右

右 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+2, 5 strokes, cangjie input 大口 (KR), four-corner 4060₀, composition ⿸𠂇口)

• 佑 㤑 㳓 𣭊 祐 䧺 若 𠯌 𢙵 槗 𣖻 醢

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 173, character 5
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3250
• Dae Jaweon: page 385, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 569, character 1
• Unihan data for U+53F3

Originally 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “right hand”) in the oracle bone script.

In bronze inscriptions, a 口 (“mouth; speech”) component was added, perhaps with the intention of indicating the use of 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “again”) as a phonetic loan. In other words, the current form is a phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *ɢʷɯʔ, *ɢʷɯs) and ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): phonetic 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “right hand”) + semantic 口 (“mouth; speech”).

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-(j/r)a (“right (hand)”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan གཡས (g.yas, “right”), Jingpho hkra (khʒa⁵⁵, “right”), Burmese ယာ (ya), ညာ (nya).

友 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ, “be friendly; friend”) is the endoactive derivation of 右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ) (Schuessler, 2007).

佑 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “to aid”), 祐 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “(of divinity) to assist; to bless”), 宥 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “to pardon; magnanimous”) are exoactive derivations of 右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ) (ibid.).

“(politics) right-wing”

Semantic loan from English right, in turn a semantic loan from French droite.

右

1. right (direction)

   右手  ―  yòushǒu  ―  right hand

2. (nautical) starboard

   右舷  ―  yòuxián  ―  starboardside

3. west; areas to the west
4. (historical) right side as the side of precedence
5. (politics) right-wing
6. (chemistry) dextro-

   右美沙芬  ―  yòuměishāfēn  ―  dextromethorphan

7. a surname

• 左 (zuǒ, “left”)

右

1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Original form of 佑 (yòu, “to assist”).
2. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Original form of 祐 (yòu, “to protect; to bless”).
3. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to take somebody's side
4. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 侑 (yòu, “to urge somebody to eat or drink”)

Others:

• → Bouyei: gvaz (“right”)
• → Lao: ຂວາ (khuā, “right”)
• → Lü: ᦧᦱ (ẋwaa, “right”)
• → Northern Thai: ᨡ᩠ᩅᩣ (“right”)
• → Shan: ၶႂႃ (khwǎa, “right”)
• → Thai: ขวา (kwǎa, “right”)
• → Zhuang: gvaz (“right”)

• “右”, 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–
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A00483

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

1. right
2. conservative
3. right-wing, right fielder
4. respect for
5. aid, assist, counsel

• Go-on: う (u, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: ゆう (yū, Jōyō)^{←いう (iu, historical)}
• Kun: みぎ (migi, 右, Jōyō)、かく (kaku, 右)、こう (kō, 右)^{←かう (kau, 右, historical)}、たすける (tasukeru, 右ける)
• Nanori: あき (aki)、あきら (akira)、これ (kore)、すけ (suke)、たか (taka)、たすく (tasuku)

• (Tokyo) みぎ [mìgí] (Heiban – [0])^[1][2] general
• (Tokyo) みぎ [míꜜgì] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1] “the above statement, foregoing”
• IPA^(key): [mʲiɡʲi]

右(みぎ) • (migi) 

1. right (direction)

   私(わたし)は右(みぎ)の目(め)が見(み)えない。

   Watashi wa migi no me ga mienai.

   I can't see with my right eye.

   • 1999 July 22, “封(ふう)印(いん)されし者(もの)の右(みぎ)足(あし) [Right Leg of the Sealed One]”, in Vol.4, Konami:

     封(ふう)印(いん)された右(みぎ)足(あし)。封(ふう)印(いん)を解(と)くと、無(む)限(げん)の力(ちから)を得(え)られる。

     Fūinsareta migiashi. Fūin o toku to, mugen no chikara o erareru.

     A sealed right leg. Whosoever breaks the seal shall earn infinite power.

2. (in vertical writing of Japanese, with columns running right to left) the above statement, foregoing
3. (politics) the right wing, a rightist
4. (historical) a superior during the Chinese Warring States period

   Synonym: 上位 (jōi)

• (antonym(s) of “right, rightist”): 左(ひだり) (hidari, “left”)

The final り (ri) is likely by analogy with its antonym 左 (hidari, “left”).^[3]

右(みぎり) • (migiri) 

1. (archaic) Same as みぎ (migi) above

The “right (direction)” and “respect, esteem, value” senses are from Middle Chinese 右 (MC hjuwX).

The “aid, assist” sense is from Middle Chinese 右 / 佑 (MC hjuwH).

The kan'on pronunciation, so likely a later borrowing.

• IPA^(key): [jɯ̟ː]

右(ゆう) • (yū) ^{←いう (iu)?}

1. right (direction)
2. respect; esteem; value
3. alternative form of 佑 (yū, “aid; assist”)

From Middle Chinese 右 (MC hjuwX).

The goon pronunciation, so likely the initial borrowing.

• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟]

右(う) • (u-) 

1. right (direction)
2. (politics) right-wing
3. (baseball) right fielder
4. (history, government) "of the right", junior or subordinate to 左 (sa-, “of the left”)

   右(う)衛(え)門(もん)

   Uemon

   the Gate Guard of the Right

   右(う)大(だい)臣(じん)

   Udaijin

   the Minister of the Right

右 (eumhun 오른쪽 우 (oreunjjok u))

1. hanja form^? of 우 (“right (direction)”)

• 좌우 (左右, jwau, “left and right”)
• 우측 (右側, ucheuk, “right side”)
• 우측보행 (右側步行, ucheukbohaeng, “to walk on the right side”)
• 남좌여우 (男左女右, namjwayeou, “the left is for males, the right is for females (traditional saying)”)
• 극우 (極右 , geugu, “the far right”)
• 좌우명 (座右銘, jwaumyeong, “maxim; motto, watchword”)

右 (eumhun 도울 우 (doul u))

1. hanja form^? of 우 (“to help; to aid; to assist; to give a hand”)

右: Hán Nôm readings: hữu

1. right (direction)