# 儉

| 儉 | U+5109, &#20745; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5109 |
| ← 儈 [U+5108] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 儊 → [U+510A] |

## Translingual

| Traditional | 儉 |
| Shinjitai | 倹 |
| Simplified | 俭 |

### Han character

儉 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+13, 15 strokes, cangjie input 人人一人 (OOMO), four-corner 2828$_6$, composition ⿰亻僉)

#### Derived characters

* 𱕚, 𢸟, 𰸶, 𨯘, 𰯥, 𨇓

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 119, character 12
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 1190
* Dae Jaweon: page 252, character 11
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 226, character 6
* Unihan data for U+5109

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 儉 :
| Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| Small seal scripts05807Transcribed ancient scriptsL35511L18813L18814L18815L18816L18817L18818 ||
| 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 |
| 厱 | *raːm, *kʰreːm, *kʰlam |
| 歛 | *qʰlaːm |
| 臉 | *ɡ·reːmʔ, *skʰlam, *kramʔ |
| 醶 | *ɡr·reːmʔ, *skʰraːmʔ |
| 鹼 | *kreːmʔ, *skʰlam |
| 薟 | *ɡ·ram, *ɡ·ramʔ, *qʰram |
| 匳 | *ɡ·ram |
| 獫 | *ɡ·ram, *ɡ·ramʔ, *ɡ·rams, *qʰramʔ |
| 蘞 | *ɡ·ram, *ɡ·ramʔ, *qʰlam |
| 籢 | *ɡ·ram |
| 斂 | *ɡ·ramʔ, *ɡ·rams |
| 瀲 | *ɡ·ramʔ, *ɡ·rams |
| 撿 | *ɡ·ramʔ, *kramʔ |
| 羷 | *ɡ·ramʔ |
| 殮 | *ɡ·rams |
| 簽 | *skʰlam |
| 僉 | *skʰlam |
| 憸 | *skʰlam, *skʰlamʔ, *sqʰlam, *qʰramʔ |
| 譣 | *skʰlam, *qʰramʔ |
| 檢 | *kramʔ |
| 瞼 | *kramʔ |
| 儉 | *ɡramʔ |
| 顩 | *ŋramʔ, *rlɯmʔ, *kʰrɯmʔ |
| 嬐 | *ŋramʔ |
| 嶮 | *ŋramʔ, *hŋramʔ |
| 噞 | *ŋramʔ, *ŋrams |
| 驗 | *ŋrams |
| 險 | *qʰramʔ |
| 劒 | *kams |
| 劍 | *kams |
| 𩏩 | *qʰam |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *ɡramʔ): semantic 人 (“person”) + phonetic 僉 (OC *skʰlam).

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): jiǎn (jian$^3$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄢˇ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): gim$^6$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): khiam
    (Meixian, Guangdong): kiam$^4$
* Eastern Min (BUC): giêng
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): khiām / khiǎm
    (Teochew, Peng'im): kiam$^6$ / kiang$^6$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^6$ji
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: jiǎn
*** Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄢˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: jiǎn
*** Wade–Giles: chien$^3$
*** Yale: jyǎn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jean
*** Palladius: цзянь (czjanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: gim$^6$
*** Yale: gihm
*** Cantonese Pinyin: gim$^6$
*** Guangdong Romanization: gim$^6$
*** Sinological IPA : /kiːm²²/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: khiam
*** Hakka Romanization System: kiam
*** Hagfa Pinyim: kiam$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /kʰi̯am⁵⁵/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: kiam$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /kʰiam⁵³/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: giêng
*** Sinological IPA : /kiɛŋ²⁴²/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khiām
*** Tâi-lô: khiām
*** Phofsit Daibuun: qiam
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /kʰiam²²/
*** IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kʰiam³³/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khiǎm
*** Tâi-lô: khiǎm
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰiam²²/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: kiam$^6$ / kiang$^6$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khiăm / khiăng
*** Sinological IPA : /kʰiam³⁵/, /kʰiaŋ³⁵/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^6$ji
*** MiniDict: ji$^去$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^3$jji
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /d͡ʑi²³/
* Middle Chinese: gjemX
Rime :
| Character | 儉 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 群 (30) |
| Final (韻) | 鹽 (154) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 巨險切 |
| Baxter | gjemX |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɡˠiᴇm$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɡᵚiɛm$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ɡiæm$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /gjiam$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /ɡjɛm$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /ɡĭɛm$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /gi̯ɛm$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | jiàn |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | gim$^6$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ɡ]r[a]mʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*ɡramʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 儉 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | jiǎn |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ gjem$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*[ɡ]r[a]mʔ/ |
| English | restrict, frugal |
| 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 | 儉 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 10213 |
| Phonetic component | 僉 |
| Rime group | 談 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 儉 |
| Old Chinese | /*ɡramʔ/ |

