周

周 U+5468, 周 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5468 ← 呧 [U+5467] CJK Unified Ideographs 呩 → [U+5469]

周 U+2F83F, 周 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F83F ← 呈 [U+2F83E] CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement 咢 → [U+2F840]

Stroke order

• In certain typefaces and/or at small font sizes, the edges of the 土 component touch the enclosing 冂 component, producing a resemblance to the radical 用.

周 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+5, 8 strokes, cangjie input 月土口 (BGR), four-corner 7722₀, composition ⿵⺆𠮷(GTJV) or ⿵⺆⿻一古 or ⿵⺆⿱𰀁口(HK))

• 倜, 凋, 調 (调), 啁, 徟, 淍, 惆, 婤, 𰀧, 綢 (绸), 琱, 椆, 晭, 賙 (赒), 禂, 碉, 睭, 稠, 皗, 裯, 蜩, 輖 (𫐏), 錭, 鯛(鲷), 騆, 䓟, 㓮, 郮, 彫, 翢, 雕, 鵰 (𫛲), 奝, 霌, 週, 𥮐, 𥺝, 𦈺, 𦩍, 𡕐

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 181, character 36
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3441
• Dae Jaweon: page 400, character 5
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 606, character 3
• Unihan data for U+5468

• Unihan data for U+2F83F

Oracle bone script: Pictogram (象形) of a jade artifact with carved patterns. Original form of 彫 (OC *tɯːw, “to carve”). The character was later borrowed as a country name and 口 was added as a distinguishing mark. A semi-conservative version in which the carvings are visible is 𠕛. The top part of the character gradually became similar to 用 in the late Western Zhou period.^[1] See also 黃, which could have a reference to a jade artifact.

The seal script form can be interpreted as ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + semantic 用 (“to use”) - indicating the idea of using words skillfully to express oneself, thereby conveying the meaning of being meticulous or detailed.^[2]

trad.		周
simp. #		周
alternative forms		𠕛 𠱬 𠄗 𠕛 𠣘 𠕛 𠱬 𠄗 𠕛 𠣘 淍 週／周

to encircle, to circle, to surround, everywhere, curve (in the road)

Unclear. Possibly connected with Tibetan གཅུ་བ (gcu ba) ~ ལྕུ་བ (lcu ba, “screw”), གཅུད་བ (gcud ba) ~ ལྕུབ་བ (lcub ba, “turn, twist, plait, braid”), or Thai ดิ้ว (dîu, “club, stick; strips of rattan or bamboo bent in a circle to which ribs of a cage are fastened”) or Khmer ជួត (cuət, “to wind; to wrap around; to wear a turban”) (Schuessler, 2007)

to help

Unclear. Maybe same word as 周 (zhōu, “to surround”) as words for "help, aid" often derive from the notion "next to, or around, a person" (for analogies, 佐 (OC *ʔsaːls, “to assist < to be on one's left-side”) from 左 (OC *ʔsaːlʔ, “left”) and 佑 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “to assist < to be on one's right-side”) from 右 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ)) (Schuessler, 2007).

Alternatively, note Khmer ជួយ (cuəy, “to help, assist; to support; to rescue, save”) (ibid.). Even so, also note Thai ช่วย (chûai), which in turn is from Middle Chinese 助 (MC dzrjoH)); if Khmer ជួយ (cuəy) and Thai ช่วย (chûai) were related, then Khmer ជួយ (cuəy) cannot be related to Old Chinese 周 (OC *tjɯw).

dynasty's name

Attested in the Huayuanzhang East Oracle Bone Inscription HYZ 327.1 (transliterated and translated by Schwartz, 2019^[1])

周入亖 [Pre-Classical Chinese]  ―  Zhōu rù sì [Pinyin]  ―  Zhou contributes four

A 周方白 (Zhōufāng bó, “Elder of Zhou region”), likely King Wen of Zhou, was mentioned in Oracle Bone Inscriptions H11:82 and H11:84 (Lin, 1995)^[2]

Hargett (2021)^[3] states that 商 (Shāng) and 周 (Zhōu) derived from names of "places that the rulers and people of those eras regarded as their homeland or cultic centers"; the 周方 (Zhōufāng, “Zhou region”) was among "areas or regions along the frontier borders of Shang, traditionally regarded as enemy territory".

