偶

See also: 耦

偶 U+5076, 偶 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5076 ← 偵 [U+5075] CJK Unified Ideographs 偷 → [U+5077]

Translingual

Han character

偶 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+9, 11 strokes, cangjie input 人田中月 (OWLB), four-corner 2622₇, composition ⿰亻禺)

Derived characters

• 𠽀, 𢠉, 𣼱, 𦸲, 𢠙

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 112, character 1
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 899
• Dae Jaweon: page 238, character 9
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 190, character 3
• Unihan data for U+5076

Chinese

trad.		偶
simp. #		偶
alternative forms		禺 耦

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 偶
Small seal script s05899
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

	Old Chinese
齵	*ŋoː, *ŋo
偶	*ŋoːʔ, *ŋoːs
耦	*ŋoːʔ
藕	*ŋoːʔ
髃	*ŋoːʔ, *ŋo
蕅	*ŋoːʔ
愚	*ŋo
隅	*ŋo
禺	*ŋo, *ŋos
湡	*ŋo
堣	*ŋo
嵎	*ŋo
鰅	*ŋo, *ŋoŋ
鍝	*ŋo
遇	*ŋos
寓	*ŋos
庽	*ŋos
媀	*ŋos
喁	*ŋoŋ
顒	*ŋoŋ

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

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *ŋoːʔ, *ŋoːs) : semantic 亻 (“person”) + phonetic 禺 (OC *ŋo, *ŋos) – a statue of a person, an idol.

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Rime
Character	偶
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	疑 (31)
Final (韻)	侯 (137)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	五口切
Baxter	nguwX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ŋəuX/
Pan Wuyun	/ŋəuX/
Shao Rongfen	/ŋəuX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ŋəwX/
Li Rong	/ŋuX/
Wang Li	/ŋəuX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ŋə̯uX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	ǒu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ngau5

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	偶
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	ǒu
Middle Chinese	‹ nguwX ›
Old Chinese	/*ŋˁ(r)oʔ/
English	pair, double
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	偶
Reading #	1/2
No.	15913
Phonetic component	禺
Rime group	侯
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	藕
Old Chinese	/*ŋoːʔ/

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): ǒu (ou³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄡˇ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ngou³

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ngau⁵
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): ngiéu
• Eastern Min (BUC): ngēu
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): gió / ngó͘

  (Teochew, Peng'im): ngou²

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶ngeu

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ǒu
    • Zhuyin: ㄡˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ǒu
    • Wade–Giles: ou³
    • Yale: ǒu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: oou
    • Palladius: оу (ou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀoʊ̯²¹⁴/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: ngou³
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: ngou
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋəu⁵³/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ngau⁵
    • Yale: ngáuh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ngau⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: ngeo⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋɐu̯¹³/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngiéu
    • Hakka Romanization System: ngieu^ˋ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: ngieu³
    • Sinological IPA: /ŋi̯eu̯³¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: ngēu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋɛu³³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gió
    • Tâi-lô: gió
    • Phofsit Daibuun: gioir
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /ɡio⁵⁵⁴/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese, Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ngó͘
    • Tâi-lô: ngóo
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ngor
    • IPA (Taipei, Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /ŋɔ̃⁵³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ŋɔ̃⁴¹/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: ngou²
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ngóu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋou⁵²/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶ngeu
    • MiniDict: ngeu^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³ngeu
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ŋɤ²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: nguwX

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*ŋˤ(r)oʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ŋoːʔ/

Definitions

偶

1. idol

   偶像  ―  ǒuxiàng  ―  idol

   穿8號球衣的那個運動員是我的偶像！ [MSC, trad.]
   穿8号球衣的那个运动员是我的偶像！ [MSC, simp.]

   Chuān bā hào qiúyī de nà ge yùndòngyuán shì wǒ de ǒuxiàng! [Pinyin]

   The athlete wearing no. 8 is my idol!

