# 丙

| 丙 | U+4E19, &#19993; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4E19 |
| ← 丘 [U+4E18] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 业 → [U+4E1A] |

## Translingual
### Han character

丙 (Kangxi radical 1, 一+4, 5 strokes, cangjie input 一人月 (MOB), four-corner 1022$_7$, composition ⿱一内)
* Shuowen Jiezi radical №515

#### Derived characters

* 㑂, 𠰳, 𪣃, 𡛦, 怲, 抦, 𬇞, 陃, 昞, 𣍪, 柄, 炳, 眪, 䋑, 𱥞, 蛃, 鈵, 鞆, 𮩺, 𠛥, 邴, 昺, 氞, 苪, 𢨿, 病, 窉, 䇤, 㪅, 㶮, 㔷
* 𰀒, 𰀕

### Further reading

* Kangxi Dictionary: 一部/四畫 on the Chinese Wikisource.
* Kangxi Dictionary: page 78, character 2
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 35
* Dae Jaweon: page 156, character 4
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 16, character 3
* Unihan data for U+4E19

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 丙 :
| Shang | Shang | Western Zhou | Spring and Autumn | Warring States | Warring States | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Bronze inscriptions | Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Bronze inscriptions | Bronze inscriptions | Chu slip and silk script | Qin slip script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| Oracle bone scriptj30094j30095j30096j30097j30098j30099j30100j30101j30102j30103j30104j30105j30106j30107j30108j30109j30110j30111j30112j30113j30114j30115j30116j30117j30118j30119j30120j30121j30122j30123j30124j30125Bronze inscriptionsb20266b20267b20268b20269b20270b20271b20272b20273b20274b20275b20276b20277b20278b20279b20280b20281b20282b20283b20284b20285b20286b20287b20288b20289b20290b20291Small seal scripts10945Transcribed ancient scriptsL35138L35139L35140L17697L17698L17699L17700L17701L17702L17703L17704L17705L17706L17707L17708L17709 |||||||||
| 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 |
| 更 | *kraːŋ, *kraːŋs |
| 粳 | *kraːŋ |
| 埂 | *kraːŋ, *kraːŋʔ |
| 浭 | *kraːŋ |
| 稉 | *kraːŋ |
| 梗 | *kraːŋʔ |
| 哽 | *kraːŋʔ |
| 綆 | *kraːŋʔ |
| 鯁 | *kraːŋʔ |
| 挭 | *kraːŋʔ |
| 骾 | *kraːŋʔ |
| 郠 | *kraːŋʔ |
| 硬 | *ŋɡraːŋs, *ŋɡraːŋs |
| 鞕 | *ŋɡraːŋs |
| 丙 | *pqraŋʔ |
| 炳 | *praŋʔ |
| 邴 | *praŋʔ, *praŋs |
| 怲 | *praŋʔ, *praŋs |
| 苪 | *praŋʔ |
| 蛃 | *praŋʔ |
| 昺 | *praŋʔ |
| 昞 | *praŋʔ |
| 窉 | *praŋʔ |
| 柄 | *praŋʔ, *praŋs |
| 鈵 | *praŋs |
| 寎 | *praŋs |
| 病 | *braŋs |
Various theories:
* Pictogram (象形) – shoulders (Shuowen).
* Pictogram (象形) – the tail of a fish (Erya). See also 再.
* Pictogram (象形) - part of a chariot, as seen in the original form of 更.
* Pictogram (象形) – pedestal.
* Pictogram (象形) – small table.
* Original form of 柄 (OC *praŋʔ, *praŋs).
Whatever its original sense may be, it has been lost and replaced by its early use as a heavenly stem. See also the original version of 更 (< 㪅).

### Etymology 1

Baxter and Sagart (2014) note the phonological relationship between 丙 (OC *praŋʔ) and 兩 (OC *p.raŋʔ, “a pair”); how these two are graphically related is noted in Baxter (1992). Smith (2011) suggests that these two words are not only phonologically similar but also etymologically related, with 丙, meaning "couplet" or "bivalve", referring to an asterism.