周

1. to circle; to encircle

   • 齊師敗績。逐之，三周華不注。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     齐师败绩。逐之，三周华不注。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

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

     Qíshī bài jì. Zhú zhī, sān zhōu huábùzhù. [Pinyin]

     The Qi troops were completely defeated. Jin forces pursued the Qi army, whose remnants thrice circled Mount Huabuzhu.

2. circle; circumference

   四周  ―  sìzhōu  ―  surroundings

   圓周／圆周  ―  yuánzhōu  ―  circumference

   • 大城不可以不完，郭周不可以外通，……。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad. and simp.]

     From: Guanzi, 5^th century BCE to 220 CE

     Dàchéng bùkěyǐ bùwán, guōzhōu bùkěyǐ wàitōng,....... [Pinyin]

     The city's main walls must not be incompletely built, nor the peripheral suburban walls penetrable from outsides, [...].

3. whole

   周身  ―  zhōushēn  ―  the whole body

   眾所周知／众所周知  ―  zhòngsuǒzhōuzhī  ―  as everyone knows

4. to extend everywhere

   • 自西徂東，周爰執事。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     自西徂东，周爰执事。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Zì xī cú dōng, zhōu yuán zhíshì. [Pinyin]

     From the west to the east, everywhere he was at work.

   • 知周乎萬物，而道濟天下，故不過。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     知周乎万物，而道济天下，故不过。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: I Ching, 11^th – 8^th century BCE

     Zhī zhōu hū wànwù, ér dào jì tiānxià, gù bùguò. [Pinyin]

     His knowledge embraces all things, and his course is (intended to be) helpful to all under the sky; - and hence he falls into no error.

5. thorough; complete; comprehensive

   周密  ―  zhōumì  ―  thorough

   周詳／周详  ―  zhōuxiáng  ―  comprehensive

   • 子曰：「君子周而不比，小人比而不周。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad. and simp.]

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

     Zǐyuē: “Jūnzǐ zhōu ér bùbǐ, xiǎorén bǐ ér bùzhōu.” [Pinyin]

     The Master said: "The gentleman is inclusive and not partial; the villain is partial and not inclusive."

   • 孟子曰：「周于利者，凶年不能殺；周于德者，邪世不能亂。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     孟子曰：「周于利者，凶年不能杀；周于德者，邪世不能乱。」 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Mèngzǐ yuē: “Zhōu yú lì zhě, xiōngnián bùnéng shā; zhōu yú dé zhě, xiéshì bùnéng luàn.” [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 君子是以知秦穆公之為君也，舉人之周也，舉人之壹也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     君子是以知秦穆公之为君也，举人之周也，举人之壹也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

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

     Jūnzǐ shìyǐ zhī Qín Mù gōng zhī wéi jūn yě, jǔrén zhī zhōu yě, jǔrén zhī yī yě. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 夫將者，國之輔也。輔周則國必強，輔隙則國必弱。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     夫将者，国之辅也。辅周则国必强，辅隙则国必弱。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: The Art of War, circa 5^th century BCE

     Fú jiàng zhě, guó zhī fǔ yě. Fǔ zhōu zé guó bì qiáng, fǔ xì zé guó bì ruò. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

6. (obsolete) side; periphery

   • 有杕之杜，生于道周。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

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

     Yǒu dì zhī dù, shēng yú dàozhōu. [Pinyin]

     There's a solitary birchleaf pear tree, that grows on the road's curve.

