誰

See also: 谁

誰 U+8AB0, 誰 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8AB0 ← 誯 [U+8AAF] CJK Unified Ideographs 誱 → [U+8AB1]

Translingual

Stroke order (Japan)

Han character

誰 (Kangxi radical 149, 言+8, 15 strokes, cangjie input 卜口人土 (YROG), four-corner 0061₄, composition ⿰訁隹)

Derived characters

• 𩀕, 𩽀, 𧀣, 䜃, 𪇻

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1165, character 11
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 35686
• Dae Jaweon: page 1630, character 27
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 3987, character 10
• Unihan data for U+8AB0

Chinese

Glyph origin

	Old Chinese
蜼	*lus, *rulʔ, *luls
堆	*tuːl
嵟	*tuːl
碓	*tuːls
推	*tʰuːl, *tʰjul
蓷	*tʰuːl, *tʰjul
陮	*duːlʔ
魋	*duːl
嶊	*stuːlʔ
崔	*zluːl, *sʰluːl
猚	*ŋreːl, *rulʔ
椎	*dul
顀	*dul
隹	*tjul
錐	*tjul
萑	*kljul
騅	*tjul
鵻	*sɢʷinʔ, *tjul
誰	*djul
脽	*djul

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

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *djul) : semantic 言 (“speak”) + phonetic 隹 (OC *tjul).

Etymology 1

trad.		誰
simp.		谁

From *du + *-i (“suffix in independent pronouns”); cognate with 疇 (OC *du, “who”), 孰 (OC *djɯwɢ, “which one; who”) (Schuessler, 2007). In other Sino-Tibetan languages, compare Mizo tû (“who; which”), Chepang दोह् (“what”), Proto-Kuki-Chin *tuu (“who; which (relativizer)”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).

Pronunciation

Variety	Location	edit 誰
Mandarin	Beijing	/ʂei³⁵/ /ʂuei³⁵/
	Harbin	/ʂei²⁴/ /ʂuei²⁴/
	Tianjin	/sei⁴⁵/ /suei⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/ʂuei⁴²/ /ʂei⁴²/
	Qingdao	/ʂe⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/ʂuei⁴²/ /ʂei⁴²/
	Xi'an	/sei²⁴/
	Xining	/fɨ²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ʂuei⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/fei⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/sei⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/suei²¹³/
	Chengdu	/suei³¹/
	Guiyang	/suei²¹/
	Kunming	/suei³¹/
	Nanjing	/ʂuəi²⁴/
	Hefei	/ʂue⁵⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/sei¹¹/ /suei¹¹/
	Pingyao	/suei¹³/
	Hohhot	/suei³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/zø²³/
	Suzhou	/ze̞¹³/
	Hangzhou	/d͡zz̩ʷei²¹³/
	Wenzhou	/zz̩³¹/
Hui	Shexian	/ɕye⁴⁴/
	Tunxi
Xiang	Changsha	/ɕyei¹³/
	Xiangtan	/ɕyəi¹²/
Gan	Nanchang
Hakka	Meixian	/sui¹¹/
	Taoyuan
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/søy²¹/
	Nanning	/sui²¹/
	Hong Kong	/søy²¹/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/sui³⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/suoi⁵³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/sy³³/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/sui⁵⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/ʔdiaŋ³³/ 訓讀

Rime
Character	誰
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	常 (25)
Final (韻)	脂 (16)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	視隹切
Baxter	dzywij
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/d͡ʑiuɪ/
Pan Wuyun	/d͡ʑʷi/
Shao Rongfen	/d͡ʑjuɪ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/d͡ʑwi/
Li Rong	/ʑui/
Wang Li	/ʑwi/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʑwi/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	chuí
Expected Cantonese Reflex	seoi4

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	誰
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	shuí
Middle Chinese	‹ dzywij ›
Old Chinese	/*[d]uj/
English	who
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	誰
Reading #	1/1
No.	17725
Phonetic component	隹
Rime group	微
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	誰
Old Chinese	/*djul/

