上口字

上口字

1. Chinese character that is pronounced in Peking opera according to traditional pronunciation conventions (which differ slightly from standard pronunciations based on Beijing Mandarin)

   • 可以說那些上口字都是需要初學京劇的人特意學習、逐個加以記憶的字音，雖然多是原來就熟悉的字。所謂「上口」，反為「棘口」了。 [MSC, trad.]
     可以说那些上口字都是需要初学京剧的人特意学习、逐个加以记忆的字音，虽然多是原来就熟悉的字。所谓「上口」，反为「棘口」了。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1991, 杨振淇, 《京剧音韵知识》, page 55

     Kěyǐ shuō nàxiē shàngkǒuzì dōu shì xūyào chūxué jīngjù de rén tèyì xuéxí, zhúge jiāyǐ jìyì de zìyīn, suīrán duō shì yuánlái jiù shúxī de zì. Suǒwèi “shàngkǒu”, fǎn wèi “jíkǒu” le. [Pinyin]

     We can say that those characters with traditional operatic pronunciations have pronunciations that have to be deliberately learned and memorized one by one by beginners in Peking opera even though most of them are originally familiar characters. The so-called "easy to read" characters have instead become "hard to read".

   • 拿上口字來說，臉讀如儉。 [MSC, trad.]
     拿上口字来说，脸读如俭。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1997, 王爾敏, 《明清社會文化生態》, page 155

     Ná shàngkǒuzì lái shuō, liǎn dú rú jiǎn. [Pinyin]

     Taking characters with traditional operatic pronunciations as an example, 臉 is read as 儉 (jiǎn).

   • 上口字與相鄰的字連念感到彆扭時，可以不上口。 [MSC, trad.]
     上口字与相邻的字连念感到别扭时，可以不上口。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2017 August 28, 【唱念做打】关于京剧中的上口字

     Shàngkǒuzì yǔ xiānglín de zì lián niàn gǎndào bièniu shí, kěyǐ bù shàngkǒu. [Pinyin]

     When the pronunciation of characters with traditional operatic pronunciations and that of the adjacent characters cause awkwardness when read in sequence, it is not necessary to use the traditional pronunciation.