覆

See also: 复 and 復

覆 U+8986, 覆 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8986 ← 覅 [U+8985] CJK Unified Ideographs 覇 → [U+8987]

覆 U+FAB7, 覆 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-FAB7 ← 襁 [U+FAB6] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 視 → [U+FAB8]

Translingual

Han character

覆 (Kangxi radical 146, 襾+12, 18 strokes, cangjie input 一田竹人水 (MWHOE), four-corner 1024₇, composition ⿱覀復)

Derived characters

• 𢺁, 𭳱, 𧕡, 𧠅, 𧄏, 𥷱, 𡳷

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1129, character 9
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 34789
• Dae Jaweon: page 1598, character 17
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2808, character 9
• Unihan data for U+8986

• Unihan data for U+FAB7

Chinese

trad.		覆
simp.		覆/复*
2nd round simp.		覄
alternative forms		覄 㠅
覆 is simplified to 复 only in meanings of "to return/reply". In other meanings, 覆 keeps the same form.

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 覆
Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Qin slip script	Small seal script

	Old Chinese
愎	*brɯɡ
鍑	*puɡs, *puɡ
覆	*pʰuɡs, *buɡs, *pʰɯːɡ, *pʰuɡ
復	*buɡs, *buɡ
椱	*buɡs, *buɡ
複	*buɡs, *puɡ
馥	*brɯɡ, *buɡ
腹	*puɡ
輹	*puɡ, *buɡ
蝮	*pʰuɡ
蕧	*pʰuɡ, *buɡ
复	*buɡ
鰒	*buɡ
澓	*buɡ

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

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *pʰuɡs, *buɡs, *pʰɯːɡ, *pʰuɡ): semantic 襾 + phonetic 復 (OC *buɡs, *buɡ).

Pronunciation

Rime
Character	覆	覆	覆	覆
Reading #	1/4	2/4	3/4	4/4
Initial (聲)	滂 (2)	並 (3)	滂 (2)	滂 (2)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)	尤 (136)	屋 (4)	德 (131)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)	Departing (H)	Checked (Ø)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open	Open	Open
Division (等)	III	III	III	I
Fanqie	敷救切	扶富切	芳福切	匹北切
Baxter	phjuwH	bjuwH	phjuwk	phok
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/pʰɨuH/	/bɨuH/	/pʰɨuk̚/	/pʰək̚/
Pan Wuyun	/pʰiuH/	/biuH/	/pʰiuk̚/	/pʰək̚/
Shao Rongfen	/pʰiəuH/	/biəuH/	/pʰiuk̚/	/pʰək̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/pʰuwH/	/buwH/	/pʰuwk̚/	/pʰək̚/
Li Rong	/pʰiuH/	/biuH/	/pʰiuk̚/	/pʰək̚/
Wang Li	/pʰĭəuH/	/bĭəuH/	/pʰĭuk̚/	/pʰək̚/
Bernhard Karlgren	/pʰi̯ə̯uH/	/bʱi̯ə̯uH/	/pʰi̯uk̚/	/pʰək̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	fòu	fòu	fu	po
Expected Cantonese Reflex	fau3	fau6	fuk1	pak1

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	覆	覆
Reading #	1/2	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	fù	fù
Middle Chinese	‹ phjuwH ›	‹ phjuwk ›
Old Chinese	/*pʰ(r)uk-s/	/*pʰ(r)uk/
English	cover	turn over
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	覆	覆	覆	覆
Reading #	1/4	2/4	3/4	4/4
No.	3536	3540	3541	3548
Phonetic component	复	复	复	复
Rime group	奧	奧	職	覺
Rime subdivision	1	1	0	1
Corresponding MC rime	副	復	覆	蝮
Old Chinese	/*pʰuɡs/	/*buɡs/	/*pʰɯːɡ/	/*pʰuɡ/

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): fù (fu⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄈㄨˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): fuk¹ / fau⁶ / puk¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): fuk / phuk
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): phak / hok

  (Teochew, Peng'im): hog⁸

• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): fu⁶ / pu⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: fù
    • Zhuyin: ㄈㄨˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: fù
    • Wade–Giles: fu⁴
    • Yale: fù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: fuh
    • Palladius: фу (fu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /fu⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: fuk¹ / fau⁶ / puk¹
    • Yale: fūk / fauh / pūk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: fuk⁷ / fau⁶ / puk⁷
    • Guangdong Romanization: fug¹ / feo⁶ / pug¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /fʊk̚⁵/, /fɐu̯²²/, /pʰʊk̚⁵/

Note: fau6 - variant in 覆蓋／覆盖.

• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: fuk / phuk
    • Hakka Romanization System: fug^ˋ / pug^ˋ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: fug⁵ / pug⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /fuk̚²/, /pʰuk̚²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phak / hok
    • Tâi-lô: phak / hok
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phag, hog
    • IPA (Xiamen): /pʰak̚³²/, /hɔk̚³²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /pʰak̚⁵/, /hɔk̚⁵/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /pʰak̚³²/, /hɔk̚³²/
    • IPA (Taipei): /pʰak̚³²/, /hɔk̚³²/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /pʰak̚³²/, /hɔk̚³²/

Note:

• phak - vernacular (“to flip; to lie on one's stomach; to press close to”);
• hok - literary.

• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: hog⁸
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ho̍k
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hok̚⁴/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: fu⁶ / pu⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɸu²⁴/, /pʰu²⁴/
Note:
• fu6 - literary;
• pu6 - vernacular.

---

• Middle Chinese: phjuwH, bjuwH, phjuwk, phok

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*pʰ(r)uk-s/, /*pʰ(r)uk/

  (Zhengzhang): /*pʰuɡs/, /*buɡs/, /*pʰɯːɡ/, /*pʰuɡ/

Definitions

覆

1. to cover

   • 夫天無不覆，地無不載。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     夫天无不覆，地无不载。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Fú tiān wú bù fù, dì wú bù zǎi. [Pinyin]

     There is nothing which Heaven does not cover, and nothing which Earth does not sustain.

2. to tip over; to overturn; to flip over

   鼎覆過來。 [Hokkien, trad.]
   鼎覆过来。 [Hokkien, simp.]

   Tiáⁿ phak kè-lâi. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

   The wok flipped over.

   • 君者，舟也。庶人者，水也。水則載舟，水則覆舟。故君人者，欲安，則莫若平政愛民矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     君者，舟也。庶人者，水也。水则载舟，水则覆舟。故君人者，欲安，则莫若平政爱民矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Jūn zhě, zhōu yě. Shùrén zhě, shuǐ yě. Shuǐ zé zǎi zhōu, shuǐ zé fù zhōu. Gù jūn rén zhě, yù ān, zé mò ruò píngzhèng àimín yǐ. [Pinyin]

     The ruler is the boat; the common people are the water. The water carries the boat; the water overturns the boat. Thus, should the ruler wish for stability, there is nothing better than to govern with equity and to care for the people.

   • 車既覆而馬顛兮，蹇獨懷此異路。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     车既覆而马颠兮，蹇独怀此异路。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Chē jì fù ér mǎ diān xī, jiǎn dú huái cǐ yì lù. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

3. (obsolete) to pour out
4. to return (simplifies to 复)
5. to reply (simplifies to 复)

   你覆咗佢封email未？ [Cantonese, trad. and simp.]

   nei⁵ fuk¹ zo² keoi⁵ fung¹ ji¹ meu¹ mei⁶? [Jyutping]

   Have you replied to his email yet?

6. to destroy; to overturn; to perish

   覆滅／覆灭  ―  fùmiè  ―  to perish

   • 子曰：「惡紫之奪朱也，惡鄭聲之亂雅樂也，惡利口之覆邦家者。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子曰：「恶紫之夺朱也，恶郑声之乱雅乐也，恶利口之覆邦家者。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zǐyuē: “Wù zǐ zhī duó zhū yě, wù Zhèng shēng zhī luàn yǎyuè yě, wù lìkǒu zhī fù bāngjiā zhě.” [Pinyin]

     The Master said, "I hate the manner in which purple takes away the luster of vermilion. I hate the way in which the songs of Zheng confound the music of the Ya. I hate those who with their sharp mouths overthrow kingdoms and families."

7. again

   alt. forms: 複 / 复 (fù)

8. (Hokkien) to lie on one's stomach; to rest one's body on a surface
9. (Mainland China Hokkien) to press close to; to nestle up against

Usage notes

覆 was always simplified to 复 in 1964-1986, but now it still simplifies to 复 only in the meaning of "to return/reply". So words like 答覆, 反覆 and 回覆 still simplify to 答复, 反复 and 回复 in Simplified Chinese respectively. But in other meanings, 覆 no longer simplifies to 复, e.g. 翻覆, 覆蓋, 顛覆, 傾覆, 覆轍.

Synonyms

• (to lie on one's stomach): 趴 (pā)
• (to press close to):

edit

• 就 (jiù) (literary, or in compounds)
• 接近 (jiējìn)
• 搭近 (Hokkien)
• 攝 / 摄 (literary, or in compounds)
• 湊近 / 凑近 (còujìn)
• 貼近 / 贴近 (tiējìn)
• 迫臨 / 迫临 (pòlín)
• 迫近 (pòjìn)
• 逼倚 (Hokkien)
• 逼近 (bījìn)