7. (obsolete) to suit

   • 雖不周於今之人兮，願依彭咸之遺訓。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     虽不周于今之人兮，愿依彭咸之遗训。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

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

     Suī bù zhōu yú jīn zhī rén xī, yuàn yī Péng Xián zhī yíxùn. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

8. to help (e.g. financially); to relieve

   alt. forms: 賙 / 赒 (zhōu)

   周濟／周济  ―  zhōujì  ―  to relieve

   • 靡人不周，無不能止。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     靡人不周，无不能止。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Mǐ rén bù zhōu, wú bùnéng zhǐ. [Pinyin]

     There is no one who has not helped [the people]; They have not refrained on the ground of being unable.

9. (Cantonese, chiefly in the passive) to reprimand with authority; to catch

   佢上堂偷玩電話畀老師周到。 [Cantonese, trad.]
   佢上堂偷玩电话畀老师周到。 [Cantonese, simp.]

   keoi⁵ soeng⁵ tong⁴ tau¹ waan² din⁶ waa^6-2 bei² lou⁵ si¹ zau¹ dou². [Jyutping]

   He was playing on his phone during class and got caught by the teacher.

10. Classifier for circuits.; circuit; revolution

    繞場兩周／绕场两周  ―  rào chǎng liǎng zhōu  ―  to make two circuits around the arena

    地球環繞太陽一周需要約365天。 [MSC, trad.]
    地球环绕太阳一周需要约365天。 [MSC, simp.]

    Dìqiú huánrào tàiyáng yī zhōu xūyào yuē 365 tiān. [Pinyin]

    It takes around 365 days for Earth to complete one revolution around the Sun.

11. (hi-fi jargon) hertz
12. (historical) name of various dynasties
    1. (～朝) Zhou Dynasty (1046—256 BCE)

       • 周雖舊邦，其命維新。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
         周虽旧邦，其命维新。 [Pre-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 wéixīn. [Pinyin]

         Although Zhou was an old country,
         The [favouring] appointment lighted on it recently.

    2. Northern Zhou (557—581), one of the Northern dynasties in China
    3. Wu Zhou (690–705), established by Wu Zetian
    4. Later Zhou (951–960), one of the Five Dynasties in China
13. a surname

    周恩來／周恩来  ―  Zhōu Ēnlái  ―  Zhou Enlai / Chou En-Lai (the first Premier of the People's Republic of China)

• → English: Zhou, Chou, Chow, Chau, Chew, Chiu

Dynasties (朝代) in Chinese history
Name	Time period	Divisions
Xia 夏 (～朝, ～代)	2070 – 1600 BCE
Shang 商 (～朝, ～代) 殷 (～朝, ～代)	1600 – 1046 BCE
Zhou 周 (～朝, ～代)	1046 – 256 BCE	Western Zhou 西周
		Eastern Zhou 東周 / 东周	Spring and Autumn period 春秋
			Warring States period 戰國 / 战国
Qin 秦 (～朝, ～代)	221 – 206 BCE
Han 漢 / 汉 (～朝, ～代)	206 BCE – 220 C.E.	Western Han 西漢 / 西汉
		Xin 新 (～朝)
		Eastern Han 東漢 / 东汉
Three Kingdoms 三國 / 三国	220 – 280 C.E.	Wei 魏
		Shu Han 蜀漢 / 蜀汉
		Wu 吳 / 吴
Jin 晉 / 晋 (～朝, ～代)	265 – 420 C.E.	Western Jin 西晉 / 西晋
		Eastern Jin 東晉 / 东晋
Southern and Northern dynasties 南北朝	420 – 589 C.E.	Northern dynasties 北朝	Northern Wei 北魏
			Western Wei 西魏
			Eastern Wei 東魏 / 东魏
			Northern Zhou 北周
			Northern Qi 北齊 / 北齐
		Southern dynasties 南朝	Liu Song 劉宋 / 刘宋
			Southern Qi 南齊 / 南齐
			Liang 梁 (～朝, ～代)
			Chen 陳 / 陈 (～朝, ～代)
Sui 隋 (～朝, ～代)	581 – 618 C.E.
Tang 唐 (～朝, ～代)	618 – 907 C.E.
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 五代十國 / 五代十国	907 – 960 C.E.
Liao 遼 / 辽 (～朝, ～代)	907 – 1125 C.E.
Song 宋 (～朝, ～代)	960 – 1279 C.E.	Northern Song 北宋
		Southern Song 南宋
Western Xia 西夏	1038 – 1227 C.E.
Jin 金 (～朝, ～代)	1115 – 1234 C.E.
Western Liao 西遼 / 西辽	1124 – 1218 C.E.
Yuan 元 (～朝, ～代)	1271 – 1368 C.E.
Ming 明 (～朝, ～代)	1368 – 1644 C.E.
Qing 清 (～朝, ～代)	1636 – 1912 C.E.

