昌

昌	U+660C, 昌 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-660C

← 昋
[U+660B]

CJK Unified Ideographs

昍 →
[U+660D]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

昌 (Kangxi radical 72, 日+4, 8 strokes, cangjie input 日日 (AA), four-corner 6060₀, composition ⿱日曰)

Derived characters

倡, 唱, 猖, 淐, 娼, 琩, 椙, 晿, 焻, 錩, 誯, 𰎅, 𣣘, 焻, 𤏒, 菖, 䅛, 𬕑, 𬗡, 𪣧, 𪉨(𬸶), 𥓥, 裮, 𢃑, 𥚕, 閶(阊), 䮖, 猖, 䗉, 鯧(鲳), 𪂇, 𥫅

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 491, character 10
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13803
Dae Jaweon: page 852, character 16
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1490, character 3
Unihan data for U+660C

Chinese

simp. and trad.		昌
alternative forms		𣅊

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 昌
Shang	Spring and Autumn	Warring States		Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)		Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Shizhoupian script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
昌	*tʰjaŋ
倡	tʰjaŋ, tʰjaŋs
猖	*tʰjaŋ
菖	*tʰjaŋ
閶	*tʰjaŋ
鯧	*tʰjaŋ
裮	*tʰjaŋ
琩	*tʰjaŋ
唱	*tʰjaŋs

Ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): semantic 日 (“sun”) + semantic 口 (“mouth”). The mouth is a reference to being awaken at dawn through shouts or songs. During the Warring States Period, 口 developed into 曰.

Etymology 1

昌 (OC khlaŋ ~ thaŋ) is possibly related to 陽 (OC *laŋ), in which case it'd go back to *khlaŋ, supported by Proto-Vietic *hlaŋᴮ; note the phonetic parallelism with 唱 (OC k-hlaŋh) (Schuessler, 2007).

See 陽／阳 (yáng) for further etymology.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): chāng (chang¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄔㄤ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): cang¹

(Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): chàng
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): coeng¹

(Dongguan, Jyutping++): coeng¹

(Taishan, Wiktionary): ciang¹
Gan (Wiktionary): cong¹
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): chhông

(Hailu, HRS): chong^ˋ / cong^ˋ

(Meixian, Guangdong): cong¹
Jin (Wiktionary): con¹
Northern Min (KCR): chióng
Eastern Min (BUC): chiŏng
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): cyorng¹ / cyoeng¹
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): chhiong / chhiang

(Teochew, Peng'im): ciang¹

(Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): qiang¹
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tshaon
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): chan¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: chāng
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄤ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: chang
  - Wade–Giles: chʻang¹
  - Yale: chāng
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chang
  - Palladius: чан (čan)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: cang¹
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: cang
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaŋ⁵⁵/
- (Xi'an)
  - Guanzhong Pinyin: chàng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰaŋ⁵³/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: coeng¹
  - Yale: chēung
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsoeng¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: cêng¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵/
- (Dongguan, Guancheng)
  - Jyutping++: coeng¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰøŋ²¹³/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: ciang¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰiaŋ³³/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: cong¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɔŋ⁴²/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhông
  - Hakka Romanization System: cong^ˊ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: cong¹
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰoŋ²⁴/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: chong^ˋ / cong^ˋ
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡ʃʰoŋ⁵³/, /t͡sʰoŋ⁵³/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: cong¹
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰɔŋ⁴⁴/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: con¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sʰɒ̃¹¹/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: chióng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰiɔŋ⁵⁴/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: chiŏng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰuoŋ⁵⁵/
Puxian Min
- (Putian)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: cyorng¹
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: chio̤ng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰyɒŋ⁵³³/
- (Xianyou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: cyoeng¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰyøŋ⁵⁴⁴/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiong
  - Tâi-lô: tshiong
  - Phofsit Daibuun: chiofng
  - IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰiɔŋ⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰiɔŋ³³/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiang
  - Tâi-lô: tshiang
  - Phofsit Daibuun: chiafng
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰiaŋ⁴⁴/

Note: chhiong/chhiang - literary.

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: ciang¹
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tshiang
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰiaŋ³³/
- (Leizhou)
  - Leizhou Pinyin: qiang¹
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰiaŋ³⁵/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ¹tshaon
  - MiniDict: tshaon^平
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tshaan
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰɑ̃⁵³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: chan¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ʈ͡ʂʰan³³/
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /t͡sʰan³³/

Middle Chinese: tsyhang

Rime
Character	昌
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	昌 (24)
Final (韻)	陽 (105)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	尺良切
Baxter	tsyhang
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡ɕʰɨɐŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/t͡ɕʰiɐŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡ɕʰiɑŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/cʰɨaŋ/
Li Rong	/t͡ɕʰiaŋ/
Wang Li	/t͡ɕʰĭaŋ/
Bernhard Karlgren	/t͡ɕʰi̯aŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chāng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	coeng¹

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*tʰjaŋ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	昌
Reading #	1/1
No.	1249
Phonetic component
Rime group	陽
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime
Old Chinese	/*tʰjaŋ/

Definitions

昌

(literary, or in compounds) prosperous; flourishing
(～州) (historical) Chang Prefecture
a surname
(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) sunlight
(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) good; proper; right
(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) beautiful; lovely