2. couple; pair
3. even (number)

   偶數／偶数  ―  ǒushù  ―  even number

4. (slang, cute-sounding) Pronunciation spelling of 我.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Rime
Character	偶
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	疑 (31)
Final (韻)	侯 (137)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	五遘切
Baxter	nguwH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ŋəuH/
Pan Wuyun	/ŋəuH/
Shao Rongfen	/ŋəuH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ŋəwH/
Li Rong	/ŋuH/
Wang Li	/ŋəuH/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ŋə̯uH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	òu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ngau6

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	偶
Reading #	2/2
No.	15918
Phonetic component	禺
Rime group	侯
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	偶
Old Chinese	/*ŋoːs/

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ǒu (ou³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄡˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ngau⁵

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ǒu
    • Zhuyin: ㄡˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ǒu
    • Wade–Giles: ou³
    • Yale: ǒu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: oou
    • Palladius: оу (ou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ˀoʊ̯²¹⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ngau⁵
    • Yale: ngáuh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ngau⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: ngeo⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋɐu̯¹³/

---

• Middle Chinese: nguwH

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*ŋoːs/

Definitions

偶

1. accidentally, coincidentally, by accident, by chance, occasionally

   偶爾／偶尔  ―  ǒu'ěr  ―  occasionally

   偶然  ―  ǒurán  ―  occasionally, accidentally

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): ngauh / nga̍uh

---

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ngauh
    • Tâi-lô: ngauh
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ngauq
    • IPA (Xiamen): /ŋãuʔ³²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ŋãuʔ⁵/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: nga̍uh
    • Tâi-lô: nga̍uh
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ngauh
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ŋãuʔ¹²¹/

Definitions

偶

1. (Xiamen and Quanzhou Hokkien) to stand side by side
2. (Xiamen and Zhangzhou Hokkien) Classifier for pairs of horseshoe crabs.

   一偶鱟／一偶鲎 [Hokkien]  ―  chi̍t ngauh hāu [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  a pair of horseshoe crabs

Compounds

• 不偶
• 不偶世
• 仇偶
• 佳偶 (jiā'ǒu)
• 佳偶天成
• 偶一為之 / 偶一为之
• 偶人 (ǒurén)
• 偶作
• 偶像 (ǒuxiàng)
• 偶函數 / 偶函数 (ǒuhánshù)
• 偶句對 / 偶句对
• 偶合 (ǒuhé)
• 偶巴 (ǒubā)
• 偶影
• 偶得
• 偶性
• 偶感
• 偶成
• 偶或 (ǒuhuò)
• 偶戲 / 偶戏
• 偶戲人 / 偶戏人
• 偶拾
• 偶數 / 偶数 (ǒushù)
• 偶方
• 偶族
• 偶書 / 偶书
• 偶然 (ǒurán)
• 偶然性 (ǒuránxìng)
• 偶然論 / 偶然论
• 偶爾 / 偶尔 (ǒu'ěr)
• 偶發 / 偶发 (ǒufā)
• 偶視 / 偶视
• 偶而 (ǒu'ér)
• 偶語 / 偶语
• 偶蹄目
• 偶鰭 / 偶鳍
• 分隸偶存 / 分隶偶存
• 力偶 (lì'ǒu)
• 匹偶 (pǐ'ǒu)
• 喪偶 / 丧偶 (sàng'ǒu)
• 嘉偶天成
• 土偶 (tǔ'ǒu)
• 土偶桃梗
• 土木偶人
• 大玩偶
• 奇偶
• 奇偶性 (jī'ǒuxìng)
• 對偶 / 对偶 (duì'ǒu)
• 布偶 (bù'ǒu)
• 怨偶
• 排偶
• 提偶
• 提線木偶 / 提线木偶 (tíxiàn mù'ǒu)
• 擇偶 / 择偶 (zé'ǒu)
• 木偶 (mù'ǒu)
• 木偶人
• 木偶影片
• 木偶戲 / 木偶戏 (mù'ǒuxì)
• 未偶
• 杖頭木偶 / 杖头木偶
• 求偶 (qiú'ǒu)
• 流落不偶
• 無獨有偶 / 无独有偶 (wúdú-yǒu'ǒu)
• 熱電偶 / 热电偶
• 玩偶 (wán'ǒu)
• 百年佳偶
• 相人偶
• 配偶 (pèi'ǒu)
• 配偶家族
• 鐵線木偶 / 铁线木偶
• 陶偶
• 鬱堙不偶 / 郁堙不偶
• 齊大非偶 / 齐大非偶 (qídàfēi'ǒu)

Japanese

Kanji

See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 偶

偶

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: ぐ (gu)
• Kan-on: ごう (gō)
• Kan’yō-on: ぐう (gū, Jōyō)
• Kun: たぐい (tagui, 偶)、たまたま (tamatama, 偶)

