# 姬

| 姬 | U+59EC, &#23020; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-59EC |
| ← 姫 [U+59EB] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 姭 → [U+59ED] |
| 姬 | U+2F862, &#194658; CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F862 |
| ← 𡛪 [U+2F861] | CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement | 娛 → [U+2F863] |

## Translingual

| Traditional | 姬 |
| Simplified | 姬 |
| Japanese | 姫 |
| Korean | 姬 |

### Alternative forms

The character commonly used in Japanese is 姫 (U+59EB). Note that the Korean form is written with 𦣝 as the right component, which is the historical form found in the Kangxi Dictionary.

### Han character

姬 (Kangxi radical 38, 女+7, 10 strokes, cangjie input 女尸中中 (VSLL), four-corner 4141$_7$, composition ⿰女𦣞(GHT) or ⿰女𦣝(K))

#### Derived characters

* 𩠯

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 260, character 23
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 6230
* Dae Jaweon: page 526, character 24
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1049, character 15
* Unihan data for U+59EC
* Unihan data for U+2F862

## Chinese

* 姬姓 (Written Standard Chinese)
* 姬氏 (Cantonese)
* Ki (sèⁿ) (Southern Min)
* Jī (English)

### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 姬 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Spring and Autumn | Warring States |
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Bronze inscriptions | Bronze inscriptions |
| | Old Chinese |
| 茝 | *kʰljɯːʔ, *kljɯʔ |
| 洍 | *ljɯʔ, *lɯ |
| 姬 | *klɯ, *lɯ |
| 宧 | *lɯ |
| 頤 | *lɯ |
| 弬 | *lɯ |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *klɯ, *lɯ) : semantic 女 (“woman; matrilateral family line; family name”) + phonetic 𦣞.

### Etymology 1

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

#### Zhou dynastic surname

    Its eponym was traditionally held to the river 姬 (Jī), which has been identified with the river 汾 (Fén) in Shanxi. However, Pulleyblank (2000) points out that "there seems to be no record of a Ji River outside the myth" of the Yellow Emperor.
    Instead, he suggests an etymological connection between "the two intermarrying moieties, a ruling clan and its collateral, wife-supplying counterpart": 姬 (OC *(C)ɰə̀ɰ) and 姜 (*(C)ɰàŋ). He also points to other word-pairs, including 似 (MC ziX, “to resemble”) < *-əɰʔ and 像 (MC zjangX, “to imitate, image”) < *-aŋʔ, which display the phonetic correspondences: *-ɰ vs. *-ŋ as well *-ə- vs. *-a- (ibid.)

#### lady (ancient laudatory title for women)

    According to Yan Shigu (apud Kangxi Dictionary):
    From: Kangxi zidian
    Jī běn Zhōu xìng, qí nǚ guì yú lièguó zhī nǚ, suǒyǐ fùrén měihào jiē chēng jī. [Pinyin]
    Ji ("姬") was originally the surname of the Zhou; their princesses were more honorable than princesses of other states; therefore women with laudatory appellations are all called Ji ("姬").

#### "gay"

    Homophonous with 基 (jī) or English gay (in Cantonese) and already carrying feminine connotations. Probably influenced by Japanese 姫(ひめ) (hime, “princess”).

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): jī (ji$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): gei$^1$
* Eastern Min (BUC): hĭ
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gi$^1$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): ki
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: jī
*** Zhuyin: ㄐㄧ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ji
*** Wade–Giles: chi$^1$
*** Yale: jī
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ji
*** Palladius: цзи (czi)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕi⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: gei$^1$
*** Yale: gēi
*** Cantonese Pinyin: gei$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: géi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /kei̯⁵⁵/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: hĭ
*** Sinological IPA : /hi⁵⁵/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: gi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /ki⁵³³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ki
*** Tâi-lô: ki
*** Phofsit Daibuun: ky
*** IPA (Xiamen): /ki⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /ki³³/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /ki⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Taipei): /ki⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /ki⁴⁴/
* Middle Chinese: ki
Rime :
| Character | 姬 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 見 (28) |
| Final (韻) | 之 (19) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 居之切 |
| Baxter | ki |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /kɨ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /kɨ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /kie/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /kɨ/ |
| Li Rong | /kiə/ |
| Wang Li | /kĭə/ |
| Bernard Karlgren | /ki/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | jī |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | gei$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[k](r)ə/
    (Zhengzhang): /*klɯ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 姬 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | jī |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ ki › |
| Old Chinese | /*[k](r)ə/ |
| English | (family name) |
| 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 | 姬 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| No. | 14882 |
| Phonetic component | 頤 |
| Rime group | 之 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 姬 |
| Old Chinese | /*klɯ/ |