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): shéi, shuí (shei², shui²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄟˊ, ㄕㄨㄟˊ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): sui²

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): сый (sɨy, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): seoi⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): sui³

• Gan (Wiktionary): sui⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): sùi

  (Meixian, Guangdong): sui²

• Jin (Wiktionary): sei¹ / sui¹
• Northern Min (KCR): sṳ̌
• Eastern Min (BUC): sùi
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): sûi / chûi

  (Teochew, Peng'im): sui⁵

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶zoe
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): xyei²

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, vernacular)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shéi
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄟˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shéi
    • Wade–Giles: shei²
    • Yale: shéi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sheir
    • Palladius: шэй (šɛj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂeɪ̯³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, literary)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shuí
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄨㄟˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shuéi
    • Wade–Giles: shui²
    • Yale: shwéi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shwei
    • Palladius: шуй (šuj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂu̯eɪ̯³⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: sui²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: sui
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /suei²¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: сый (sɨy, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sei²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: seoi⁴
    • Yale: sèuih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soey⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêu⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵy̯²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: sui³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sui²²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: sui⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sui³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sùi
    • Hakka Romanization System: sui^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: sui²
    • Sinological IPA: /su̯i¹¹/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: sui²
    • Sinological IPA: /suɪ¹¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: sei¹ / sui¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /sei¹¹/, /suei¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: sṳ̌
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sy²¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: sùi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sui⁵³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sûi
    • Tâi-lô: suî
    • Phofsit Daibuun: suii
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /sui²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /sui¹³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /sui²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chûi
    • Tâi-lô: tsuî
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zuii
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sui²³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /t͡sui²⁴/

Note:

• sûi - literary;
• chûi - vernacular.

• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: sui⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sûi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sui⁵⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶zoe
    • MiniDict: zoe^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³zoe
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zø²³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: xyei²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕy̯e̞i̯¹³/

---

• Dialectal data

---

• Middle Chinese: dzywij

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[d]uj/

  (Zhengzhang): /*djul/

Definitions

誰

1. who; whom

   他是誰？／他是谁？  ―  Tā shì shéi?  ―  Who is he?

   我們的老師是誰？ [MSC, trad.]
   我们的老师是谁？ [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒmen de lǎoshī shì shéi? [Pinyin]

   Who is our teacher?

   誰來了？／谁来了？  ―  Shéi lái le?  ―  Who has come?

   我們遲到是誰的過失？ [MSC, trad.]
   我们迟到是谁的过失？ [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒmen chídào shì shéi de guòshī? [Pinyin]

   Whose fault is it that we are late?

   他們邀請誰了？／他们邀请谁了？  ―  Tāmen yāoqǐng shéi le?  ―  Whom did they invite?

2. someone; anyone

   誰能幫我解開安全帶？ [MSC, trad.]
   谁能帮我解开安全带？ [MSC, simp.]

   Shéi néng bāng wǒ jiěkāi ānquándài? [Pinyin]

   Can someone help me to undo my seat belt?

   有誰願意跟我一起去嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
   有谁愿意跟我一起去吗？ [MSC, simp.]

   Yǒu shéi yuànyì gēn wǒ yīqǐ qù ma? [Pinyin]

   Does anyone want to go with me?

3. anyone; whoever

   誰想學英文，我就教他。 [MSC, trad.]
   谁想学英文，我就教他。 [MSC, simp.]

   Shéi xiǎng xué yīngwén, wǒ jiù jiāo tā. [Pinyin]

   I'll teach English to whoever wants to learn it.

4. a surname

Compounds

• 乜誰 / 乜谁
• 兀誰 / 兀谁
• 捨我其誰 / 舍我其谁 (shěwǒqíshéi)
• 舍我其誰 / 舍我其谁 (shěwǒqíshéi)
• 舍我復誰 / 舍我复谁
• 莫敢誰何 / 莫敢谁何 (mògǎn-shuíhé)
• 誰人 / 谁人
• 誰何 / 谁何
• 誰們 / 谁们 (shéimen)
• 誰家 / 谁家 (shéijiā)
• 誰承望 / 谁承望
• 誰知 / 谁知
• 誰行 / 谁行
• 誰誰 / 谁谁
• 阿誰 / 阿谁
• 鹿死誰手 / 鹿死谁手

Etymology 2

trad.		誰
simp.		谁
alternative forms		倽 上 仩

Contraction of 啥人 (siáⁿ-lâng).