Synonyms

(prosperous):

edit

全盛 (quánshèng)
卬卬 (áng'áng) (literary)
富強 / 富强 (fùqiáng)
富昌 (fùchāng) (literary)
富盛 (fùshèng) (literary)
強盛 / 强盛 (qiángshèng)
昌明 (chāngmíng) (literary, of a government, culture, etc.)
昌盛 (chāngshèng)
旺盛 (wàngshèng)
昌隆 (chānglóng)
景氣 / 景气 (jǐngqì)
暢旺 / 畅旺 (chàngwàng)
條暢 / 条畅 (tiáochàng) (literary)
火爆 (huǒbào)
紅火 / 红火 (hónghuo) (mainland China)
繁榮 / 繁荣 (fánróng)
繁盛 (fánshèng)
繁華 / 繁华 (fánhuá)
繽紛 / 缤纷 (bīnfēn) (literary)
興旺 / 兴旺 (xīngwàng)
興盛 / 兴盛 (xīngshèng)
興隆 / 兴隆 (xīnglóng)
茂盛 (màoshèng)
蓬勃 (péngbó)
蕃昌 (fánchāng) (literary)
軫軫 / 轸轸 (zhěnzhěn) (literary)
隆昌 (lóngchāng) (literary)
隆盛 (lóngshèng)
鼎盛 (dǐngshèng)

Antonyms

(antonym(s) of “prosperous”):

edit

不景 (bùjǐng) (Hong Kong)
不景氣 / 不景气 (bùjǐngqì)
低迷 (dīmí)
冷淡 (lěngdàn)
慘淡 / 惨淡 (cǎndàn)
清淡 (qīngdàn)
蕭條 / 萧条 (xiāotiáo)

Compounds

不昌
五世其昌
光昌
南昌 (Nánchāng)
國運昌隆 / 国运昌隆
大昌 (Dàchāng)
太昌
孝昌 (Xiàochāng)
宜昌 (Yíchāng)
寖明寖昌
屯昌 (Túnchāng)
平昌 (Píngchāng)
幽昌 (yōuchāng)
文昌 (Wénchāng)
文昌星
文昌魚 / 文昌鱼 (wénchāngyú)
昌光
昌化石 (chānghuàshí)
昌大
昌容
昌平 (Chāngpíng)
昌意
昌明 (chāngmíng)
昌江 (Chāngjiāng)
昌盍
昌盛 (chāngshèng)
昌言 (chāngyán)
昌辭 / 昌辞
昌達 / 昌达 (Chāngdá)
昌隆 (chānglóng)
昌黎 (Chānglí)
晉昌 / 晋昌 (Jìnchāng)
東昌 / 东昌 (Dōngchāng)
東昌紙 / 东昌纸
梁昌
樂昌破鏡 / 乐昌破镜
武昌 (Wǔchāng)
武昌剩竹
武昌起義 / 武昌起义 (Wǔchāng Qǐyì)
永昌 (yǒngchāng)
泰昌 (Tàichāng)
繁昌 (fánchāng)
繁榮昌盛 / 繁荣昌盛
蕃昌 (fánchāng)
西昌 (Xīchāng)
許昌 / 许昌 (Xǔchāng, “Xuchang”)
金昌 (Jīnchāng)
阿昌族 (Āchāngzú)
隆昌 (lóngchāng)
順我者昌，逆我者亡 / 顺我者昌，逆我者亡 (shùn wǒ zhě chāng, nì wǒ zhě wáng)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chhiuⁿ / chhioⁿ

Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiuⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: tshiunn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: chviw
  - IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰiũ⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰiũ³³/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhioⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: tshionn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: chvioy
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰiɔ̃⁴⁴/

Note: chhiuⁿ/chhioⁿ - vernacular.

Definitions

昌

(Southern Min, in compounds) facial expression

Compounds

張昌 / 张昌
面昌

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): chàng (chang⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄔㄤˋ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: chàng
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄤˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: chàng
  - Wade–Giles: chʻang⁴
  - Yale: chàng
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chanq
  - Palladius: чан (čan)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰɑŋ⁵¹/

Definitions

昌

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 倡 (“to initiate; to propose”)
(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 唱 (chàng, “to chant; to recite”)

Compounds

昌導 / 昌导 (chàngdǎo)
昌言 (chàngyán)
昌誦 / 昌诵 (chàngsòng)

References

“昌”, 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–
莆田市荔城区档案馆 [Putian City Licheng District Archives], editor (2022), “昌”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 [Puxian Dialect Literary Reading Dictionary] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 26.

Japanese

Kanji

昌

(Jinmeiyō kanji)

Readings

Go-on: しょう (shō)^{←しやう (syau, historical)}
Kan-on: しょう (shō)^{←しやう (syau, historical)}
Kun: さかん (sakan, 昌ん)
Nanori: まさ (masa)、あき (aki)、よし (yoshi)、まさし (masashi)、あきら (akira)、さかえ (sakae)、あつ (atsu)、すけ (suke)

Compounds

昌(しょう)運(うん) (shōun)
昌(しょう)盛(せい) (shōsei)
盛(せい)昌(しょう) (seishō)
隆(りゅう)昌(しょう) (ryūshō)
繁(はん)昌(じょう) (hanjō)
昌(しょう)言(げん) (shōgen)

Korean

Hanja

昌 (eumhun 창성할 창 (changseonghal chang))

prosperity, flourishing, thriving

Vietnamese

Han character

昌: Hán Nôm readings: xương

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