
Pan Wuyun	/sɨk̚/
Shao Rongfen	/siek̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/sik̚/
Li Rong	/siək̚/
Wang Li	/sĭək̚/
Bernhard Karlgren	/si̯ək̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	sik¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*sək/

(Zhengzhang): /*slɯɡ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	息	息
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xī	xī
Middle Chinese	‹ sik ›	‹ sik ›
Old Chinese	/*sək/	/*sək/
English	breathe	安息 Ānxī (Iranian country in the western regions, W. Hàn; from Aršaka = Arsaces, founder of the Arsacid dynasty)
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	息
Reading #	1/1
No.	13332
Phonetic component	息
Rime group	職
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	息
Old Chinese	/*slɯɡ/
Notes	說文自亦聲

Definitions

息

to breathe; to pant
to sigh; to blow
to stop; to subside; to cease
to put a stop to; to stop
to rest; to have a rest
to grow; to develop
to calm down; to appease
breath; life
one's own children
interest; dividends
message; news

Compounds

Etymology 2

simp. and trad.		息
alternative forms		塞 Cantonese; Hakka 蝨／虱 Hakka

Pronunciation

Cantonese (Jyutping): sak¹
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): set

(Meixian, Guangdong): sêd⁵
Southern Min (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): xieg⁴

Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: sak¹
  - Yale: sāk
  - Cantonese Pinyin: sak⁷
  - Guangdong Romanization: seg¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɐk̚⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: set
  - Hakka Romanization System: sed^ˋ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: sed⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /set̚²/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: sêd⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /sɛt̚¹/
Southern Min
- (Leizhou)
  - Leizhou Pinyin: xieg⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /siek̚⁵/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 息
Mandarin	Beijing
	Harbin
	Tianjin
	Jinan
	Qingdao
	Zhengzhou
	Xi'an
	Xining
	Yinchuan
	Lanzhou
	Ürümqi
	Wuhan
	Chengdu
	Guiyang
	Kunming
	Nanjing
	Hefei
Jin	Taiyuan
	Pingyao
	Hohhot
Wu	Shanghai
	Suzhou
	Hangzhou
	Wenzhou
Hui	Shexian
Hui	Tunxi
Xiang	Changsha
Xiang	Xiangtan
Gan	Nanchang
Hakka	Meixian	/set̚¹/
Hakka	Taoyuan
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/sɐk̚⁵/
	Nanning	/ɬɐk̚⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/sɐk̚⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)
	Shantou (Teochew)
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/tit̚⁵/ 曾孫

Definitions

息

(Cantonese, Hakka, Hainanese, Leizhou Min, Zhongshan Min) great-grandchild (Classifier: 個／个 c)