Pronunciation

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): siâng / sâng / siáng

---

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, General Taiwanese, Lukang, Yilan, Hsinchu, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siâng
    • Tâi-lô: siâng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: siaang
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Lukang, Yilan, Singapore): /siaŋ²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /siaŋ²³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sâng
    • Tâi-lô: sâng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: saang
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /saŋ²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siáng
    • Tâi-lô: siáng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: siarng
    • IPA (Taipei): /siaŋ⁵³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /siaŋ⁴¹/

Definitions

誰

1. (Southern Min) who; whom

Etymology 3

trad.		誰
simp.		谁
alternative forms		𪝊 𫢗 Teochew

Contraction of 底人 (tī-lâng).

Pronunciation

• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): tiâng

  (Teochew, Peng'im): diang⁵

---

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Kinmen, Magong, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tiâng
    • Tâi-lô: tiâng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: diaang
    • IPA (Xiamen, Kinmen, Singapore): /tiaŋ²⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: diang⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tiâng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tiaŋ⁵⁵/

Definitions

誰

1. (Hokkien, including Xiamen, Kinmenese, Magong and Singapore Hokkien; Teochew; Hainanese) who; whom

Etymology 4

trad.		誰
simp.		谁

Contraction of 是誰／是谁 (chī-chūi).

Pronunciation

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chūi

---

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chūi
    • Tâi-lô: tsuī
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zui
    • IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sui²²/
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡sui³³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sui⁴¹/

Definitions

誰

1. (Hokkien, chiefly Xiamen and Quanzhou Hokkien) who; whom

Etymology 5

trad.		誰
simp.		谁
alternative forms		孰 (chiâ) 咜 (chôa)

From shortening of 是誰／是谁 (chī-choa̍h), from 是誰仔／是谁仔 (chī-chūi-á).

Pronunciation

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): choa̍h / chôa / chiâ

---

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: choa̍h
    • Tâi-lô: tsua̍h
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zoah
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡suaʔ¹²¹/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chôa
    • Tâi-lô: tsuâ
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zoaa
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sua¹³/
  • (Hokkien: Taichung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chiâ
    • Tâi-lô: tsiâ
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ciaa