#### Definitions

姬
* a surname, used by the ruling family of the House of Zhou
    王姬 ― Wáng Jī ― (historical) Royal (Princess) Ji (formal appellation for various women born out of the royal house of Zhou)
    From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
    Hé bù sù yōng, Wáng Jī zhī chē. [Pinyin]
    Are they not expressive of reverence and harmony, the carriages of the king's daughter (lit. "the Royal Princess Ji")?
    諸姬／诸姬 ― zhūjī ― (historical) the various Ji (collective appellation for various nobles and states' rulers patrilineally related to the royal house of Zhou)
    From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
    Luán bǐ zhūjī, liáo yǔ zhī móu. [Pinyin]
    Admirable are those, my cousins (lit. "the various Ji nobles"); I will take counsel with them.
* (literary) lady (ancient laudatory title for women)
    From: 李白 Li Bai〈金陵酒肆留別〉"Farewell at a Tavern in Jinling"
    Fēng chuī liǔhuā mǎn diàn xiāng, Wú jī yājiǔ huàn kè cháng. [Pinyin]
    The wind blows on the willow-catkins, filling the inn with fragrance; the Wu lady calls out to customers to try newly pressed wine.
* (mythology) name of a river
    From: Shuowen Jiezi, circa 2nd century CE
    Huángdì jū Jīshuǐ, yǐwéi xìng. [Pinyin]
    The Yellow Thearch dwelt by the Ji river, (whose name) he took as (his) surname.
* (literary) beauty
    From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
    Pèigōng jū Shāndōng shí, tān yú cáihuò, hào měijī. Jīn rù guān, cáiwù wú suǒqǔ, fùnǚ wú suǒxìng. [Pinyin]
    When Lord of Pei was in Shandong, he coveted riches and desired beauties. Yet now that he has entered Guan[zhong], he has not confiscated wealth, nor has he lusted after women."
* (literary) concubine
    From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
    Zhuāngxiāng wáng wèi Qín zhìzǐ yú Zhào, jiàn lǚ bùwéi jī, yuè ér qǔ zhī, shēng Shǐhuáng. [Pinyin]
    When King Zhuangxiang was a Qin hostage in Zhao, he saw Lü Buwei's concubine, he fell in love with her and married her; she gave birth to the First Emperor.
* (neologism, slang) female equivalent of 基 (jī, “gay”); lesbian
    搞姬 ― gǎojī ― to engage in lesbian activities

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 妾, 姬, 媵, 妾媵, 媵妾, 侍妾, 姬妾, 側室, 偏室, 姑娘 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 妾, 偏房 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 小太太兒, 小婆婆兒, 小奶奶兒, 小的兒, 屋兒裡人 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 小老婆, 姨太太 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 小老婆 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 小老婆 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 小老婆 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 小老婆兒, 小婆子 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 小老婆兒 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 小婆子 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 小婆子, 小 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 小的兒, 小的, 小兒, 小點子, 小婆兒, 小婆子, 庶夫人 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 小老婆, 小 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 小老婆 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 小老婆 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 小老婆, 小婆子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 小堂客, 小, 姨太太 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 小婆娘, 姨太太 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 小的, 小, 小老婆, 小婆 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 小老婆 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 細婆, 妾侍 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 細婆, 妾侍 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 細婆 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 小老婆, 小 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 小婆 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 小老婆, 小婆子 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 小婆 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 小老婆 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 細姐, 細婆, 偏房 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 細姆, 細姐仔, 細婆, 偏房 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian) | 細姆 |
| Hakka | Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian) | 細姐仔 |
| Hakka | Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian) | 細姐仔 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 細姐, 細婆, 偏房 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 細姐, 細姨, 偏房 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 細姐, 細婆, 偏房 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (Zhuolan; Raoping) | 細姐, 細婆, 偏房 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 細姐, 細姨, 偏房 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 細老嫗 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 小老婆, 姨娘, 姨太太 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 小婆子 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 小嬤 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 細婆 non-face-to-face, 細姐 face-to-face, 姨太 older, 姑娘 younger, face to face |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 細姨 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 細娘 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 細姩, 細老婆, 孧老婆, 細 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 細婆 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 小老媽, 小老婆, 小娘子, 偏房 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 小老婆, 小老官, 姨太太 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 小老媽 |
| Wu | Danyang | 小老媽 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 小老婆 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 小老𡢿 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 姨娘, 姨娘兒 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 小老婆, 小婆 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 小婆子, 小堂客 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 小 |

