# 函

| 函 | U+51FD, &#20989; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-51FD |
| ← 凼 [U+51FC] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 凾 → [U+51FE] |

## Translingual
### Han character

函 (Kangxi radical 17, 凵+6, 8 strokes, cangjie input 山弓水 (UNE) or 弓山水 (NUE), four-corner 1077$_2$, composition ⿶凵⿻丂⿱丷八)

#### Derived characters

* 𠗙, 㖤, 𫱂, 𢃗, 𢔈, 𭡝, 涵, 𨺂, 㮀, 𪻱, 𦜆, 𭄃, 𥓞, 䘶, 蜬, 𧖾, 𬢲, 䤴, 𣣖, 顄(𱂰)
* 菡, 䈄, 䨡, 𣼇

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 135, character 16
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 1826
* Dae Jaweon: page 303, character 10
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 309, character 9
* Unihan data for U+51FD

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 函 :
| 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 |
| | Old Chinese |
| 蜬 | *kuːm, *ɡuːm |
| 函 | *ɡuːm, *ɡruːm |
| 涵 | *ɡuːm, *ɡuːmʔ |
| 顄 | *ɡuːm, *ɡuːmʔ |
| 圅 | *ɡuːm |
| 菡 | *ɡuːmʔ |
Originally 圅, a pictogram (象形) – an upside-down arrow stored inside a box with one or two handles.

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): hán (han$^2$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄏㄢˊ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): haam$^4$
* Eastern Min (BUC): hàng
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): hang$^2$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): hâm
    (Teochew, Peng'im): ham$^5$ / hang$^5$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: hán
*** Zhuyin: ㄏㄢˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: hán
*** Wade–Giles: han$^2$
*** Yale: hán
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: harn
*** Palladius: хань (xanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /xän³⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: haam$^4$
*** Yale: hàahm
*** Cantonese Pinyin: haam$^4$
*** Guangdong Romanization: ham$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /haːm²¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: hàng
*** Sinological IPA : /haŋ⁵³/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: hang$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /haŋ¹³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hâm
*** Tâi-lô: hâm
*** Phofsit Daibuun: haam
*** IPA (Xiamen): /ham²⁴/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /ham²⁴/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /ham¹³/
*** IPA (Taipei): /ham²⁴/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /ham²³/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: ham$^5$ / hang$^5$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hâm / hâng
*** Sinological IPA : /ham⁵⁵/, /haŋ⁵⁵/
* Middle Chinese: hom, heam
Rime :
| Character | 函 | 函 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 匣 (33) | 匣 (33) |
| Final (韻) | 覃 (159) | 咸 (151) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | I | II |
| Fanqie | 胡男切 | 胡讒切 |
| Baxter | hom | heam |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɦʌm/ | /ɦˠɛm/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɦəm/ | /ɦᵚæm/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ɣɒm/ | /ɣɐm/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ɦəm/ | /ɦəɨm/ |
| Li Rong | /ɣᴀm/ | /ɣɐm/ |
| Wang Li | /ɣɒm/ | /ɣɐm/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ɣăm/ | /ɣăm/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | hán | xián |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | ham$^4$ | haam$^4$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*Cə-m-kˤ[ə]m/
    (Zhengzhang): /*ɡuːm/, /*ɡruːm/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 函 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | hán |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ hom › |
| Old Chinese | /*Cə-m-kˁ[ə]m/ |
| English | envelop, contain |
| 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 | 函 | 函 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| No. | 4861 | 4869 |
| Phonetic component | 函 | 函 |
| Rime group | 侵 | 侵 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 含 | 咸 |
| Old Chinese | /*ɡuːm/ | /*ɡruːm/ |

### Definitions

函
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to include
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) box
* (formal) letter (Classifier: 個／个 m)
    發函／发函 ― fāhán ― to send a letter

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 書, 函, 書札, 書函, 便紙 Korea |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 信, 函, 書信, 信件, 信函, 信札, 函件, 書函, 書簡, 書牘, 書札 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 信 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 信 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 信 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 信 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 信 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 信 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 信 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 信 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 信 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 信 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 信 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 信 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 信 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 信 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 信 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 信 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 信 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 信 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 信 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Dagudi (Maliba) | 信 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Reshuitang (Longling) | 信 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mae Salong (Lancang) | 信 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mae Sai (Tengchong) | 信 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 信 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 信 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 信 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 信 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 信 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 信 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 信 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 信 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 信 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Shaoguan | 信 |
| Cantonese | Yunfu | 信 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 信 |
| Cantonese | Xinyi | 信 |
| Cantonese | Lianjiang | 信 |
| Cantonese | Beihai | 信 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 信 |
| Cantonese | Móng Cái | 信 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 信 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 信 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 信 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 信 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 信 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 信 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 信 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 信 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Shuizhai) | 信 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Huacheng) | 信 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Changbu) | 信 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Mianyang) | 信 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 信 |
| Hakka | Luhe | 信仔 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 信 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 信仔 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 信仔 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 信仔 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 信 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 信仔, 信 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 批, 信 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 信 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 信 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 信 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 信 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 信 |
| Northern Min | Songxi | 信 |
| Northern Min | Jianyang | 信 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 批 |
| Eastern Min | Gutian | 批 |
| Eastern Min | Pingnan | 批, 信 |
| Eastern Min | Ningde | 批 |
| Eastern Min | Zhouning | 批 |
| Eastern Min | Fuding | 信 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 批 |
| Eastern Min | Singapore (Fuqing) | 批 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 批, 批信 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 批, 批信 |
| Southern Min | Yongchun | 批 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 批, 批信 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 批 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 批 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 批 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 批 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 批 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 批 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 批 |
| Southern Min | Taichung (Wuqi) | 批 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 批, 批信 |
| Southern Min | Taitung | 批 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 批 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 批 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 批 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 批 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 批, 批信 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 批 |
| Southern Min | Longyan | 信 |
| Southern Min | Datian | 信 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 信, 批 international incoming letters |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 信, 家批 dated |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 信, 批 |
| Southern Min | Batam (Teochew) | 信 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 信 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 信 domestic, 批 international |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 信 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 信, 批 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 批 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 批 |
| Puxian Min | Fuding (Aoyao) | 批 |
| Central Min | Yong'an | 信 |
| Central Min | Sanming (Shaxian) | 信 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 信 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 信 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 信 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 信 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 信 |
| Wu | Danyang | 信 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 信 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 信 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 信 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 信 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 信 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 信 |