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): bǐng (bing$^3$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄅㄧㄥˇ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): bin$^3$
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): bing$^2$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): ben$^2$
* Gan (Wiktionary): bin$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): piáng
    (Hailu, HRS): biang$^ˊ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): biang$^3$
* Jin (Wiktionary): bing$^2$
* Northern Min (KCR): běng
* Eastern Min (BUC): bīng
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): bia$^3$ / biaⁿ$^3$ / bing$^3$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): piáⁿ / péng
    (Teochew, Peng'im): bian$^2$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^5$pin
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): bin$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: bǐng
*** Zhuyin: ㄅㄧㄥˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: bǐng
*** Wade–Giles: ping$^3$
*** Yale: bǐng
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: biing
*** Palladius: бин (bin)
*** Sinological IPA : /piŋ²¹⁴/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: bin$^3$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: bin
*** Sinological IPA : /pin⁵³/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: bing$^2$
*** Yale: bíng
*** Cantonese Pinyin: bing$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: bing$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /pɪŋ³⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: ben$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /pen⁵⁵/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: bin$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /pin²¹³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: piáng
*** Hakka Romanization System: biang$^ˋ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: biang$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /pi̯aŋ³¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: biang$^ˊ$
*** Sinological IPA: /piaŋ²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: biang$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /piaŋ³¹/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: bing$^2$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /piŋ⁵³/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: běng
*** Sinological IPA : /peiŋ²¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: bīng
*** Sinological IPA : /piŋ³³/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: bia$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /pia⁴⁵³/
** (Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: biaⁿ$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /pĩã³³²/
** (Putian)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: bing$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /piŋ⁴⁵³/
** (Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: bing$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /piŋ³³²/
* bia3/biaⁿ3 - vernacular;
* bing3 - literary.
* Middle Chinese: pjaengX
Rime :
| Character | 丙 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 幫 (1) |
| Final (韻) | 庚 (111) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 兵永切 |
| Baxter | pjaengX |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /pˠiæŋ$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /pᵚiaŋ$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /piaŋ$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /piajŋ$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /piɐŋ$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /pĭɐŋ$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /pi̯ɐŋ$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | bǐng |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | bing$^2$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*praŋʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*pqraŋʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 丙 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | bǐng |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ pjæng$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*praŋʔ/ |
| English | 3d heavenly stem |
| 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 | 丙 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 883 |
| Phonetic component | 丙 |
| Rime group | 陽 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 丙 |
| Old Chinese | /*pqraŋʔ/ |
| Notes | 甲文象二石相對並， 與竝同源，後轉註爲兩。又史諱通景 |

#### Definitions

丙
* the third of the ten heavenly stems
* third; C
* (organic chemistry) prop- (denoting the presence of three carbon atoms)
* a surname

##### Coordinate terms

* (Chinese heavenly stems) 天干 (tiāngān); 甲 (jiǎ), 乙 (yǐ), 丙 (bǐng), 丁 (dīng), 戊 (wù), 己 (jǐ), 庚 (gēng), 辛 (xīn), 壬 (rén), 癸 (guǐ)

#### Compounds

* 丙丁 (bǐngdīng)
* 丙二醇 (bǐng'èrchún)
* 丙吉問牛 / 丙吉问牛
* 丙型肝炎 (bǐngxíng gānyán)
* 丙夜 (bǐngyè)
* 丙字法
* 丙烷 (bǐngwán)
* 丙烯 (bǐngxī)
* 丙等特考
* 丙綸 / 丙纶 (bǐnglún)
* 丙肝 (bǐnggān)
* 丙舍
* 丙部
* 丙酮 (bǐngtóng)
* 丙酸 (bǐngsuān)
* 丙醛 (bǐngquán)
* 丙馭吐茵 / 丙驭吐茵
* 丙魏
* 付丙 (fùbǐng)
* 付丙丁 (fùbǐngdīng)
* 聚丙烯 (jùbǐngxī)

#### Descendants

* → Zhuang: bingj

### Etymology 2

* For pronunciation and definitions of 丙 – see 抦 (“to beat”). (This character is a variant form of 抦).