Definitions

誰

1. (Hokkien, including Zhangzhou and Taichung Hokkien) who; whom

Synonyms

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		誰1, 疇, 孰, 誰人, 何人, 何者, 阿誰
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		誰1, 誰人
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	誰1
	Taiwan	誰1
	Ulanhot	誰1
	Tongliao	誰1
	Chifeng	誰1, 誰們 plural
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	誰1
	Harbin	誰1
	Shenyang	誰1
	Malaysia	誰1
	Singapore	誰1
	Olginsky (Mikhaylovka)	誰1
Jilu Mandarin	Weifang (Weicheng)	誰1
	Weifang (Fangzi)	誰1
	Changle	誰1
	Shouguang	誰1
	Wulian	誰1
	Jinan	誰1
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	誰1
	Qingdao	誰1
	Weifang (Hanting)	誰1
	Changyi	誰1
	Gaomi	誰1
	Zhucheng	誰1
	Anqiu	誰1
	Linqu	誰1
	Qingzhou	誰1
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	誰1
	Wanrong	哪𠰻
	Wanrong (Ronghe)	啥外
	Zhengzhou	誰1
	Xi'an	誰1
	Xining	阿個, 阿一個, 啥人
	Yanqi	誰1
	Xuzhou	誰1, 哪個
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	誰1
	Masanchin (Shaanxi Dungan)	誰1
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	誰1
	Bayanhot	誰1, 誰們 plural
	Lanzhou	誰1, 誰個, 誰們
	Ürümqi	誰1, 誰一個, 誰們
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	哪個, 啥子人
	Wuhan	哪個, 啥個
	Guiyang	哪個
	Kunming	哪個
	Guilin	誰1, 哪個
	Liuzhou	哪個, 哪人
	Xiangtan (Jiangnan Industries Group koine)	哪個
	Mae Salong (Lancang)	哪個
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	哪個
	Yangzhou	哪個, 哪一個
	Nantong	哪個, 哪一個, 哪個人
	Hefei	哪個, 哈個
	Huanggang	哪個, 啥個
Cantonese	Guangzhou	邊個, 乜誰, 乜人, 阿誰
	Hong Kong	邊個, 乜誰, 阿誰
	Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)	邊個, 哪誰
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	阿誰
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	哪誰
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	哪誰人
	Macau	邊個
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	邊個
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	乜誰
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	乜誰
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	乜誰
	Foshan	邊個
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	邊個
	Foshan (Shunde)	邊個
	Foshan (Sanshui)	邊個
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	邊個
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	邊個
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	邊個
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	邊個, 乜誰
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	阿誰
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	邊個
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	誰, 邊個
	Taishan	阿誰
	Kaiping (Chikan)	乜誰, 阿誰, 乜人
	Enping (Niujiang)	哥誰
	Heshan (Yayao)	唔個
	Dongguan	鼠個, 乜誰
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	乜誰
	Shenzhen (Dapeng)	哪人
	Qingyuan	邊個
	Fogang	邊個
	Yingde (Hanguang)	邊個
	Shaoguan	邊個
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	邊個
	Renhua	邊個
	Lechang	邊個
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	乜誰
	Sihui	邊個
	Guangning	邊個
	Deqing	邊個
	Yunfu	邊個
	Xinxing	不個
	Luoding	邊個
	Yangjiang	乜誰
	Xinyi	乜人, 乜誰
	Lianjiang	乜人
	Nanning	邊個
	Wuzhou	邊個
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	乜人
	Baise	邊個
	Qinzhou	乜人, 邊人, 邊個
	Beihai	乜人
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	乜人
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	邊個, 乜人
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	乜人
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	邊個
	Singapore (Guangfu)	邊個
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	邊個
	Móng Cái	乜人
Gan	Nanchang	哪個
	Lichuan	哪個
	Pingxiang	哪仔, 哪個仔
Hakka	Meixian	麼人, 哪儕
	Xingning	哪隻
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	哪誰, 哪隻
	Huizhou (Shuikou; Bendihua)	哪誰
	Huizhou (Hengli; Bendihua)	哪誰
	Huidong (Pingshan; Bendihua)	哪誰
	Huidong (Daling)	哪隻, 哪人
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	哪人, 麼個人
	Longmen (Pingling; Bendihua)	哪誰
	Longmen (Luxi; Bendihua)	哪誰
	Boluo (Bendihua)	哪誰
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	哪下
	Guangzhou (Zhengguo, Zengcheng)	哪下, 哪下人
	Zhongshan (Wuguishan)	哪下
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	哪人
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	哪儕
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	哪儕, 麼人