### Compounds

* 三角函數 / 三角函数 (sānjiǎo hánshù)
* 二次函數 / 二次函数 (èrcì hánshù)
* 來函 / 来函 (láihán)
* 便函 (biànhán)
* 信函 (xìnhán)
* 修函
* 偶函數 / 偶函数 (ǒuhánshù)
* 公函 (gōnghán)
* 函丈
* 函人 (hánrén)
* 函件 (hánjiàn)
* 函告
* 函夏
* 函弘
* 函授 (hánshòu)
* 函授學校 / 函授学校
* 函數 / 函数 (hánshù)
* 函洞 (hándòng)
* 函牘 / 函牍
* 函甲
* 函請 / 函请
* 函谷關 / 函谷关 (Hángǔ Guān)
* 函購 / 函购 (hángòu)
* 函道
* 函電 / 函电 (hándiàn)
* 函館 / 函馆 (Hánguǎn)
* 初等函數 / 初等函数 (chūděng hánshù)
* 匭函 / 匦函
* 去函
* 回函 (huíhán)
* 存證信函 / 存证信函
* 密函
* 寶函 / 宝函
* 導函數 / 导函数 (dǎohánshù)
* 崤函 (Xiáo Hán)
* 席間函丈 / 席间函丈
* 廣告函件 / 广告函件
* 指數函數 / 指数函数 (zhǐshù hánshù)
* 書函 / 书函 (shūhán)
* 有理函數 / 有理函数 (yǒulǐ hánshù)
* 泥封函谷
* 淵鑑類函 / 渊鉴类函
* 玉函
* 琅函
* 瑯函 / 琅函
* 瑤函 / 瑶函
* 發函 / 发函 (fāhán)
* 私函 (sīhán)
* 空函
* 箋函 / 笺函
* 線型函數 / 线型函数
* 肅函 / 肃函
* 致函 (zhìhán)
* 臺函 / 台函
* 解析函數 / 解析函数 (jiěxī hánshù)
* 謝函 / 谢函
* 賀函 / 贺函
* 通函 (tōnghán)
* 鮫函 / 鲛函
* 黑函 (hēihán)

### Descendants

* → Vietnamese: hòm

### References

* “函”, 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
### Kanji

(Jinmeiyō kanji)
* a box-shaped receptacle, e.g. a coin bank or letter box (e.g. 銭函, 投函する)
* to insert [into a container] (cf. 入れる, 容れる)
* a suit of armor (more commonly 鎧)

#### Readings

* Go-on: ごん (gon)
* Kan-on: かん (kan)
* Kun: はこ (hako, 函)、いれる (ireru, 函れる)、よろい (yoroi)

#### Compounds

* 函(はこ)館(だて) (Hakodate)

### Definitions

* Kanji in this term
* 函
* はこ Jinmeiyō
* kun'yomi
For pronunciation and definitions of 函 – see the following entry. :
| 【箱はこ】3 | [noun] [from 720] a box: a container with a lid [noun] [from 1120] (archaic) a chamber pot for feces; (by extension) feces [noun] [from 1771] (archaic) a shamisen case; (by extension) a shamisen; (by extension) a man or other geisha who accompanies a geisha and carries their shamisen case [noun] (slang) small ライブハウス (raibu hausu, “music venue”) [noun] (Internet slang) Xbox Alternative spellings 筥, 匣, 筐, 篋 |
(This term, 函, is an alternative spelling of the above term.) :

## Korean
### Etymology

From Middle Chinese 函 (MC hom|heam).
Historical Readings :
| Dongguk Jeongun Reading |||
| Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 | ᅘᅡᆷ (Yale: hhàm) | ᅘᅡᆷ (Yale: hhàm) |
| Middle Korean |||
| Text | Eumhun | Eumhun |
| Text | Gloss (hun) | Reading |
| Hunmong Jahoe, 1527 | 함〯 (Yale: hǎm) | 함 (Yale: hàm) |

### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [ha̠(ː)m]
* Phonetic hangul: [함(ː)]
** Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

### Hanja

Wikisource 函 (eumhun 함 함 (ham ham))
* hanja form of 함 (“box”) [noun]

#### Compounds

* 구급함 (救急函, gugeupham)
* 문서함 (文書函, munseoham)
* 보관함 (保管函, bogwanham)
* 사물함 (私物函, samulham)
* 서함 (書函, seoham)
* 수신함 (受信函, susinham)
* 우편함 (郵便函, upyeonham)
* 투표함 (投票函, tupyoham)
* 함수 (函數, hamsu)

### 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

函: Hán Nôm readings: hòm, hàm

### References

* Lê Sơn Thanh, "Nom-Viet.dat", WinVNKey (details)