# 妙

| 妙 | U+5999, &#22937; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5999 |
| ← 妘 [U+5998] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 妚 → [U+599A] |

## Translingual
### Han character

妙 (Kangxi radical 38, 女+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 女火竹 (VFH), four-corner 4942$_0$, composition ⿰女少)

#### Derived characters

* 𠴕, 𭚵, 𢭼, 𪶋, 𨁭, 𪴽, 𪝹, 𦯷, 𫁐, 𥭝

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 256, character 24
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 6090
* Dae Jaweon: page 521, character 4
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1030, character 10
* Unihan data for U+5999

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

| | Old Chinese |
| 觘 | *sm̥ʰreːw, *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 抄 | *sm̥ʰreːw, *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 鈔 | *sm̥ʰreːw, *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 訬 | *sm̥ʰreːw, *mewʔ |
| 炒 | *sʰroːʔ |
| 吵 | *sm̥ʰreːwʔ, *mewʔ |
| 耖 | *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 仯 | *sm̥ʰreːws |
| 眇 | *mewʔ |
| 渺 | *mewʔ |
| 杪 | *mewʔ |
| 秒 | *mewʔ |
| 篎 | *mewʔ, *mews |
| 妙 | *mews |
| 玅 | *mews |
| 釥 | *sm̥ʰewʔ |
| 小 | *smewʔ |
| 少 | *hmjewʔ, *hmjews |
| 麨 | *m̥ʰjewʔ |
| 尠 | *senʔ, *smos |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *mews): semantic 女 (“woman”) + phonetic 少 (OC *hmjewʔ, *hmjews)

### Pronunciation 1

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): miào (miao$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄇㄧㄠˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): miu$^6$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): méu / meu
    (Meixian, Guangdong): miau$^4$
* Jin (Wiktionary): miau$^3$
* Northern Min (KCR): miāu
* Eastern Min (BUC): miêu
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): biāu / miāu
    (Teochew, Peng'im): miao$^6$ / miou$^6$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^6$miau
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): miau$^4$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: miào
*** Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄠˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: miào
*** Wade–Giles: miao$^4$
*** Yale: myàu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: miaw
*** Palladius: мяо (mjao)
*** Sinological IPA : /mi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: miu$^6$
*** Yale: miuh
*** Cantonese Pinyin: miu$^6$
*** Guangdong Romanization: miu$^6$
*** Sinological IPA : /miːu̯²²/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: méu / meu
*** Hakka Romanization System: meu$^ˋ$ / meu
*** Hagfa Pinyim: meu$^3$ / meu$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /meu̯³¹/, /meu̯⁵⁵/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: miau$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /miau⁵³/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: miau$^3$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /miau⁴⁵/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: miāu
*** Sinological IPA : /miau⁵⁵/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: miêu
*** Sinological IPA : /miɛu²⁴²/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, variant in Taiwan)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: biāu
*** Tâi-lô: biāu
*** Phofsit Daibuun: biau
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /biau²²/
*** IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /biau³³/
*** IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /biau⁴¹/
*** IPA (Nan'an): /biau³¹/
** (Hokkien: Nan'an, General Taiwanese, Singapore)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: miāu
*** Tâi-lô: miāu
*** Phofsit Daibuun: miau
*** IPA (Singapore): /miau²²/
*** IPA (Nan'an): /miãu³¹/
*** IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /miãu³³/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: miao$^6$ / miou$^6$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: miău / miŏu
*** Sinological IPA : /miau³⁵/, /miou³⁵/
* miao6 - Shantou;
* miou6 - Chaozhou.
* Middle Chinese: mjiewH
Rime :
| Character | 妙 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 明 (4) |
| Final (韻) | 宵 (91) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 彌笑切 |
| Baxter | mjiewH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /miᴇu$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /miɛu$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /mjæu$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /miaw$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /miɛu$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /mĭɛu$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /mi̯ɛu$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | miào |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | miu$^6$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[m]ew(ʔ)-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*mews/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 妙 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | miào |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ mjiew$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*[m]ew(ʔ)-s/ |
| English | marvelous |
| 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 | 妙 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 13702 |
| Phonetic component | 小 |
| Rime group | 宵 |
| Rime subdivision | 2 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 妙 |
| Old Chinese | /*mews/ |

