雖

See also: 虽

雖 U+96D6, 雖 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-96D6 ← 雕 [U+96D5] CJK Unified Ideographs 雗 → [U+96D7]

Translingual

Han character

雖 (Kangxi radical 172, 隹+9, 17 strokes, cangjie input 口戈人土 (RIOG), four-corner 6011₄, composition ⿰虽隹 or ⿹唯虫)

Derived characters

• 𡄪, 𥍃, 𧕘

Related characters

• 虽 (Simplified Chinese)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1368, character 22
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 42104
• Dae Jaweon: page 1872, character 39
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 4103, character 5
• Unihan data for U+96D6

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 雖
Spring and Autumn	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Bronze inscriptions	Qin slip script	Small seal script

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

	Old Chinese
匯	*ɢʷrɯːlʔ, *kʰʷriːl
擓	*kʰʷriːl
淮	*ɡʷriːl
睢	*qʰʷel, *sqʰʷil, *qʰʷi, *qʰʷils
嶉	*sqʷi
趡	*skʰʷilʔ
踓	*skʰʷilʔ, *ɢʷilʔ
雖	*sqʰʷi
濉	*sqʰʷi
倠	*qʰʷi
婎	*qʰʷil, *qʰʷils
蓶	*ɢʷi, *ɢʷiʔ
維	*ɢʷi
惟	*ɢʷi
唯	*ɢʷi, *ɢʷiʔ
濰	*ɢʷi
琟	*ɢʷil
鷕	*ɢʷiʔ, *ɢʷiʔ
帷	*ɢʷril
鵻	*sɢʷinʔ, *tjul

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *sqʰʷi) : semantic 虫 + phonetic 唯 (OC *ɢʷi, *ɢʷiʔ). Hence, the variant which represents the correct division of component is 𧐌.

Originally meaning "a lizard-like reptile", the character has been phonetically borrowed to represent the sense "although".

Etymology 1

trad.		雖
simp.		虽
alternative forms		𨿽 𧈧 𨾡

Jacques (2019) proposes this to be 維 (OC *ɢʷi, “to be”) with a converbial *s- prefix, literally "while being".

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): suī, suí (sui¹, sui²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄨㄟ, ㄙㄨㄟˊ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): xu¹ / sui¹

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): seoi¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): lhui¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): sui¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): sûi

  (Meixian, Guangdong): sui¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): sui¹
• Northern Min (KCR): sṳ́
• Eastern Min (BUC): chŭi
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): sui

  (Teochew, Peng'im): sui¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹soe
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): sei¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suī
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄟ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: suei
    • Wade–Giles: sui¹
    • Yale: swēi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: suei
    • Palladius: суй (suj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, variant in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suí
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄟˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: suéi
    • Wade–Giles: sui²
    • Yale: swéi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: swei
    • Palladius: суй (suj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯eɪ̯³⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: xu¹ / sui¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xy / sui
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕy⁵⁵/, /suei⁵⁵/

Note:

• xu1 - vernacular;
• sui1 - literary.

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: seoi¹
    • Yale: sēui
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soey¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵy̯⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: lhui¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬui³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: sui¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sui⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sûi
    • Hakka Romanization System: sui^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: sui¹
    • Sinological IPA: /su̯i²⁴/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: sui¹
    • Sinological IPA: /suɪ⁴⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: sui¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /suei¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: sṳ́
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sy⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chŭi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰui⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sui
    • Tâi-lô: sui
    • Phofsit Daibuun: suy
    • IPA (Xiamen): /sui⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /sui³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /sui⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /sui⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /sui⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: sui¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sui
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sui³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹soe
    • MiniDict: soe^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹soe
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /sø⁵³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: sei¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /se̞i̯³³/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 雖
Mandarin	Beijing	/suei⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/suei²⁴/
	Tianjin	/suei⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/suei²¹³/
	Qingdao	/sue²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/suei²⁴/
	Xi'an	/suei²¹/
	Xining	/suɨ⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/suei⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/suei³¹/
	Ürümqi	/suei⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/sei⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/ɕy⁵⁵/ /suei⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/ɕi⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/suei⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/suəi³¹/
	Hefei	/se²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/suei¹¹/
	Pingyao	/suei¹³/
	Hohhot	/suei³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/sø⁵³/
	Suzhou	/se̞⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/sz̩ʷei³³/
	Wenzhou	/sz̩³³/
Hui	Shexian	/ɕye⁴⁴/
	Tunxi	/se¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/sei³³/
	Xiangtan	/səi³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/sui⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/sui⁴⁴/
	Taoyuan	/sui²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/søy⁵³/
	Nanning	/ɬui⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/søy⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/sui⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/t͡sʰuoi⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/sy⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/sui³³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/tui²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: swij

