# 司

| 司 | U+53F8, &#21496; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-53F8 |
| ← 号 [U+53F7] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 叹 → [U+53F9] |

## Translingual
### Han character

司 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+2, 5 strokes, cangjie input 尸一口 (SMR), four-corner 1762$_0$, composition ⿹𠃌𠮛)

#### Derived characters

* 伺 呞 㚸 㟃 柌 泀 祠 䏤 詞(词) 䣳 鉰 飼(饲) 𤔲 𪗪(𬹿) 嗣 覗(𬢊) 笥 孠 䛐
* 𢘜 𢃊 𥄶 𧙈 𥿆 𧉠 𠻁 𠻸 𢩚 𦎛 𣱇 𦭡 𦊛 𦒽
* 𮍷 𫸙 𭠟 𭷿 𭝝 𭉢 𬐩 𭊉 𭻢 𬴴 𭭟 𫵆 𮫴

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 174, character 3
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3257
* Dae Jaweon: page 385, character 8
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 572, character 8
* Unihan data for U+53F8

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 司 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 司 | *slɯ |
| 伺 | *slɯ, *slɯs |
| 覗 | *slɯ, *slɯs |
| 笥 | *slɯ, *slɯs |
| 詞 | *ljɯ |
| 祠 | *ljɯ |
| 柌 | *ljɯ |
| 嗣 | *ljɯs |
| 孠 | *ljɯs |
| 飼 | *ljɯs |
| 呞 | *hljɯ |
Inconclusive.
* Jì Xùshēng: a mouth 口 giving orders and a scepter 刁 of authority.
* Liú Xìnglóng interprets 刁 to be a hand instead.
* Táng Lán: Originally the same character as 后, which later diverged.
* Shuowen: 后 flipped.

### Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *zə; cognate with Proto-Kukish *ca, Mru caŋ (“to do; to make”), and Tibetan མཛད (mdzad, “to do; to act”), མཛོད (mdzod), possibly also related to བཟོ (bzo, “work, labour”) (Schuessler, 2007). Schuessler disputes Löffler's (1966) proposed connection of these cognates to 作 (OC *ʔsaːɡs, *ʔsaːɡs, *ʔsaːɡ, “to do, work, make”) due to phonological difficulties.
Unger (1984) posits a possible relationship with Tibetan རྫི་པོ (rdzi po, “herdsman”).

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): sī (si$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄙ
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): si$^1$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): lhu$^1$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): sṳ̂
    (Meixian, Guangdong): si$^1$
* Jin (Wiktionary): si$^1$
* Northern Min (KCR): sí / sú
* Eastern Min (BUC): sṳ̆ / sĭ
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): sir / su / si / sai
    (Teochew, Peng'im): si$^1$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): su$^1$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^1$sy
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: sī
*** Zhuyin: ㄙ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: sih
*** Wade–Giles: ssŭ$^1$
*** Yale: sz̄
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sy
*** Palladius: сы (sy)
*** Sinological IPA : /sz̩⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: si$^1$
*** Yale: sī
*** Cantonese Pinyin: si$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: xi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /siː⁵⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: lhu$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /ɬu³³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sṳ̂
*** Hakka Romanization System: sii$^ˊ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: si$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /sɨ²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: si$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /sz̩⁴⁴/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: si$^1$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /sz̩¹¹/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: sí / sú
*** Sinological IPA : /si⁵⁴/, /su⁵⁴/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: sṳ̆ / sĭ
*** Sinological IPA : /sy⁵⁵/, /si⁵⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sir
*** Tâi-lô: sir
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /sɯ³³/
** (Hokkien: General Taiwanese, Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: su
*** Tâi-lô: su
*** Phofsit Daibuun: sw
*** IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung, Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /su⁴⁴/
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Jinjiang, Philippines)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: si
*** Tâi-lô: si
*** Phofsit Daibuun: sy
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /si⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines): /si³³/
** (Hokkien: General Taiwanese, Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sai
*** Tâi-lô: sai
*** Phofsit Daibuun: say
*** IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung, Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /sai⁴⁴/
* sir/su/si (Jinjiang, Philippines) - literary;
* si/sai - vernacular.
* Middle Chinese: si
Rime :
| Character | 司 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 心 (16) |
| Final (韻) | 之 (19) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 息兹切 |
| Baxter | si |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /sɨ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /sɨ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /sie/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /sɨ/ |
| Li Rong | /siə/ |
| Wang Li | /sĭə/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /si/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | sī |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | si$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*s-lə/
    (Zhengzhang): /*slɯ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 司 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | sī |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ si › |
| Old Chinese | /*s-lə/ |
| English | superintend |
| 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 | 司 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 11951 |
| Phonetic component | 司 |
| Rime group | 之 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 思 |
| Old Chinese | /*slɯ/ |