#### Definitions

妙
* subtle; mysterious; profound
* fine; glorious; marvelous; wonderful; exquisite
* ingenious; clever
* young
* a surname, Miao

##### Synonyms

* (ingenious):
* 奇妙 (qímiào)
* 奇巧 (qíqiǎo)
* 巧妙 (qiǎomiào)
* 神奇 (shénqí)
* 神妙 (shénmiào)
* 神秘 (shénmì)
* (fine):
* 亹亹 (wěiwěi) (literary)
* 佼好 (jiǎohǎo) (literary)
* 圓滿 / 圆满 (yuánmǎn)
* 妙善 (miàoshàn) (literary)
* 完滿 / 完满 (wánmǎn)
* 美善 (měishàn) (literary)
* 美好 (měihǎo)
* 美妙 (měimiào)
* 美滿 / 美满 (měimǎn)
* 錦繡 / 锦绣 (jǐnxiù) (figurative)

#### Compounds

* 不妙 (bùmiào)
* 丹青妙手
* 二妙
* 唯妙唯肖
* 大事不妙
* 大妙 (dàmiào)
* 奇妙 (qímiào)
* 奧妙 / 奥妙 (àomiào)
* 妙不可言
* 妙事
* 妙人
* 妙光
* 妙品
* 妙善 (miàoshàn)
* 妙喻
* 妙善公主
* 妙喻取譬
* 妙因
* 妙土
* 妙年
* 妙悟 (miàowù)
* 妙想
* 妙手 (miàoshǒu)
* 妙才
* 妙手丹青
* 妙手回春 (miàoshǒuhuíchūn)
* 妙手空空
* 妙招 (miàozhāo)
* 妙方 (miàofāng)
* 妙曲
* 妙果
* 妙法 (miàofǎ)
* 妙物
* 妙理
* 妙用 (miàoyòng)
* 妙用無窮 / 妙用无穷
* 妙畫通靈 / 妙画通灵
* 妙發靈機 / 妙发灵机
* 妙禮 / 妙礼
* 妙筆 / 妙笔 (miàobǐ)
* 妙策 (miàocè)
* 妙筆生花 / 妙笔生花 (miàobǐshēnghuā)
* 妙算 (miàosuàn)
* 妙簡 / 妙简
* 妙絕一時 / 妙绝一时
* 妙絕時人 / 妙绝时人
* 妙聞 / 妙闻
* 妙聲 / 妙声
* 妙舞 (miàowǔ)
* 妙舞清歌
* 妙藥 / 妙药 (miàoyào)
* 妙處 / 妙处 (miàochù)
* 妙處不傳 / 妙处不传
* 妙言要道
* 妙計 / 妙计 (miàojì)
* 妙訣 / 妙诀
* 妙語 / 妙语 (miàoyǔ)
* 妙語如珠 / 妙语如珠
* 妙語橫生 / 妙语横生
* 妙語解頤 / 妙语解颐
* 妙語連珠 / 妙语连珠 (miàoyǔliánzhū)
* 妙論 / 妙论
* 妙趣 (miàoqù)
* 妙趣橫生 / 妙趣横生 (miàoqùhéngshēng)
* 妙道
* 妙選 / 妙选
* 妙音 (miàoyīn)
* 妙齡 / 妙龄
* 妙齡女郎 / 妙龄女郎
* 宛妙
* 巧妙 (qiǎomiào)
* 幼妙
* 微妙 (wēimiào)
* 拍案叫妙
* 搜奇選妙 / 搜奇选妙
* 曲盡其妙 / 曲尽其妙
* 曼妙 (mànmiào)
* 殊形妙狀 / 殊形妙状
* 深妙
* 清歌妙舞
* 玄妙 (xuánmiào)
* 玄妙入神
* 玄妙無窮 / 玄妙无穷
* 玄妙莫測 / 玄妙莫测
* 玄機妙算 / 玄机妙算
* 玄關妙理 / 玄关妙理
* 生花妙筆 / 生花妙笔
* 神妙 (shénmiào)
* 神工妙力
* 神機妙用 / 神机妙用
* 神機妙策 / 神机妙策
* 神機妙算 / 神机妙算 (shénjīmiàosuàn)
* 神機妙術 / 神机妙术
* 神算妙計 / 神算妙计
* 神術妙法 / 神术妙法
* 神術妙策 / 神术妙策
* 神術妙計 / 神术妙计
* 神謀妙策 / 神谋妙策
* 稱奇道妙 / 称奇道妙
* 窮妙極巧 / 穷妙极巧
* 窮極其妙 / 穷极其妙
* 窮極要妙 / 穷极要妙
* 窮靈盡妙 / 穷灵尽妙
* 精妙 (jīngmiào)
* 精妙入神
* 精妙絕倫 / 精妙绝伦
* 絕妙 / 绝妙 (juémiào)
* 絕妙好辭 / 绝妙好辞
* 維妙維肖 / 维妙维肖 (wéimiàowéixiào)
* 美妙 (měimiào)
* 至妙
* 莫名其妙 (mòmíngqímiào)
* 莫明其妙 (mòmíngqímiào)
* 要妙
* 要言妙道
* 語妙絕倫 / 语妙绝伦
* 造微入妙
* 錦囊妙計 / 锦囊妙计 (jǐnnángmiàojì)
* 閨中妙質 / 闺中妙质
* 靈丹妙藥 / 灵丹妙药 (língdānmiàoyào)
* 餘妙繞梁 / 余妙绕梁
* 高妙 (gāomiào)
* 墨妙

