希

See also: 稀

希	U+5E0C, 希 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5E0C

← 帋
[U+5E0B]

CJK Unified Ideographs

帍 →
[U+5E0D]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

希 (Kangxi radical 50, 巾+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 大大中月 (KKLB), four-corner 4022₇, composition ⿱㐅布)

Derived characters

桸, 唏, 浠, 稀, 晞, 烯, 郗, 欷, 豨, 瓻, 鵗

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 329, character 18
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 8813
Dae Jaweon: page 634, character 29
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 731, character 19
Unihan data for U+5E0C

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 希
Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
桸	hral, hlɯl
郗	*l̥ʰɯl
絺	*l̥ʰɯl
脪	l̥ʰɯl, hrɯnʔ, *hlɯns
瓻	*l̥ʰɯl
希	*hlɯl
晞	*hlɯl
莃	*hlɯl
鵗	*hlɯl
稀	*hlɯl
睎	*hlɯl
豨	hlɯl, hlɯlʔ
悕	*hlɯl
俙	hlɯl, hlɯlʔ
欷	hlɯl, hlɯls
浠	*hlɯl
唏	hlɯlʔ, hlɯls

Originally 𢁫, ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 爻 + 巾 (“cloth”).

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.		希
alternative forms		𢁫 original 𠬹／𠬯 ancient 㠻𭤔𢁙 erroneous

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

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): xī (xi¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄒㄧ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): xi¹

(Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): xǐ

(Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): xì
Cantonese (Jyutping): hei¹
Gan (Wiktionary): xi¹
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): hî

(Hailu, HRS): hi^ˋ

(Meixian, Guangdong): hi¹
Jin (Wiktionary): xi¹
Northern Min (KCR): hí
Eastern Min (BUC): hĭ
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): hi¹
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): hi

(Teochew, Peng'im): hi¹
Wu (Wugniu)
- (Northern): ¹shi
- (Jinhua): ¹shi
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): xi¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: xī
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄧ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: si
  - Wade–Giles: hsi¹
  - Yale: syī
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shi
  - Palladius: си (si)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi⁵⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: xi¹
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xi
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi⁵⁵/
- (Xi'an)
  - Guanzhong Pinyin: xǐ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi²¹/
- (Nanjing)
  - Nanjing Pinyin: xì
  - Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): xi¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi³¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: hei¹
  - Yale: hēi
  - Cantonese Pinyin: hei¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: héi¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hei̯⁵⁵/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: xi¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi⁴²/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: hî
  - Hakka Romanization System: hi^ˊ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: hi¹
  - Sinological IPA: /hi²⁴/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: hi^ˋ
  - Sinological IPA: /hi⁵³/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: hi¹
  - Sinological IPA: /hi⁴⁴/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: xi¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕi¹¹/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: hí
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /xi⁵⁴/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: hĭ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hi⁵⁵/
Puxian Min
- (Putian)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: hi¹
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: hi
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hi⁵³³/
- (Xianyou, Youyang)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: hi¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hi⁵⁴⁴/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hi
  - Tâi-lô: hi
  - Phofsit Daibuun: hy
  - IPA (Xiamen): /hi⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /hi³³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /hi⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Taipei): /hi⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /hi⁴⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: hi¹
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hi
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hi³³/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai, Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming, Chuansha, Suzhou, Kunshan, Changzhou, Jingjiang, Jiaxing, Tongxiang, Haining, Haiyan, Deqing, Hangzhou, Xiaoshan, Shaoxing, Cixi, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
  - Wugniu: ¹shi
  - MiniDict: shi^平
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹xi
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɕi⁵³/
  - Sinological IPA (Jiading): /ɕi⁵³/
  - Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /çi⁵³/
  - Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɕi⁵⁵/
  - Sinological IPA (Chuansha): /ɕi⁵³/
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ɕi⁴⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Kunshan): /ɕi⁵⁵/
  - Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /ɕi⁵⁵/
  - Sinological IPA (Jingjiang): /ɕi⁴⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /ɕi⁵³/
  - Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /ɕi⁴⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Haining): /ɕi⁵⁵/
  - Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /ɕi⁵¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Deqing): /ɕi⁴⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /ɕi³³⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Xiaoshan): /ɕi⁴⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /ɕi⁵²/
  - Sinological IPA (Cixi): /ɕi³²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /ɕi⁵²/
  - Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /ɕi⁵³/
- (Jinhua)
  - Wugniu: ¹shi
  - Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /ɕi³³⁴/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: xi¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi³³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 希
Mandarin	Beijing	/ɕi⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/ɕi⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/ɕi²¹/
	Jinan	/ɕi²¹³/
	Qingdao	/ɕi²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/ɕi²⁴/
	Xi'an	/ɕi²¹/
	Xining	/ɕji⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ɕi⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/ɕi³¹/
	Ürümqi	/ɕi⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/ɕi⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/ɕi⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/ɕi⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/ɕi⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/ɕi³¹/
	Hefei	/sz̩²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/ɕi¹¹/
	Pingyao	/ɕi¹³/
	Hohhot	/ɕi³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ɕi⁵³/
	Suzhou	/ɕi⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/ɕi³³/
	Wenzhou	/sz̩³³/
Hui	Shexian	/ɕi³¹/
Hui	Tunxi	/ɕi¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/ɕi³³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/ɕi³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/ɕi⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/hi⁴⁴/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/hi²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/hei⁵³/
	Nanning	/hi⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/hei⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/hi⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/hi⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/xi⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/hi³³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/hi²³/