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 曾孫 (“great-grandson; great-grandchild”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		曾孫, 曾孫子
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	曾孫兒
	Taiwan	曾孫
	Harbin	重孫子, 重孫兒
	Singapore	曾孫
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	重孫, 重孫子
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	重孫子
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	重孫子
	Wanrong	重孫
	Xi'an	重孫
	Xining	重孫子
	Xuzhou	重孫兒, 重孫, 曾孫兒, 曾孫, 四世孫兒, 四世孫
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	重孫子
	Lanzhou	重孫, 男重孫 †
	Ürümqi	重孫子
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	灰灰兒
	Wuhan	重孫子, 重孫
	Guiyang	重孫孫, 重孫
	Guilin	重孫子
	Liuzhou	息子, 息, 重孫, 息崽 †
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	重重, 重孫 †
	Yangzhou	重孫子
	Nantong	重孫兒
Cantonese	Guangzhou	息
	Hong Kong	息
	Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)	息
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	息
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	息
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	息
	Macau	息
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	息
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	息
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	息
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	息
	Foshan	息
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	息
	Foshan (Shunde)	嘞
	Foshan (Sanshui)	息
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	息
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	息
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	息
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	息
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	息
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	息
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	息
	Taishan	息
	Kaiping (Chikan)	息
	Enping (Niujiang)	息
	Heshan (Yayao)	息
	Dongguan	息
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	息
	Qingyuan	息, 息仔
	Fogang	息
	Yingde (Hanguang)	息仔
	Yangshan	息
	Lianshan (Butian)	息
	Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui)	息
	Shaoguan	息
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	息
	Renhua	息仔
	Lechang	息仔
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	息仔
	Sihui	息
	Guangning	息
	Deqing	息
	Huaiji	息
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	息
	Yunfu	息仔
	Xinxing	息
	Luoding	息
	Yunan (Pingtai)	息
	Xinyi	息
	Lianjiang	息, 息仔
	Nanning	息, 息仔
	Wuzhou	息
	Yulin	息
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	曾孫
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	息
	Singapore (Guangfu)	息
Gan	Nanchang	曾孫子, 曾孫
	Lichuan	曾孫崽, 曾孫
	Pingxiang	曾孫
Hakka	Meixian	息仔
	Xingning	息哩
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	阿息
	Huidong (Daling)	息仔
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	息仔
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	息孫
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	息子
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	息哩
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	息哩
	Wuhua (Changbu)	息哩
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	息哩
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	阿息
	Wengyuan	息子
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	息子
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	息仔
	Liannan	息子
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	息
	Jiexi	息
	Luhe	息仔
	Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan)	重孫
	Changting	息嫲哩
	Wuping	息嫲子
	Wuping (Yanqian)	息子
	Wuping (Pingyu)	息子
	Liancheng	息哩
	Ninghua	息孫
	Yudu	曾孫, 息孫
	Ningdu	重孫
	Ruijin	曾孫
	Shicheng	玄孫
	Tonggu (Sandu)	曾孫
	Ganzhou (Panlong)	曾孫
	Dayu	曾孫
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	息仔, 息嫲
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	息仔, 息嫲
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	息仔, 息嫲
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	息, 息嫲
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	息仔, 息嫲
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	曾孫, 玄孫
	Hong Kong	息
	Yangxi (Tangkou)	息
	Yangchun (Sanjia)	息仔
	Xinyi (Sihe)	息
	Xinyi (Qianpai)	息
	Gaozhou (Xindong)	倈
	Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai)	息
	Huazhou (Xin'an)	息
	Lianjiang (Shijiao)	息子
	Lianjiang (Qingping)	孫息, 息子
	Mengshan (Xihe)	息孫
	Luchuan	曾孫
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	重孫
	Sabah (Longchuan)	息仔
	Senai (Huiyang)	息
	Sungai Tapang, Batu Kawa (Hepo)	孫息
	Singkawang	息孫
Huizhou	Jixi	重孫
Jin	Taiyuan	重孫子
Jin	Xinzhou	重孫
Northern Min	Jian'ou	息仔
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	曾孫
Southern Min	Xiamen	橄欖孫
	Quanzhou	橄欖孫
	Jinjiang	橄欖孫
	Zhangzhou	橄欖孫
	Taipei	橄欖孫
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	橄欖孫
	Kaohsiung	橄欖孫
	Yilan	橄欖孫
	Changhua (Lukang)	橄欖孫
	Taichung	橄欖孫
	Taichung (Wuqi)	橄欖孫
	Tainan	橄欖孫
	Taitung	橄欖孫
	Hsinchu	橄欖孫
	Kinmen	橄欖孫
	Penghu (Magong)	橄欖孫
	Penang (Hokkien)	橄欖孫
	Manila (Hokkien)	橄欖孫
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	息仔
	Shantou	重孫
	Bangkok (Teochew)	重孫
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	橄欖孫
	Leizhou	息
	Haikou	息, 妰𡝃息 †
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	息
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	孫息, 息仔, 重孫仔
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	重孫子
Wu	Shanghai	曾孫, 玄孫
	Shanghai (Chongming)	玄孫
	Suzhou	玄孫
	Danyang	重孫
	Hangzhou	重孫
	Ningbo	重孫
	Wenzhou	玄孫
	Jinhua	玄孫
Xiang	Changsha	曾孫子
	Loudi	曾孫
	Quanzhou	重孫, 息崽
Note	† - distinguishes male gender from gender-neutral term

Etymology 3

For pronunciation and definitions of 息 – see 熄 (“to extinguish; to go out; to turn off; to switch off”). (This character is the second-round simplified form of 熄).
Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

References

“息”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[2], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
莆田市荔城区档案馆 [Putian City Licheng District Archives], editor (2022), “息”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 [Puxian Dialect Literary Reading Dictionary] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 251.

Japanese

Kanji

息

(Third grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

Go-on: そく (soku, Jōyō)
Kan-on: しょく (shoku)^{←しよく (syoku, historical)}
Kun: いき (iki, 息, Jōyō)、やすむ (yasumu, 息む)、やめる (yameru)
Nanori: やす (yasu)

Compounds

子(し)息(そく) (shisoku): (honorific) son
息(そく)女(じょ) (sokujo): (honorific) daughter
息(そく)男(なん) (sokunan): (honorific) son
息(むす)子(こ) (musuko): son; (slang, vulgar) penis
利(り)息(そく) (risoku): interest
令(れい)息(そく) (reisoku): (honorific) son

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
息
いき Grade: 3
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 息 – see the following entry.

【いき】	[noun] breath

(This term, 息, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
息
むすこ Grade: 3
irregular

For pronunciation and definitions of 息 – see the following entry.

【息子むすこ】

[noun] (humble) a son (male child)

[noun] (euphemistic, humorous) penis

(This term, 息, is an alternative spelling (rare) of the above term.)

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 息 (MC sik). Recorded as Middle Korean 식〮 (sík) (Yale: sik) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

息

Wikisource

息 (eumhun 숨쉴 식 (sumswil sik))

hanja form^? of 식 (“breath”)

Compounds

소식 (消息, sosik)
안식 (安息, ansik)
휴식 (休息, hyusik)
자식 (子息, jasik)
서식 (棲息, seosik)
탄식 (歎息, tansik)
천식 (喘息, cheonsik)
질식 (窒息, jilsik)
순식간 (瞬息間, sunsikgan)

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

息

(Third grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

Kun: いーち (īchi, 息)

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 息 (iki).

Noun

息(いーち) (īchi)

breath

Derived terms

一(ちゅ)息(いーち) (chuīchi, “a single breath, puff; a pause; a small effort”)

Vietnamese

Han character

息: Hán Nôm readings: tức

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