For pronunciation and definitions of 周 – see 週 (“week; circumference; etc.”). (This character is the simplified and variant traditional form of 週).

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

This variant form is the name of the second tetragram of the Taixuanjing (𝌇), as listed in the ancient text.

trad.		周
simp. #		周
alternative forms		舟 州

周

1. (Cantonese) penis (Classifier: 條／条 c)

• “周”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[3], 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), A00559

Shinjitai	周
Kyūjitai [1]	周 周 or 周+︀?
	周󠄀 周+󠄀? (Adobe-Japan1)
	周󠄃 周+󠄃? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 周)

1. circumference
2. circuit
3. lap

• Go-on: しゅ (shu)^{←しゆ (syu, historical)}、す (su)
• Kan-on: しゅう (shū, Jōyō)^{←しう (siu, historical)}
• Kun: まわり (mawari, 周り, Jōyō)^{←まはり (mafari, 周り, historical)}、あまねく (amaneku, 周く)、あまねし (amaneshi, 周し)、めぐる (meguru, 周る)
• Nanori: あまね (amane)、あまねし (amaneshi)、いたる (itaru)、かた (kata)、かぬ (kanu)、かね (kane)、ただ (tada)、ちか (chika)、ちかし (chikashi)、なり (nari)、のり (nori)、ひろし (hiroshi)、まこと (makoto)

• 周(しゅう)南(なん) (Shūnan, “Shūnan”)
• 周(しゅう)波(は)数(すう) (shūhasū, “frequency”)

Kanji in this term
周
しゅう Grade: 4
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 周 (MC tsyuw).

• (Tokyo) しゅう [shúꜜù] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2][3]
• IPA^(key): [ɕɨː]

周(しゅう) • (-shū) ^{←しう (-siu)?}

1. laps or circuits

周(しゅう) • (Shū) ^{←しう (Siu)?}

1. Zhou

周(まこと) • (Makoto) 

1. a male given name

周(あまね) • (Amane) 

1. a male given name

   西(にし)周(あまね)

   Nishi Amane

   Nishi Amane (Meiji period philosopher)

周 (eumhun 두루 주 (duru ju))

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

• 주위 (周圍, juwi)
• 주전 (周全, jujeon)
• 주년 (周年, junyeon)
• 주변 (周邊, jubyeon)
• 주파수 (周波數, jupasu)
• 주도면밀 (周到綿密, judomyeonmil)

周: Hán Việt readings: chu^[1][2], châu^[3]
周: Nôm readings: chu^[1][4][5], châu^[1][5]

1. chữ Hán form of Chu (“a surname”)
2. chữ Hán form of Châu (“a surname”)

Chu is the original Hán-Việt reading of this character and related ones according to Thiều Chửu. However, naming taboos for Nguyễn Phúc Chu (阮福淍) led to the reading Châu being used instead for this character, especially in the south of Vietnam, based on a tradition of u/âu sound swaps. Currently, both readings are in use. ^[6]