#### Compounds

* 丹姬
* 二姬
* 仙姬
* 伯姬
* 伯姬引
* 侍姬
* 名姬
* 吳姬／吴姬
* 大姬
* 天姬
* 妖姬
* 妙姬
* 姣姬
* 姬人
* 姬伯
* 姬侍
* 姬僕／姬仆
* 姬公
* 姬劉／姬刘
* 姬化
* 姬呂／姬吕
* 姬周
* 姬國／姬国
* 姬姒
* 姬妾 (jīqiè)
* 姬姜
* 姬媵
* 姬孔
* 姬文
* 姬易
* 姬松茸 (jīsōngróng)
* 姬漢／姬汉
* 姬鼠
* 嬖姬
* 孋姬／㛤姬
* 孔姬
* 宗姬
* 宮姬／宫姬
* 家姬
* 寵姬／宠姬
* 小姬
* 帝姬 (dìjī)
* 幸姬
* 庶姬
* 從姬／从姬
* 愛姬／爱姬 (àijī)
* 文姬入塞
* 族姬
* 昌姬
* 曼姬
* 朱姬大仙
* 村姬
* 楚姬
* 楚岫瑤姬／楚岫瑶姬
* 楊柳姬／杨柳姬
* 樊姬
* 橈姬／桡姬
* 歌姬 (gējī)
* 毛姬
* 泣別虞姬／泣别虞姬
* 漢姬／汉姬
* 燕姬
* 王姬
* 班姬
* 班姬扇
* 班姬詠扇／班姬咏扇
* 班姬辭輦／班姬辞辇
* 瑤姬／瑶姬
* 瓊姬／琼姬
* 盧姬／卢姬
* 祅姬
* 秦姬曲
* 程姬之疾
* 竹姬
* 而姬壺／而姬壶
* 胡姬
* 荊姬／荆姬
* 虞姬
* 蠶姬／蚕姬
* 諸姬／诸姬
* 讒姬／谗姬
* 豔姬／艳姬
* 貞姬／贞姬
* 貴姬／贵姬
* 遺姬／遗姬
* 隆姬
* 霸王別姬／霸王别姬
* 驪姬／骊姬
* 麗姬／丽姬
* 鼓姬
* 齊姬／齐姬

### Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): yí (yi$^2$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄧˊ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: yí
*** Zhuyin: ㄧˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: yí
*** Wade–Giles: i$^2$
*** Yale: yí
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yi
*** Palladius: и (i)
*** Sinological IPA : /i³⁵/
* Middle Chinese: yi
Rime :
| Character | 姬 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 以 (36) |
| Final (韻) | 之 (19) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 與之切 |
| Baxter | yi |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /jɨ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /jɨ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ie/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /jɨ/ |
| Li Rong | /iə/ |
| Wang Li | /jĭə/ |
| Bernard Karlgren | /i/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | yí |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | ji$^4$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Zhengzhang): /*lɯ/
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 姬 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| No. | 14887 |
| Phonetic component | 頤 |
| Rime group | 之 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 飴 |
| Old Chinese | /*lɯ/ |

#### Definitions

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

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Hyōgai kanji)
* alternative form of 姫

#### Readings

* Go-on: き (ki)
* Kan-on: き (ki)
* Kun: ひめ (hime, 姬)
* Nanori: こひめ (kohime)、ひめさき (himesaki)、ぷりんせす (purinsesu)、れもん (remon) Note: the nanori readings ぷりんせす (Purinsesu) and れもん (Remon) are so-called キラキラネーム (kirakira nēmu).

### Definitions

* Kanji in this term
* 姬
* ひめ Hyōgai
* kun'yomi
* For pronunciation and definitions of 姬 – see the following entry: 姫
(The following entry is uncreated: 姫.)

## Korean
### Hanja

姬 • (hui) (hangeul 희, revised hui, McCune–Reischauer hŭi, Yale huy)
* woman

## Vietnamese
### Han character

姬: Hán Nôm readings: cơ
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.