命

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See also: 令
命 U+547D, 命
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-547D
← 呼
[U+547C] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 呾 →
[U+547E]

Translingual[edit]

Stroke order
8 strokes

Han character[edit]

命 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+5, 8 strokes, cangjie input 人一口中 (OMRL), four-corner 80627, composition ⿱亼叩 or ⿹令口)

Derived characters[edit]

References[edit]

  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 183, character 18
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3473
  • Dae Jaweon: page 402, character 15
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 604, character 11
  • Unihan data for U+547D

Chinese[edit]

simp. and trad.
 命
alternative forms 𠇮
𫝇

Glyph origin[edit]

Historical forms of the character 命
Shang Western Zhou Warring States Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script Bronze inscriptions Chu slip and silk script Small seal script Transcribed ancient scripts
Characters in the same phonetic series (令) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
令 *ren, *reŋ, *reŋs, *reːŋ, *reːŋs
怜 *riːn, *reːŋ
零 *riːŋ, *reːŋ, *reːŋs
魿 *ɡriŋ, *reːŋ
命 *mreŋs
冷 *raːŋʔ, *reːŋ, *reːŋʔ
跉 *reŋ, *reːŋ
嶺 *reŋʔ
領 *reŋʔ
阾 *reŋʔ, *reːŋ
柃 *reŋʔ, *reːŋ
袊 *reŋʔ
詅 *reŋs, *reːŋ
旍 *ʔsleŋ
舲 *reːŋ
齡 *reːŋ
囹 *reːŋ
鴒 *reːŋ
蛉 *reːŋ
鈴 *reːŋ
苓 *reːŋ
伶 *reːŋ
泠 *reːŋ
瓴 *reːŋ
拎 *reːŋ
刢 *reːŋ
玲 *reːŋ
聆 *reːŋ
竛 *reːŋ
軨 *reːŋ
笭 *reːŋ, *reːŋʔ
翎 *reːŋ
閝 *reːŋ
鹷 *reːŋ
昤 *reːŋ
駖 *reːŋ
彾 *reːŋ
呤 *reːŋ
狑 *reːŋ
秢 *reːŋ
岭 *reːŋ
紷 *reːŋ
砱 *reːŋ
羚 *reːŋ
姈 *reːŋ
蕶 *reːŋ
澪 *reːŋ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mreŋs) : semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 令 (OC *ren, *reŋ, *reŋs, *reːŋ, *reːŋs). Doublet of 呤 (lìng).

Etymology[edit]

Related to 令 (OC *ren, *reŋ, *reŋs, *reːŋ, *reːŋs, “to order; to command; order”) (Wang, 1982). Both may be derived from 名 (OC *meŋ, “name”): “name” (名) > “to name; to give (a name to)” (命) > “to order; to command” > “order; command” > “destiny; fate; lot” > “life” (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation[edit]

Note:
  • meng6 - vernacular;
  • ming6 - literary.
Note:
  • miang - vernacular;
  • min - literary.
Note:
  • miâng - vernacular;
  • mêng - literary.
Note:
  • miā - vernacular;
  • bēng - literary.
Note:
  • mian7 - vernacular;
  • mêng6 - literary.
Note:
  • min5 - vernacular;
  • min4 - literary.
    Rime
    Character 命
    Reading # 1/1
    Initial (聲) 明 (4)
    Final (韻) 庚 (111)
    Tone (調) Departing (H)
    Openness (開合) Open
    Division (等) III
    Fanqie 眉病切
    Baxter mjaengH
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang         		/mˠiæŋH/
    Pan
    Wuyun         		/mᵚiaŋH/
    Shao
    Rongfen         		/miaŋH/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank         		/miajŋH/
    Li
    Rong         		/miɐŋH/
    Wang
    Li         		/mĭɐŋH/
    Bernard
    Karlgren         		/mi̯ɐŋH/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex         		mìng
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex         		ming6
    Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 命
    Reading # 1/1
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)         		mìng
    Middle
    Chinese         		‹ mjængH ›
    Old
    Chinese         		/*m-riŋ-s/ (dialect: *m-r- > *mr-, *-iŋ> *-eŋ)
    English command (n.)

    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 命
    Reading # 1/1
    No. 8275
    Phonetic
    component         		令
    Rime
    group         		耕
    Rime
    subdivision         		0
    Corresponding
    MC rime         		命
    Old
    Chinese         		/*mreŋs/
    Notes 令轉註字

    Definitions[edit]

    命

    1. life; existence; state of living (Classifier: 條／条 m c)
    2. lifespan; life expectancy
    3. destiny; fate; luck
    4. order; command; instruction
    5. to order; to command
    6. to give (a title, name to); to name

    Synonyms[edit]

    See also[edit]

    • 生活 (shēnghuó, “(personal aspects of) life”)

    Compounds[edit]

    Japanese[edit]

    Kanji[edit]

    命

    (grade 3 “Kyōiku” kanji)

    Readings[edit]

    Compounds[edit]

    Etymology 1[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    命
    いのち
    Grade: 3
    kun’yomi

    From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *inəti. Probably a compound of Old Japanese elements 息 (i, “breath”, i in compounds, iki on its own) +‎ の (no, possessive particle) +‎ 霊 (chi, “spirit, force, soul”).