Compounds

• 偶然
• 配偶者(はいぐうしゃ) (haigūsha, “spouse”)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
偶
たま Grade: S
kun'yomi

Alternative forms

• 適

Adjective

偶(たま) • (tama) -na (adnominal 偶(たま)な (tama na), adverbial 偶(たま)に (tama ni))

1. occasional

Inflection

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	偶だろ	たまだろ	tama daro
Continuative (連用形)	偶で	たまで	tama de
Terminal (終止形)	偶だ	たまだ	tama da
Attributive (連体形)	偶な	たまな	tama na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	偶なら	たまなら	tama nara
Imperative (命令形)	偶であれ	たまであれ	tama de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	偶ではない 偶じゃない	たまではない たまじゃない	tama de wa nai tama ja nai
Informal past	偶だった	たまだった	tama datta
Informal negative past	偶ではなかった 偶じゃなかった	たまではなかった たまじゃなかった	tama de wa nakatta tama ja nakatta
Formal	偶です	たまです	tama desu
Formal negative	偶ではありません 偶じゃありません	たまではありません たまじゃありません	tama de wa arimasen tama ja arimasen
Formal past	偶でした	たまでした	tama deshita
Formal negative past	偶ではありませんでした 偶じゃありませんでした	たまではありませんでした たまじゃありませんでした	tama de wa arimasen deshita tama ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	偶で	たまで	tama de
Conditional	偶なら（ば）	たまなら（ば）	tama nara (ba)
Provisional	偶だったら	たまだったら	tama dattara
Volitional	偶だろう	たまだろう	tama darō
Adverbial	偶に	たまに	tama ni
Degree	偶さ	たまさ	tamasa

Inflection of 偶

Noun

偶(たま) • (tama) 

1. rarity

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
偶
たまたま Grade: S
kun'yomi

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

【たまたま】 [adverb] unexpectedly, by chance; luckily Alternative spellings 偶々, 偶偶, 適, 適ま

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

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
偶
ぐう Grade: S
on'yomi

Derived from Middle Chinese 偶 (MC nguwX|nguwH).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡɯ̟ː]

Noun

偶(ぐう) • (gū) 

1. (mathematics) even

   Synonyms: 偶数 (gūsū), 丁 (chō)

   数(すう)字(じ)には奇(き)も偶(ぐう)もある。

   Sūji ni wa ki mo gū mo aru.

   Numerals may be odd or even.

Coordinate terms

• 奇(き) (ki)

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 偶 (MC nguwX, “idol; pair”).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean ᅌᅮᇢ〯 (Yale: ngwǔw) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
• Recorded as Middle Korean 우 (wu)^訓 (Yale: wu) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [u(ː)]
• Phonetic hangul: [우(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

偶

Wikisource 偶 (eumhun 짝 우 (jjak u))

1. hanja form^? of 우 (“idol; pair”)
2. hanja form^? of 우 (“even (number)”)

Compounds

• 대우 (對偶, dae'u)
• 목우 (木偶, mogu)
• 배우자 (配偶者, bae'uja)
• 양우 (良偶, yang'u)
• 우대 (偶對, udae)
• 우상 (偶像, usang)
• 우수 (偶數, usu)
• 우열 (偶列, uyeol)
• 우인 (偶人, u'in)
• 우일 (偶日, u'il)
• 택우 (擇偶, taegu)
• 토우 (土偶, tou)

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 偶 (MC nguwH, “by chance”).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean ᅌᅮᇢ〮 (Yale: ngwúw) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

Pronunciation

• (in 우연 (偶然, uyeon, “coincidence”)):
  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [u]
  • Phonetic hangul: [우]
• (by chance; accidentally; etc.):
  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [u(ː)]
  • Phonetic hangul: [우(ː)]
    • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

偶 (eumhun 마침 우 (machim u))

1. hanja form^? of 우 (“by chance; accidentally; coincidentally”)

Compounds

• 우감 (偶感, ugam)
• 우발 (偶發, ubal)
• 우성 (偶性, useong)
• 우연 (偶然, uyeon)
• 우이 (偶爾, u'i)
• 우합 (偶合, uhap)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

偶: Hán Nôm readings: ngẫu, ngẩu, ngậu

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