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	麼人, 哪儕
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	哪誰
	Zijin (Guzhu; Bendihua)	哪誰
	Longchuan (Tuocheng; Bendihua)	哪隻
	Longchuan (Sidu; Bendihua)	哪隻
	Heping (Linzhai; Bendihua)	哪隻
	Lianping (Zhongxin; Bendihua)	哪咧
	Lianping (Longjie; Bendihua)	哪個
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	哪個
	Xinfeng (Matou; Bendihua)	哪
	Xinfeng (Daxi; Bendihua)	哪人, 哪個
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	哪儕
	Liannan	哪人
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	哪人
	Jiexi	哪儕
	Changting	哪個, 哪個哩
	Wuping	哪個, 麼人
	Wuping (Pingyu)	麼人
	Liancheng	哪個, 麼人
	Ninghua	台人
	Ruijin	哪人, 哪個
	Shicheng	斯里
	Shangyou (Shexi)	哪人, 哪個人
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	麼人, 麼儕, 哪儕
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	麼人, 麼儕
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	麼人, 麼儕, 哪儕
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	麼人, 麼儕, 哪儕
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	麼人, 麼儕, 哪儕
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	麼儕, 哪儕
	Hong Kong	哪人
	Luchuan	麼人
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	麼人
	Sabah (Longchuan)	哪人
	Senai (Huiyang)	麼人
	Kuching (Hepo)	哪儕
	Singkawang	麼儕
Huizhou	Jixi	哪個
	Shexian	哪個
	Huangshan (Tunxi)	哪個
	Xiuning	哪個
	Yixian	哪個
	Qimen	何望
	Wuyuan	何一個, 唆羅
	Fuliang	誰個
	Dexing	麼人
	Jingde	哪個
Jin	Taiyuan	誰1, 誰們 usually plural
	Pingyao	誰1, 誰家 plural, 誰家們家 plural, 誰們 plural
	Xinzhou	誰1, 誰們 usually plural
	Taibus (Baochang)	誰1, 誰們 plural
	Linhe	誰1, 誰們 plural
	Jining	誰1, 誰們 plural
	Hohhot	誰1, 誰們 plural
	Baotou	誰1, 誰們 plural
	Dongsheng	誰1, 誰們 plural
	Haibowan	誰1, 誰們 plural
Northern Min	Jian'ou	孰人, 孰麼人
	Songxi	哪人
	Zhenghe	孰麼人
	Zhenghe (Zhenqian)	哪隻, 若隻
	Jianyang	孰人
	Wuyishan	什麼人
	Pucheng (Shibei)	孰人, 孰麼人
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	底儂
	Fuzhou (Changle)	底儂
	Fuqing	底儂, 什乇儂
	Pingtan	底儂
	Yongtai	底儂
	Gutian	底儂
	Fu'an	底儂
	Ningde	底儂, 儂
	Shouning	呢乇儂, 哪個
	Zhouning	底儂
	Fuding	乇儂
	Matsu	底儂
	Singapore (Fuqing)	底儂
Southern Min	Xiamen	誰2, 誰3, 誰4, 是誰, 啥儂, 啥物儂, 什物儂, 底儂
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	啥儂, 誰2
	Quanzhou	誰2, 誰4, 是誰, 啥儂
	Jinjiang	啥儂, 誰2
	Nan'an	啥儂, 誰2
	Shishi	啥儂, 誰2
	Hui'an	啥儂, 誰2
	Anxi	啥儂, 誰2
	Yongchun	底儂, 誰3
	Dehua	底儂, 誰3
	Zhangzhou	誰5, 是誰, 啥儂, 哪儂, 什物儂, 佗一股, 佗一個, 佗一
	Zhangzhou (Longhai)	誰5
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	誰5
	Hua'an	底股
	Nanjing	誰5
	Pinghe	誰5
	Zhangpu	誰5
	Yunxiao	誰5
	Zhao'an	什物儂
	Dongshan	是誰, 底儂
	Taipei	啥物儂
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	啥儂
	Kaohsiung	啥物儂
	Yilan	啥儂, 誰2
	Changhua (Lukang)	啥物儂, 誰2
	Taichung	誰5, 啥儂
	Tainan	啥物儂
	Hsinchu	誰2, 啥物儂
	Kinmen	誰3, 啥儂, 誰2
	Penghu (Magong)	誰3
	Penang (Hokkien)	誰誰, 誰誰儂, 是誰
	Singapore (Hokkien)	啥儂, 誰2, 啥物儂, 是誰, 誰3
	Manila (Hokkien)	誰仔, 啥儂
	Longyan	底儂, 誰2
	Zhangping	底儂, 誰2
	Zhangping (Yongfu)	誰1
	Datian	什儂, 底儂
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	乜儂
	Guilin (Biyange)	乜儂
	Chaozhou	底𫢗, 𫢗
	Shantou	底𫢗, 底儂
	Shantou (Chenghai)	底𫢗
	Jieyang	底𫢗
	Haifeng	𫢗, 底𫢗
	Bangkok (Teochew)	底𫢗
	Ho Chi Minh City (Teochew)	底𫢗
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	底𫢗
	Singapore (Teochew)	底𫢗
	Pontianak (Teochew)	底𫢗
	Leizhou	誰3, 誰儂
	Wenchang	誰3
	Haikou	誰3
Puxian Min	Putian	甚儂, 方儂
	Xianyou	甚儂, 底儂
Central Min	Yong'an	誰儕, 何隻
	Sanming (Sanyuan)	何隻
	Sanming (Shaxian)	啥人
	Nanping (Wangtai, Yanping)	誰人
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	底儂
	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	底儂
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	哪個
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	哪個
Shehua	Luoyuan	什人
	Sanming	哪個
	Shunchang	什人
	Guixi (Zhangping)	什個人
	Jingning (Hexi)	哪個
	Lishui	哪個
	Longyou	哪個
	Chaozhou	哪個
	Fengshun	麼人
Waxiang	Luxi (Lijiatian)	何條
Wu	Shanghai	啥人
	Shanghai (Xinzhuang, Minhang)	哈人
	Shanghai (Fengxian)	哈人
	Shanghai (Jinshan)	哈人
	Shanghai (Qingpu)	哈人
	Shanghai (Chongming)	哈人
	Suzhou	啥人
	Wuxi	啥人
	Danyang	哪個, 點高人
	Hangzhou	哪個
	Ningbo	啥人, 誰儂 dated
	Wenzhou	何乜人, 乜人, 誰人, 何人
	Jinhua	哪個
Xiang	Changsha	哪個, 何至個 suburbs
	Xiangtan	哪個, 哪
	Loudi	哪個, 誰個
	Shuangfeng	哪個
	Quanzhou	哪個