Middle Chinese: xj+j

Rime
Character	希
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	曉 (32)
Final (韻)	微 (20)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	香衣切
Baxter	xj+j
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/hɨi/
Pan Wuyun	/hɨi/
Shao Rongfen	/xiəi/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/hɨj/
Li Rong	/xiəi/
Wang Li	/xĭəi/
Bernhard Karlgren	/xe̯i/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hei¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*qʰəj/

(Zhengzhang): /*hlɯl/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	希
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xī
Middle Chinese	‹ xjɨj ›
Old Chinese	/*qʰəj/
English	thin, sparse
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	希
Reading #	1/1
No.	13250
Phonetic component
Rime group	微
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime
Old Chinese	/*hlɯl/

Definitions

希

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Original form of 稀 (xī, “rare; sparse”).
to hope; to expect; to strive for
to admire; to look up to
short for 希臘／希腊 (Xīlà, “Greece; Greek”)
希政府 ― xī zhèngfǔ ― Greek government

赴希 ― fù xī ― (formal) to go to Greece

訪希／访希 ― fǎng xī ― (formal) to visit Greece

中希關係／中希关系 ― Zhōng-Xī guānxì ― China–Greece relations
Used in transcription.
希爾伯特／希尔伯特 ― Xī'ěrbótè ― Hilbert

普希金 ― Pǔxījīn ― Pushikin

波希米亞／波希米亚 ― Bōxīmǐyà ― Bohemia

希伯來／希伯来 ― Xībólái ― Hebrew
synonym of 絺 / 𫄨

Compounds

一線希望 / 一线希望
三希堂
不希罕
伯希和
先意希旨
克希荷夫
大音希聲 / 大音希声 (dàyīnxīshēng)
奧特貝希 / 奥特贝希 (Àotèbèixī)
布希 (Bùxī)
布希曼
希世 (xīshì)
希世之寶 / 希世之宝
希世之珍
希企
希伯來 / 希伯来 (Xībólái)
希伯來人 / 希伯来人 (xībóláirén)
希伯來書 / 希伯来书 (Xībóláishū)
希光
希冀 (xījì)
希利尼 (Xīlìní)
希力奧斯 / 希力奥斯
希區考克 / 希区考克
希古
希吾勒 (Xīwúlè)
希圖 / 希图 (xītú)
希夷
希奇 (xīqí)
希奇古怪
希少 (xīshǎo)
希希罕兒 / 希希罕儿
希微
希斯亞德 / 希斯亚德
希有 (xīyǒu)
希望 (xīwàng)
希望小學 / 希望小学 (xīwàng xiǎoxué)
希望工程
希求 (xīqiú)
希爛 / 希烂
希爾頓 / 希尔顿 (Xī'ěrdùn)
希特勒 (Xītèlè)
希珍
希罕
希聖 / 希圣
希聲 / 希声
希臘 / 希腊 (Xīlà)
希臘哲學 / 希腊哲学
希臘字母 / 希腊字母
希臘建築 / 希腊建筑
希臘戲劇 / 希腊戏剧
希臘教會 / 希腊教会
希臘正教 / 希腊正教
希臘神話 / 希腊神话
希臘群島 / 希腊群岛
希行
希詫 / 希诧
希風 / 希风
幾希 / 几希
庫木巴希 / 库木巴希 (Kùmùbāxī)
抗心希古
承風希旨 / 承风希旨
普希金 (Pǔxījīn)
望風希指 / 望风希指
波希
波希戰爭 / 波希战争
波希米亞 / 波希米亚 (Bōxīmǐyà)
貝希斯敦 / 贝希斯敦 (Bèixīsīdūn)
阿日希 (Ārìxī)

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of 希 – see 稀 (“sparse; rare; uncommon; scarce; etc.”). (This character is the second-round simplified form of 稀).
Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Japanese

Kanji

希

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

beg, request
hope
rare (also 稀)
Greece (short for 希臘 (Girishia))

Readings

Go-on: け (ke)
Kan-on: き (ki, Jōyō)
Kun: まれ (mare, 希)、のぞみ (nozomi)、こいねがう (koinegau, 希う)
Nanori: の (no)、のぞ (nozo)、のぞみ (nozomi)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
希
き Grade: 4
on'yomi

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [kʲi]

Affix

希(き) • (ki)

to hope

Compounds

希(き)求(きゅう) (kikyū)
希(き)望(ぼう) (kibō)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
希
き Grade: 4
on'yomi

Alternative spelling
稀

希 is a daiyōji replacing 稀.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [kʲi]
IPA^(key): [ke̞]

Affix

希(き) or 希(け) • (ki or ke)

rare; scarce
sparse; dilute

Compounds

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
希
まれ Grade: 4
kun'yomi

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

【稀まれ】J

[adjective] rare

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

Korean

Hanja

希 • (hui) (hangeul 희)

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

Vietnamese

Han character

希: Hán Nôm readings: hơi, he, hê, hy, hây, hi, thu

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