### Definitions

儉
* frugal; thrifty
    節儉／节俭 ― jiéjiǎn ― frugal; thrifty; economical
    勤儉／勤俭 ― qínjiǎn ― hardworking and thrifty
    儉樸／俭朴 ― jiǎnpǔ ― thrifty and simple
    省吃儉用／省吃俭用 ― shěngchījiǎnyòng ― to save on food and daily expenses
    勤工儉學／勤工俭学 ― qíngōngjiǎnxué ― part-time work and part-time study
    From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
    Lǐ, yǔqí shē yě, nìng jiǎn; sāng, yǔqí yì yě, nìng qī. [Pinyin]
    In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than extravagant. In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep sorrow than a minute attention to observances.
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) modest; moderate; temperate
    From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
    Fūzǐ wēn, liáng, gōng, jiǎn, ràng yǐ dé zhī. [Pinyin]
    Our master is benign, upright, courteous, temperate, and complaisant and thus he gets his information.
    From: The Book of Rites, c. 4th – 2nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
    Gōngjiǎn ér hàolǐ zhě yí gē Xiǎoyǎ. [Pinyin]
    The courteous and self-restraining, the lovers of the rules of propriety, should sing the Xiao Ya (Minor Odes of the Kingdom).
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) lacking; insufficient
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) poor harvest
* (Taiwanese Hokkien) to save up; to store up
* (Teochew, Singapore Hokkien) to save; to economize
* a surname

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 省 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 省 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 省 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 省 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 慳 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 慳 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 慳 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 慳 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 慳 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 省 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 慳 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 省 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 省 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 省 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 省 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 省 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 省 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 省 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 省 GT |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 省 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 省, 儉 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 省 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 儉 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 儉, 省 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 儉 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 儉 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 儉 |
| Southern Min | Pontianak (Teochew) | 儉 |
| Note | GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified) | GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified) |

### Compounds

* 乞窮儉相 / 乞穷俭相
* 儉嗇 / 俭啬
* 儉月 / 俭月
* 儉樸 / 俭朴 (jiǎnpǔ)
* 儉省 / 俭省 (jiǎnshěng)
* 儉約 / 俭约 (jiǎnyuē)
* 儉素 / 俭素
* 儉腹 / 俭腹
* 儉腸凹肚 / 俭肠凹肚 (khiām-tn̂g-neh-tō͘) (Min Nan)
* 儉色 / 俭色
* 儉薄 / 俭薄
* 儉觳 / 俭觳
* 儉錢 / 俭钱 (khiām-chîⁿ) (Min Nan)
* 克儉克勤 / 克俭克勤
* 克勤克儉 / 克勤克俭 (kèqínkèjiǎn)
* 勤儉 / 勤俭 (qínjiǎn)
* 崇節尚儉 / 崇节尚俭
* 恭儉 / 恭俭
* 恭儉靜一 / 恭俭静一
* 水儉 / 水俭
* 田豫儉素 / 田豫俭素
* 省儉 / 省俭 (shěngjiǎn)
* 省吃儉用 / 省吃俭用 (shěngchījiǎnyòng)
* 禮奢寧儉 / 礼奢宁俭
* 禮存寧儉 / 礼存宁俭
* 節儉 / 节俭 (jiéjiǎn)
* 節儉力行 / 节俭力行
* 節儉躬行 / 节俭躬行
* 自奉甚儉 / 自奉甚俭
* 豐儉由人 / 丰俭由人 (fēngjiǎnyóurén)
* 躬行節儉 / 躬行节俭

### References

* “儉”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.
* “儉”, 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–

## Japanese

| Shinjitai | 倹 |
| Kyūjitai | 儉 |

### Kanji

(Jinmeiyō kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 倹)
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

#### Readings

* Go-on: げん (gen)
* Kan-on: けん (ken)
* Kun: つましい (tsumashii, 儉しい)、つずまやか (tsuzumayaka, 儉やか)

## Korean
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [kʌ̹m]
* Phonetic hangul: [검]

### Hanja

Wikisource 儉 (eumhun 검소하 검 (geomsoha geom))
* hanja form of 검 (“frugal, temperate”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

儉: Hán Nôm readings: kiệm, cợm, hiếm, thiếu
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.