Dialectal synonyms of 誰 (“who; whom”) [map]

See also

Question words

• 嗎／吗 (ma, “yes/no question particle”)
• 什麼／什么 (shénme, “what”)
• 怎麼／怎么 (zěnme, “how”)
• 什麼時候／什么时候 (shénme shíhou, “when”)
• 哪 (nǎ, “what, which”)
• 哪裡／哪里 (nǎlǐ), 哪兒／哪儿 (nǎr) (where)
• 呢 (ne, “reciprocal questions particle”)

Japanese

Kanji

See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 誰

誰

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: ずい (zui)
• Kan-on: すい (sui)
• Kun: だれ (dare, 誰, Jōyō)、た (ta, 誰)、たれ (tare, 誰)

Compounds

• 誰(すい)何(か) (suika)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
誰
だれ Grade: S
kun'yomi

/tare/ → /dare/

From earlier tare.^[1][2][3][4]

The dare form appears from around the Edo period.^[3] The voicing of the initial /t-/ to /d-/ is likely by analogy with other interrogative demonstratives 何れ (dore, “which one”), 何処 (doko, “where”). See etymology 2

Now the primary form, replacing earlier tare.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) だれ [dáꜜrè] (Atamadaka – [1])^[3][4]
• IPA^(key): [da̠ɾe̞]

• Audio:

  (file)

Pronoun

誰(だれ) • (dare) 

1. interrogative personal pronoun: who, whom

   誰(だれ)が誰(だれ)を作(つく)ったのか

   dare ga dare o tsukutta no ka

   Who made who?