Compounds

• 上覆 (shàngfù)
• 以功覆過 / 以功覆过
• 侔德覆載 / 侔德覆载
• 傾覆 / 倾覆 (qīngfù)
• 傾覆重器 / 倾覆重器
• 全軍覆沒 / 全军覆没 (quánjūnfùmò)
• 全軍覆滅 / 全军覆灭 (quánjūnfùmò)
• 反反覆覆 / 反反复复 (fǎnfǎnfùfù)
• 反覆不一 / 反复不一
• 反覆不定 / 反复不定
• 反覆 / 反复 (fǎnfù)
• 反覆思維 / 反复思维
• 反覆無常 / 反复无常 (fǎnfùwúcháng)
• 名覆金甌 / 名覆金瓯
• 回覆 / 回复 (huífù)
• 地覆天翻 (dìfùtiānfān)
• 天翻地覆 (tiānfāndìfù)
• 天覆
• 天覆地載 / 天覆地载
• 射覆
• 布覆
• 循環反覆 / 循环反复
• 批覆 (pīfù)
• 折足覆餗 / 折足覆𫗧
• 折鼎覆餗 / 折鼎覆𫗧
• 拜覆
• 文錦覆阱 / 文锦覆阱
• 核覆
• 水可載舟，亦可覆舟 / 水可载舟，亦可覆舟 (shuǐ kě zài zhōu, yì kě fù zhōu)
• 水能載舟，亦則覆舟 / 水能载舟，亦则覆舟
• 水能載舟，亦能覆舟 / 水能载舟，亦能覆舟 (shuǐ néng zài zhōu, yì néng fù zhōu)
• 水覆難收 / 水覆难收
• 泐覆
• 洪覆
• 玄黃翻覆 / 玄黄翻覆
• 生棟覆屋 / 生栋覆屋
• 申覆
• 番來覆去 / 番来覆去
• 番天覆地
• 發覆 / 发覆
• 示覆
• 禽困覆車 / 禽困覆车
• 稟覆 / 禀覆 (bǐngfù)
• 答覆 / 答复 (dáfù)
• 翻來覆去 / 翻来覆去 (fānláifùqù)
• 翻天覆地 (fāntiānfùdì)
• 翻覆 (fānfù)
• 翻覆無常 / 翻覆无常
• 翻雲覆雨 / 翻云覆雨 (fānyúnfùyǔ)
• 蓋覆 / 盖覆
• 蒼黃翻覆 / 苍黄翻覆
• 蕩覆 / 荡覆 (dàngfù)
• 藕覆
• 被覆 (bèifù)
• 覆亡 (fùwáng)
• 覆信 (fùxìn)
• 覆冒
• 覆去翻來 / 覆去翻来
• 覆呈
• 覆命 (fùmìng)
• 覆地翻天
• 覆墓
• 覆姓 (fùxìng)
• 覆宗
• 覆宗滅祀 / 覆宗灭祀
• 覆宗絕嗣 / 覆宗绝嗣
• 覆宗絕祀 / 覆宗绝祀
• 覆審 / 覆审 (fùshěn)
• 覆巢之下無完卵 / 覆巢之下无完卵 (fùcháozhīxiàwúwánluǎn)
• 覆巢傾卵 / 覆巢倾卵
• 覆巢毀卵 / 覆巢毁卵
• 覆巢破卵
• 覆帳 / 覆帐
• 覆幬 / 覆帱
• 覆庇之恩
• 覆手 (fùshǒu)
• 覆按
• 覆敗 / 覆败
• 覆杯
• 覆校
• 覆核 (fùhé)
• 覆水難收 / 覆水难收 (fùshuǐnánshōu)
• 覆沒 / 覆没 (fùmò)
• 覆海移山
• 覆滅 / 覆灭 (fùmiè)
• 覆瓿
• 覆甕 / 覆瓮
• 覆盂
• 覆盂之固
• 覆盂之安
• 覆盆
• 覆盆之冤
• 覆盆難照 / 覆盆难照
• 覆盤 / 覆盘
• 覆盤難照 / 覆盘难照
• 覆育
• 覆舟載舟 / 覆舟载舟
• 覆蓋 / 覆盖 (fùgài)
• 覆蔽
• 覆蕉尋鹿 / 覆蕉寻鹿
• 覆被
• 覆診 / 覆诊 (fùzhěn)
• 覆試 / 覆试
• 覆議 / 覆议
• 覆車 / 覆车
• 覆車之戒 / 覆车之戒
• 覆車之軌 / 覆车之轨
• 覆車之轍 / 覆车之辙
• 覆車之鑒 / 覆车之鉴
• 覆車當戒 / 覆车当戒
• 覆車繼軌 / 覆车继轨
• 覆軍 / 覆军
• 覆軍殺將 / 覆军杀将
• 覆載 / 覆载
• 覆轍 / 覆辙 (fùzhé)
• 覆轍重蹈 / 覆辙重蹈
• 覆逆
• 覆醢
• 覆醬瓿 / 覆酱瓿
• 覆雨翻雲 / 覆雨翻云
• 覆露
• 覆餗 / 覆𫗧
• 覆餗之患 / 覆𫗧之患
• 覆餗之憂 / 覆𫗧之忧
• 覆餗之釁 / 覆𫗧之衅
• 覆鹿尋蕉 / 覆鹿寻蕉
• 覆鹿遺蕉 / 覆鹿遗蕉
• 覆鼎
• 貂覆額 / 貂覆额
• 買臣覆水 / 买臣覆水
• 載舟覆舟 / 载舟覆舟
• 重蹈覆轍 / 重蹈覆辙 (chóngdǎofùzhé)
• 鈞覆 / 钧覆
• 雖覆能復 / 虽覆能复
• 雲翻雨覆 / 云翻雨覆
• 電覆 / 电覆 (diànfù)
• 露覆
• 頗覆 / 颇覆
• 顛覆 / 颠覆 (diānfù)

References

• “覆”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–