唯

唯 U+552F, 唯 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-552F ← 售 [U+552E] CJK Unified Ideographs 唰 → [U+5530]

Translingual

Han character

唯 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+8, 11 strokes, cangjie input 口人土 (ROG), four-corner 6001₄, composition ⿰口隹)

Derived characters

• 𣼲, 𪄼, 嶉, 蓶, 𬟢, 𧐌, 鷕, 雖

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 193, character 17
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3761
• Dae Jaweon: page 413, character 17
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 642, character 5
• Unihan data for U+552F

Chinese

simp. and trad.		唯

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 唯
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
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 *ɢʷi, *ɢʷiʔ) : semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 隹.

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *way (“be, copula, nominalizer, subordinator”); cognate with Proto-Lolo-Burmese *wəy (“to be”) > Proto-Loloish *ʔ-way²/³ (> Luquan ve³³ ~ ve⁵⁵ ("subordinator, final particle"), Lahu ve (“nominalizer; relativizer; genitivizer”), Akha ø ~ ø̀ (“subordinator; citation-form marker; terminator of utterances in declarative mood”)), Mizo ve (“also, too, as well”), Jingpho we (“present tense particle”), and possibly Tibetan [script needed] (yin, “to be”) < *wi-n (with earlier w- disappearing before -i).(STEDT; Schuessler, 2007).

Related to 惠 (OC *ɢʷiːds) (Schuessler, 2007)

Pronunciation 1

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 唯

1. only; alone
2. because
3. although
4. to be
5. Particle for expressing one's wish.

   • 夫晉，何厭之有？既東封鄭，又欲肆其西封。不闕秦，焉取之？闕秦以利晉，唯君圖之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     夫晋，何厌之有？既东封郑，又欲肆其西封。不阙秦，焉取之？阙秦以利晋，唯君图之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Fú Jìn, hé yàn zhī yǒu? Jì dōng fēng Zhèng, yòu yù sì qí xī fēng. Bù què Qín, yān qǔ zhī? Què qín yǐ lì jìn, wéi jūn tú zhī. [Pinyin]

     How will Jin ever be satisfied? After it has extended its eastern boundaries and annexed Zheng, it will want to freely expand its western boundaries. If it does not carve away Qin, where will it get land? Carving away at Qin to benefit Jin: this is something your lordship should consider carefully.

6. (alt. form 維／维, 惟) Meaningless sentence-initial particle.

   • 子曰：「與其進也，不與其退也，唯何甚？人潔己以進，與其潔也，不保其往也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子曰：「与其进也，不与其退也，唯何甚？人洁己以进，与其洁也，不保其往也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

     Zǐyuē: “Yǔ qí jìn yě, bù yǔ qí tuì yě, wéi hé shèn? Rén jiéjǐ yǐ jìn, yǔ qí jié yě, bù bǎo qí wǎng yě.” [Pinyin]

     The Master said, "I admit people's approach to me without committing myself as to what they may do when they have retired; why must one be so severe? If a man purify himself to wait upon me, I receive him so purified, without guaranteeing his past conduct."

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (唯):

• → Vietnamese: duy (唯)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): wéi, wěi

  (Zhuyin): ㄨㄟˊ, ㄨㄟˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): wai² / wai⁵

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: wéi
    • Zhuyin: ㄨㄟˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: wéi
    • Wade–Giles: wei²
    • Yale: wéi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wei
    • Palladius: вэй (vɛj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /weɪ̯³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan; variant in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: wěi
    • Zhuyin: ㄨㄟˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: wěi
    • Wade–Giles: wei³
    • Yale: wěi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: woei
    • Palladius: вэй (vɛj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /weɪ̯²¹⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: wai² / wai⁵
    • Yale: wái / wáih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: wai² / wai⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: wei² / wei⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɐi̯³⁵/, /wɐi̯¹³/

---

• Middle Chinese: ywijX

Rime
Character	唯
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	以 (36)
Final (韻)	脂 (16)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	以水切
Baxter	ywijX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jiuɪX/
Pan Wuyun	/jʷiX/
Shao Rongfen	/juɪX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/jwiX/
Li Rong	/uiX/
Wang Li	/jwiX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/wiX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	wěi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	wai5