   • 2016, Makoto Shinkai, director, 君の名は。 [your name.], spoken by Taki Tachibana (Ryūnosuke Kamiki), Toho:

     お前は…誰だ？俺は　どうしてここに来た？あいつに…あいつに会うために来た。助けるために来た。生きていてほしかった。誰だ？誰？誰に会いに来た？大事な人、忘れたくない人、忘れちゃダメな人！誰だ？誰だ？誰だ…誰だ⁉名前は⁉

     O-mae wa… dare da? Ore wa dōshite koko ni kita? Aitsu ni… Aitsu ni au tame ni kita. Tasukeru tame ni kita. Ikite ite hoshikatta. Dare da? Dare da? Dare ni ai ni kita? Daiji na hito, wasuretakunai hito, wasurecha dame na hito! Dare da? Dare da? Dare da… Dare da⁉ Namae wa⁉

     Who… are you? Why did I come here? To see her… I came to see her. I came to save her. I wanted her to live. Who was it? Who? Who did I come to see? Someone dear to me, someone I don't wanna forget, someone I must not forget! Who was it? Who was it? Who was it… Who⁉ What's your name⁉

   • 2016, Makoto Shinkai, director, 君の名は。 [your name.], spoken by Mitsuha Miyamizu (Mone Kamishiraishi), Toho:

     誰？誰？あの人は誰？大事な人、忘れちゃダメな人、忘れたくなかった人！誰？誰？君は誰？君の名前は⁉

     Dare? Dare? Ano hito wa dare? Daiji na hito, wasurecha dame na hito, wasuretakunakatta hito! Dare? Dare? Kimi wa dare? Kimi no namae wa⁉

     Who was it? Who? Who was he? Someone I hold dear, someone I must not forget, someone I did not want to forget! Who was he? Who? Who are you? What is your name⁉

2. (informal, clipping of 誰か) someone, anyone

Derived terms

• 誰誰(だれだれ), 誰々(だれだれ) (daredare)
• 誰(だれ)か (dare ka)
• 誰彼(だれかれ) (dare kare)
• 誰(だれ)知(し)らぬ (dare shiranu)
• 誰某(だれそれ) (dare sore)
• 誰(だれ)一人(ひとり) (dare hitori)
• 誰(だれ)も (dare mo)

Idioms

• 誰言(だれい)うとなく (dare iu to naku)
• 誰(だれ)とはなしに (dare to hanashi ni)
• 誰(だれ)の目(め)にも (dare no me ni mo)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
誰
たれ Grade: S
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese, first attested in the Kojiki (712 CE) alongside its older form ta (see below).

Derived from older 誰 (ta, “who”) + れ (re, “thing”, demonstrative nominalizer ending). Compare the formation of これ (kore, “this”) from 此 (ko, “this”) + れ, 彼 (kare, “that one, that person”) from 彼 (ka, “that”) + れ (​re), etc.

Superseded by dare above starting from around the Edo period.^[2][3] The tare form does not appear to be used anymore outside of poetry or intentionally archaic text.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) たれ [táꜜrè] (Atamadaka – [1])^[3]
• IPA^(key): [ta̠ɾe̞]

Pronoun

誰(たれ) • (tare) 

1. (archaic) interrogative personal pronoun: who, whom
2. (informal, clipping of 誰か) someone, anyone

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:誰.

Derived terms

• 誰誰(たれたれ), 誰々(たれたれ) (taretare)
• 誰某(たれがし) (taregashi)
• 誰彼(たれかれ) (tare kare)
• 誰某(たれそれ) (tare sore), 誰某(たれぼう) (tarebō)
• 誰時(たれどき) (taredoki)
• 誰(たれ)の人(ひと) (tare no hito)
• 誰人(たれびと) (tarebito)
• 誰(たれ)も (tare mo)
• 誰(たれ)やし人(ひと) (tare ya shi hito)
• 誰(たれ)やの者(もの) (tare ya no mono)
• 誰(タレ)故(ユエ)草(ソウ) (tareyuesō)
• 彼(あれ)は誰(たれ)時(どき) (are wa taredoki)
• 彼(か)は誰(たれ)時(どき) (kawataredoki)
• 彼(か)は誰(たれ)星(ぼし) (kawatareboshi)

Idioms

• 誰(たれ)かある (tare ka aru)

Proverbs

• 誰(たれ)か烏(からす)の雌(し)雄(ゆう)を知(し)らん (tare ka karasu no shiyū o shiran)