Rime
Character	雖
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	脂 (16)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	息遺切
Baxter	swij
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/siuɪ/
Pan Wuyun	/sʷi/
Shao Rongfen	/sjuɪ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/swi/
Li Rong	/sui/
Wang Li	/swi/
Bernhard Karlgren	/swi/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	suī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	seoi1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*s-qʷij/

  (Zhengzhang): /*sqʰʷi/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	雖
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	suī
Middle Chinese	‹ swij ›
Old Chinese	/*s-qʷij/
English	although; even if
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	雖
Reading #	1/1
No.	12844
Phonetic component	唯
Rime group	脂
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	綏
Old Chinese	/*sqʰʷi/

Definitions

雖

1. although; even if; despite

   麻雀雖小，五臟俱全 [MSC, trad.]
   麻雀虽小，五脏俱全 [MSC, simp.]

   máquè suī xiǎo, wǔzàng jùquán [Pinyin]

   A sparrow may be small, but it has all its vital organs. (proverb)

   • 周雖舊邦，其命維新 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     周虽旧邦，其命维新 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     zhōu suī jiù bāng, qí mìng wéi xīn [Pinyin]

     Though Zhou is an ancient nation, our mandate is new as ever.

   • 雖九死其猶未悔。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     虽九死其犹未悔。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE

     Suī jiǔ sǐ qí yóu wèi huǐ. [Pinyin]

     Yet I will not regret, in spite of countless deaths.

   • 義之所在，雖死無所恨。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     义之所在，虽死无所恨。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Yì zhī suǒzài, suī sǐ wú suǒ hèn. [Pinyin]

     Wherever yi exists, even in death there are no regrets.

   • 在你身邊路雖遠未疲倦 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     在你身边路虽远未疲倦 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     From: 1983, 鄧麗君 (lyricist 鄭國江), 漫步人生路

     zoi⁶ nei⁵ san¹ bin¹ lou⁶ seoi¹ jyun⁵ mei⁶ pei⁴ gyun⁶ [Jyutping]

     By your side, although the road is long, I am still not tired

   • 雖你我不一樣，我們一路唱，走往祝福的方向。 [MSC, trad.]
     虽你我不一样，我们一路唱，走往祝福的方向。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2008, 游智婷 [Sandy Yu] (lyricist), 《我們愛（讓世界不一樣）》 [We Will Love (We Can Make a Difference)]

     Suī nǐwǒ bùyīyàng, wǒmen yīlù chàng, zǒu wǎng zhùfú de fāngxiàng. [Pinyin]

     God made us not the same, but we're together to sing a song of love. [official translation]
     Although you and I are not the same, we will sing as we go towards the direction of blessings. [literal translation]

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 雖然 (“although”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		雖
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		雖然, 雖則, 雖說
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	雖然
	Taiwan	雖然
	Harbin	雖說
	Singapore	雖然
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	雖說
	Xi'an	雖說
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	雖然, 雖說
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	雖說
Cantonese	Guangzhou	雖然, 雖則
	Hong Kong	雖然, 雖則
	Taishan	雖然
	Singapore (Guangfu)	雖然
Gan	Nanchang	雖話
Hakka	Meixian	雖然
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	雖然
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	雖然
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	雖然
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	雖然
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	雖然
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	雖然
Huizhou	Jixi	雖則其然
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	雖然
Southern Min	Xiamen	雖然, 雖罔, 雖講
	Quanzhou	雖然
	Zhangzhou	雖然, 雖罔
	Tainan	雖然, 雖罔
	Singapore (Hokkien)	雖然
	Manila (Hokkien)	雖然
	Jieyang	雖呾, 名呾
	Singapore (Teochew)	雖然
Wu	Shanghai	雖然, 雖則
	Shanghai (Chongming)	雖則
	Ningbo	雖則
Xiang	Changsha	雖然得, 雖然得是