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɢʷiʔ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	唯
Reading #	2/2
No.	12858
Phonetic component	唯
Rime group	脂
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	唯
Old Chinese	/*ɢʷiʔ/

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 唯

1. (obsolete) A polite particle used to respond to elders: yes

   • 子曰：「參乎！吾道一以貫之。」曾子曰：「唯。」子出。門人問曰：「何謂也？」曾子曰：「夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子曰：「参乎！吾道一以贯之。」曾子曰：「唯。」子出。门人问曰：「何谓也？」曾子曰：「夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

     Zǐyuē: “Shēn hū! Wú dào yī yǐ guàn zhī.” Zēngzǐ yuē: “Wěi.” Zǐ chū. Ménrén wèn yuē: “Héwèi yě?” Zēngzǐ yuē: “Fūzǐ zhī dào, zhōngshù ér yǐ yǐ.” [Pinyin]

     The Master said, "Shen, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity." The disciple Zeng replied, "Yes." The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "What do his words mean?" Zeng said, "The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others, this and nothing more."

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (唯):

• → Japanese: 唯(い) (i)

References

• “唯”, 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–

Japanese

Kanji

唯

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: ゆい (yui, Jōyō)^{←ゆい (yui, historical)←ゆゐ (yuwi, ancient)}
• Kan-on: い (i, Jōyō ^†)^{←ゐ (wi, historical)}
• Kun: ただ (tada, 唯)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
唯
ゆい Grade: S
goon

/juwi/ → /jui/

From Middle Chinese 唯 (MC ywij).

Affix

唯(ゆい) • (yui) 

1. only, solely

Usage notes

• Most dictionaries proscribe historical -uwi readings すゐ (suwi), ずゐ (zuwi), つゐ (tuwi), ゆゐ (yuwi), and るゐ (ruwi).

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 唯(ゆい)一(いち) (yuīchi)
• 唯(ゆい)一(いつ) (yuītsu)
• 唯(ゆい)我(が)論(ろん) (yuigaron)
• 唯(ゆい)我(が)独(どく)尊(そん) (yuigadokuson)
• 唯(ゆい)識(しき) (yuishiki)
• 唯心(ゆいしん) (yuishin)
• 唯(ゆい)美(び) (yuibi)
• 唯物(ゆいぶつ) (yuibutsu)

Proper noun

唯(ゆい) • (Yui) 

1. a female given name
2. a surname

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
唯
い Grade: S
kan'on

/wi/ → /i/

From Middle Chinese 唯 (MC ywijX).

Interjection

唯(い) • (i) ^{←ゐ (wi)?}

1. polite particle used to respond to elders: yes

   Synonym: はい (hai)

Derived terms

• 唯唯(いい), 唯々(いい) (ii)
  • 唯唯(いい)諾諾(だくだく), 唯々(いい)諾々(だくだく) (iidakudaku)

Affix

唯(い) • (i) ^{←ゐ (wi)?}

1. polite particle used to respond to elders: yes

Derived terms

• 諾(だく)唯(い) (dakui)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
唯
ただ Grade: S
kun'yomi

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

【ただ】 [adverb] 唯, 只, 但: merely, commonly, simply, only [conjunction] 唯, 只, 但: but, however, although, except that Alternative spellings 只, 但

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

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
唯
たった Grade: S
irregular

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

【たった】 [adverb] (usually with numbers) only [suffix] (Internet slang, humorous) Verb suffix for past actions.

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

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
唯
たんだ Grade: S
irregular

For pronunciation and definitions of 唯 – see the following entry: たんだ

(The following entry is uncreated: たんだ.)

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
唯
ない Grade: S
irregular

For pronunciation and definitions of 唯 – see the following entry: ない

(The following entry is uncreated: ない.)

Korean

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ju]
• Phonetic hangul: [유]

Hanja

Wikisource

唯 • (yu) (hangeul 유, revised yu, McCune–Reischauer yu)

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

Vietnamese

Han character

唯: Hán Nôm readings: dõi, dói, dúi, duỗi, duy, giói, giọi, giòe/gioè, dạ, dọi, duối

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

References

• Nom Foundation