### References

* “丙”, 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.

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Jōyō kanji)
* the third of the ten heavenly stems
* third in rank

#### Readings

* Go-on: ひょう (hyō)
* Kan-on: へい (hei, Jōyō)
* Kun: ひのえ (hinoe, 丙)

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 丙
* へい Grade: S
* on'yomi
From Middle Chinese 丙 (pjæng$^X$).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) へー [héꜜè] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [he̞ː]

#### Noun

丙(へい) • (hei)
* the third of the ten heavenly stems; something of the third rank
    Hypernyms: 天干 (tenkan), 十干 (jikkan)
    Coordinate terms: 甲, 乙, 丙, 丁, 戊, 己, 庚, 辛, 壬, 癸

##### Derived terms

* 丙種(へいしゅ) (heishu)
* 丙夜(へいや) (heiya)
* 甲乙丙(こうおつへい) (kōotsuhei)
* 甲乙丙丁(こうおつへいてい) (kōotsuheitei)

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 丙
* ひのえ Grade: S
* kun'yomi
火 (Hi, “Fire”, one of the Five Elements) +‎ の (no, attributive marker) +‎ 兄 (e, “elder brother”)

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) ひのえ [hìnóé] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [çino̞e̞]

#### Noun

丙(ひのえ) • (hinoe)
* the third of the ten heavenly stems
    Hypernyms: 天干 (tenkan), 十干 (jikkan)
    Coordinate terms: 甲, 乙, 丙, 丁, 戊, 己, 庚, 辛, 壬, 癸

## Korean
### Hanja

丙 (eumhun 셋째 천간 병 (setjjae cheon'gan byeong))
* hanja form of 병 (“third heavenly stem”)
* hanja form of 병 (“third”)
丙 (eumhun 남녘 병 (namnyeok byeong))
* hanja form of 병 (“south, southern”)

### References

* Naver Hanja Dictionary: 丙

## Tày
### Noun

丙 (bưởng, pẻng)
* Nôm form of bưởng (“side; piece”).
    妸分花丙吏A făn hoa bưởng dại(please add an English translation of this usage example)
* Nôm form of pẻng (“ten tael”).
    八昌賞丙双Bảt xáng thưởng pẻng soong(please add an English translation of this usage example)

### References

* Lục Văn Pảo, Hoàng Tuấn Nam (2003) Hoàng Triều Ân, editor, Từ điển chữ Nôm Tày [A Dictionary of (chữ) Nôm Tày]‎ (in Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học Xã hội

## Vietnamese
### Han character

丙: Hán Việt readings: bính
丙: Nôm readings: biếng, bính
* chữ Hán form of Bính (“third of the ten heavenly stems”).
    Hypernyms: 天干, 十干
    Coordinate terms: 甲, 乙, 丙, 丁, 戊, 己, 庚, 辛, 壬, 癸

#### Compounds

* 丙午 (Bính Ngọ)
* 丙子 (Bính Tý)
* 丙寅 (Bính Dần)
* 丙戌 (Bính Tuất)
* 丙申 (Bính Thân)
* 丙辰 (Bính Thìn)

### References

* Nom Foundation
* Thiều Chửu : Hán Việt Tự Điển Hà Nội 1942
* Trần Văn Chánh: Từ Điển Hán Việt NXB Trẻ, Ho Chi Minh Ville, 1999
* Vũ Văn Kính: Đại Tự Điển Chữ Nôm, NXB Văn Nghệ, Ho Chi Minh Ville, 1999