### Pronunciation 2

* For pronunciation and definitions of 妙 – see 眇 (“tiny; minute; minuscule”). (This character is a variant form of 眇).

### References

* “妙”, 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

(Jōyō kanji)
* mysterious
* strange, bizarre

#### Readings

* Go-on: みょう (myō, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: びょう (byō)
* Kun: わかい (wakai, 妙い)、たえ (tae, 妙)

### Etymology

* Kanji in this term
* 妙
* みょう Grade: S
* goon
From Middle Chinese 妙 (MC mjiewH).

### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) みょー [myóꜜò] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [mʲo̞ː]
* Audio:(file)

### Adjective

妙(みょう) • (myō) -na (adnominal 妙(みょう)な (myō na), adverbial 妙(みょう)に (myō ni))
* strange
** 1906, Natsume Sōseki, Botchan‎:
    妙(みょう)に女(おんな)のような優(やさ)しい声(こえ)を出(だ)す人(ひと)だった。
       Myō ni onna no yō na yasashii koe o dasu hito datta.
       He talked in a strangely effeminate voice like a woman.
* excellent

#### Inflection

Stem forms :
| Imperfective (未然形) | 妙だろ | みょうだろ | myō daro |
| Continuative (連用形) | 妙で | みょうで | myō de |
| Terminal (終止形) | 妙だ | みょうだ | myō da |
| Attributive (連体形) | 妙な | みょうな | myō na |
| Hypothetical (仮定形) | 妙なら | みょうなら | myō nara |
| Imperative (命令形) | 妙であれ | みょうであれ | myō de are |
| Key constructions ||||
| Informal negative | 妙ではない 妙じゃない | みょうではない みょうじゃない | myō de wa nai myō ja nai |
| Informal past | 妙だった | みょうだった | myō datta |
| Informal negative past | 妙ではなかった 妙じゃなかった | みょうではなかった みょうじゃなかった | myō de wa nakatta myō ja nakatta |
| Formal | 妙です | みょうです | myō desu |
| Formal negative | 妙ではありません 妙じゃありません | みょうではありません みょうじゃありません | myō de wa arimasen myō ja arimasen |
| Formal past | 妙でした | みょうでした | myō deshita |
| Formal negative past | 妙ではありませんでした 妙じゃありませんでした | みょうではありませんでした みょうじゃありませんでした | myō de wa arimasen deshita myō ja arimasen deshita |
| Conjunctive | 妙で | みょうで | myō de |
| Conditional | 妙なら（ば） | みょうなら（ば） | myō nara (ba) |
| Provisional | 妙だったら | みょうだったら | myō dattara |
| Volitional | 妙だろう | みょうだろう | myō darō |
| Adverbial | 妙に | みょうに | myō ni |
| Degree | 妙さ | みょうさ | myōsa |

### Noun

妙(みょう) • (myō)
* excellence

### References

* ↑ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

## Korean
### Hanja

妙 (eumhun 묘할 묘 (myohal myo))
* hanja form of 묘 (“mysterious, subtle”)
* hanja form of 묘 (“exquisite”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

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