    Some analyses describe this as a compound using 生 (i, “life, breath”, i in compounds, iki on its own) as the initial semantic element. This is equally valid, as 息 (iki) and 生き (iki) are cognates.

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    命(いのち) • (inochi) 

    1. life
      命(いのち)の恩(おん)人(じん)
      inochi no onjin
      person to whom one owes their life
    2. lifespan
    3. lifetime
    4. fate, destiny
    5. (figuratively) the most important part or aspect of a thing
    Usage notes[edit]

    命 as "life" is distinct from several other Japanese words that may also be translated to English as "life". In particular, it means "the state of being alive, an animating force, or life as a whole (from birth to death)". Compare the terms below, which may also be rendered as "life" in English:

    • 生活 (seikatsu, “life”): Day-to-day life as it is experienced; lifestyle; one's usual activities, habits, and routines.
    • 生存 (seizon, “life”): Action involved in staying alive, as in "signs of life".
    • 生命 (seimei, “life”): Biological life in general, particularly in scientific contexts.
    • 存在 (sonzai, “life”): Being; either the state of existing or a thing that exists.
    • 人生 (jinsei, “life”): A person's narrative, experience, and/or accomplishments from birth to death.
    • 寿命 (jumyō, “life”): Lifespan or life expectancy.
    • 残機 (zanki, “life”): A video-game life; a chance to play.
    • 元気 (genki, “life”): Liveliness.
    Synonyms[edit]

    Etymology 2[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    命
    みこと
    Grade: 3
    kun’yomi

    From Old Japanese. Compound of 御 (mi-, honorific prefix) +‎ 言 (koto, “word”).[2] The mi prefix is generally limited to extremely high-status contexts such as gods or emperors.

    Alternative forms[edit]

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    命(みこと) • (mikoto) 

    1. the words or pronouncements of a god or an emperor

    Etymology 3[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    命
    みこと
    Grade: 3
    kun’yomi

    From Old Japanese. Originally a compound of 御 (mi-, honorific prefix) +‎ 事 (koto, “abstract thing”, as opposed to 物, mono, “concrete thing”).[2][1]

    Alternative forms[edit]

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    命(みこと) • (mikoto) 

    1. the honorable, the exalted
      Used as a title after the referenced noun when referring to gods, emperors, or other high-status persons.
      • 711–712, Kojiki, (Kami tsu maki):
        夜知富許能 迦微能美許登波
        八千矛の神の命は
        やちほこのかみのみことは
        Yachihoko no kami no mikoto wa
        the honorable god Yachihoko
      • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book Book 20, No. 4408:
        波々蘇婆能 波々能美許等波
        柞葉の母の命は
        ははそばのははのみことは
        hahasoba no haha no mikoto wa
        the exalted mother of the oak leaf
    2. the beloved, dearly beloved
      Similarly used as a title after the referenced noun.
      • 711–712, Kojiki, (Kami tsu maki):
        和加久佐能　都麻能美許登
        若草の妻の命
        わかくさのつまのみこと
        Wakakusa no tsuma no mikoto
        dearly beloved young wife

    Pronoun[edit]

    命(みこと) • (mikoto) 

    1. you
    2. that person
    Usage notes[edit]

    Used ironically from the late Heian period, expressing a sense of mild derision or ridicule.

    Etymology 4[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    命
    めい
    Grade: 3
    on’yomi

    From Middle Chinese 命 (mjængH, “command”). Compare modern Mandarin 命 (mìng, “life, destiny, instruction”).

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    命(めい) • (mei) 

    1. fate, destiny
    2. life, lifespan
    3. order, command
    Synonyms[edit]

    References[edit]

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

    Korean[edit]

    Hanja[edit]

    命 (eumhun 목숨 명 (moksum myeong))

    1. Hanja form? of 명 (“life”).

    Okinawan[edit]

    Kanji[edit]

    命

    (grade 3 “Kyōiku” kanji)

    Readings[edit]

    Etymology 1[edit]

    From Proto-Ryukyuan *inoti, from Proto-Japonic *inəti.

    Kanji in this term
    命
    ぬち
    Grade: 3
    kun’yomi

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    命(ぬち) (nuchi) 

    1. life

    Etymology 2[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    命
    いぬち
    Grade: 3
    kun’yomi

    Noun[edit]

    命(いぬち) (inuchi) 

    1. (literary) life

    References[edit]

    • “ぬち【命】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

    Vietnamese[edit]

    Han character[edit]

    命: Hán Việt readings: mệnh, mạng
    命: Nôm readings: mạng, mạnh, mệnh, mình

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