Compounds

• 然雖 / 然虽
• 話雖如此 / 话虽如此 (huàsuīrúcǐ)
• 雖休勿休 / 虽休勿休
• 雖使 / 虽使
• 雖則 / 虽则 (suīzé)
• 雖復 / 虽复
• 雖恐 / 虽恐
• 雖故 / 虽故
• 雖敗猶榮 / 虽败犹荣 (suībàiyóuróng)
• 雖是 / 虽是
• 雖死猶生 / 虽死犹生
• 雖然 / 虽然 (“although”)
• 雖罔 / 虽罔
• 雖覆能復 / 虽覆能复
• 雖說 / 虽说 (suīshuō, “although”)
• 雖馬 / 虽马

Etymology 2

trad.		雖
simp.		虽
alternative forms		𧐌 𨾡

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): suī (sui¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄨㄟ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): seoi¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suī
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄟ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: suei
    • Wade–Giles: sui¹
    • Yale: swēi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: suei
    • Palladius: суй (suj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: seoi¹
    • Yale: sēui
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soey¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵy̯⁵⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: swij

Rime
Character	雖
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	脂 (16)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	息遺切
Baxter	swij
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/siuɪ/
Pan Wuyun	/sʷi/
Shao Rongfen	/sjuɪ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/swi/
Li Rong	/sui/
Wang Li	/swi/
Bernhard Karlgren	/swi/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	suī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	seoi1

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*sqʰʷi/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	雖
Reading #	1/1
No.	12844
Phonetic component	唯
Rime group	脂
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	綏
Old Chinese	/*sqʰʷi/

Definitions

雖

1. ^† lizard-like reptile

Etymology 3

trad.		雖
simp.		虽

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “related to 推?”)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): suī (sui¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄨㄟ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): seoi¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suī
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄟ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: suei
    • Wade–Giles: sui¹
    • Yale: swēi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: suei
    • Palladius: суй (suj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: seoi¹
    • Yale: sēui
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soey¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵy̯⁵⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: swij

Rime
Character	雖
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	脂 (16)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	息遺切
Baxter	swij
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/siuɪ/
Pan Wuyun	/sʷi/
Shao Rongfen	/sjuɪ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/swi/
Li Rong	/sui/
Wang Li	/swi/
Bernhard Karlgren	/swi/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	suī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	seoi1

Definitions

雖

1. ^‡ to push

Etymology 4

trad.		雖
simp.		虽

From Hokkien 衰 (soe, “unlucky”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): suī (sui¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄨㄟ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suī
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄟ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: suei
    • Wade–Giles: sui¹
    • Yale: swēi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: suei
    • Palladius: суй (suj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/

Definitions

雖

1. (chiefly Taiwan, slang) Alternative form of 衰 (“unlucky; unimpressive”)

   太雖了！／太虽了！  ―  Tài suī le!  ―  So unlucky! / So boring!

Japanese

Kanji

雖

(Hyōgai kanji)

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

Readings

• Go-on: すい (sui)
• Kan-on: すい (sui)
• Kun: いえども (iedomo, 雖も)

Korean

Etymology 1

Hanja

雖 (eumhun 비록 수 (birok su))

1. hanja form^? of 수 (“although”)

Etymology 2

Hanja

雖 (eumhun 벌레 이름 수 (beolle ireum su))

1. hanja form^? of 수 (“The name of a bug”)

Etymology 3

Hanja

雖 (eumhun 짐승 이름 유 (jimseung ireum yu))

1. hanja form^? of 유 (“The name of a beast”)

Vietnamese

Han character

雖: Hán Nôm readings: tuy

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