See also

	a-/wa- “I, we” (first person)	na-/-ma- “you, ye, thou” (second person)	k- “this” (close to speaker)	s- “that” (close to listener)	a-/ka- “that over there” (far from both)	i-/ta-/nani- “who, what, where, how, when” (interrogative)	ono- “oneself” (reflexive)
Person	あ (a) あれ (are) わ (wa) われ (ware) まろ (maro)	な (na) なれ (nare) なんぢ (nanji) まし (mashi) いまし (imashi) みまし (mimashi) きみ (kimi)	こ (ko) これ (kore)	そ (so) それ (sore)	あ (a) あれ (are) か (ka) かれ (kare)	た (ta) たれ (tare) なにがし (nanigashi)	おの (ono) おのれ (onore)
Thing			こ (ko) これ (kore)	そ (so) それ (sore)	あ (a) あれ (are) か (ka) かれ (kare)	いづれ (izure) なに (nani)
Location			ここ (koko)	そこ (soko)	あしこ (ashiko) かしこ (kashiko)	いづく (izuku) いづこ (izuko) いどこ (idoko) どこ (doko)
Direction			こち (kochi) こなた (konata)	そち (sochi) そなた (sonata)	あち (achi) あなた (anata) かなた (kanata)	いづち (izuchi) いづら (izura) いづかた (izukata)
Manner			か (ka) かく (kaku) かくて (kakute) かう (kō)	さ (sa) さて (sate) しか (shika)		いか (ika)
Time						いつ (itsu)

Classical Japanese pronouns and demonstratives

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
誰
た Grade: S
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese, first attested in the Kojiki, completed roughly 712 CE.^[1]

Appears to be the oldest form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ta̠]

Pronoun

誰(た) • (ta) 

1. (obsolete, persists in some fossilized expressions) interrogative personal pronoun: who, whom

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:誰.

Derived terms

• 誰(た)が (ta ga)
• 誰(た)そ (ta so)
• 黄昏(たそがれ) (tasogare)
• 誰(た)哉(そや)行灯(あんどん) (tasoya andon)

See also

	a-/wa- “I, we” (first person)	na-/-ma- “you, ye, thou” (second person)	k- “this” (close to speaker)	s- “that” (close to listener)	a-/ka- “that over there” (far from both)	i-/ta-/nani- “who, what, where, how, when” (interrogative)	ono- “oneself” (reflexive)
Person	あ (a) あれ (are) わ (wa) われ (ware) まろ (maro)	な (na) なれ (nare) なんぢ (nanji) まし (mashi) いまし (imashi) みまし (mimashi) きみ (kimi)	こ (ko) これ (kore)	そ (so) それ (sore)	あ (a) あれ (are) か (ka) かれ (kare)	た (ta) たれ (tare) なにがし (nanigashi)	おの (ono) おのれ (onore)
Thing			こ (ko) これ (kore)	そ (so) それ (sore)	あ (a) あれ (are) か (ka) かれ (kare)	いづれ (izure) なに (nani)
Location			ここ (koko)	そこ (soko)	あしこ (ashiko) かしこ (kashiko)	いづく (izuku) いづこ (izuko) いどこ (idoko) どこ (doko)
Direction			こち (kochi) こなた (konata)	そち (sochi) そなた (sonata)	あち (achi) あなた (anata) かなた (kanata)	いづち (izuchi) いづら (izura) いづかた (izukata)
Manner			か (ka) かく (kaku) かくて (kakute) かう (kō)	さ (sa) さて (sate) しか (shika)		いか (ika)
Time						いつ (itsu)

Classical Japanese pronouns and demonstratives

See also

• 何方(どなた) (donata, “who”, honorific)
• 何(ど)れ (dore), 何(いず)れ (izure, “which”)

References

1. .Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
2. Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
3. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
4. Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

Korean

Hanja

誰 • (su) (hangeul 수)

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Vietnamese

Han character

誰: Hán Nôm readings: thùy/thuỳ

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