### Definitions

司
* to take charge of; to control; to manage
* officer; official
* (chiefly Shanghainese) Used in transcription.
    起司 ― qǐsī ― cheese
    違司／违司 [Shanghainese] ― $^6$we-sy$_1$ [Wugniu] ― rag (from waste)
    阿司匹林 ― āsīpǐlín ― aspirin
    盎司 ― àngsī ― ounce
* a surname

### Compounds

* 丁司壋 / 丁司垱 (Dīngsīdàng)
* 三司 (sānsī)
* 上司 (shàngsī)
* 三司使
* 三法司
* 仲介公司
* 保全公司
* 保險公司 / 保险公司 (bǎoxiǎn gōngsī)
* 光桿司令 / 光杆司令 (guānggǎn sīlìng)
* 兩合公司 / 两合公司
* 公司 (gōngsī)
* 公司債 / 公司债
* 公司債券 / 公司债券
* 公司法 (gōngsīfǎ)
* 公司行號 / 公司行号
* 公司重整
* 公證公司 / 公证公司
* 兵馬司 / 兵马司
* 冥司
* 凡立司
* 分公司 (fēngōngsī)
* 分司
* 判司
* 勒克司
* 勾司人
* 南司
* 卡司 (kǎsī)
* 司事 (sīshì)
* 司令 (sīlìng)
* 司令員 / 司令员 (sīlìngyuán)
* 司令官 (sīlìngguān)
* 司令臺 / 司令台
* 司令部 (sīlìngbù)
* 司倉 / 司仓
* 司儀 / 司仪 (sīyí)
* 司公 (sīgōng)
* 司務 / 司务
* 司南 (sīnán)
* 司命
* 司售人員 / 司售人员
* 司城
* 司士
* 司奶 (sai-nai) (Min Nan)
* 司寇 (sīkòu)
* 司徒 (sītú)
* 司成
* 司戶 / 司户
* 司房
* 司晨
* 司更
* 司會 / 司会
* 司機 / 司机 (sījī)
* 司法 (sīfǎ)
* 司法官 (sīfǎ guān)
* 司法機關 / 司法机关
* 司法權 / 司法权 (sīfǎquán)
* 司法獨立 / 司法独立
* 司法行政
* 司法警察 (sīfǎ jǐngchá)
* 司法院 (Sīfǎyuàn)
* 司爐 / 司炉 (sīlú)
* 司牧
* 司理
* 司直
* 司禮 / 司礼
* 司空 (sīkōng)
* 司空伎倆 / 司空伎俩
* 司空見慣 / 司空见惯 (sīkōngjiànguàn)
* 司舵
* 司藥 / 司药
* 司號員 / 司号员
* 司農 / 司农 (sīnóng)
* 司鐸 / 司铎 (sīduó)
* 司長 / 司长 (sīzhǎng)
* 司隸 / 司隶 (sīlì)
* 司隸校尉 / 司隶校尉 (sīlì xiàowèi)
* 司馬 / 司马 (sīmǎ)
* 司馬法 / 司马法
* 司馬門 / 司马门
* 司馬青衫 / 司马青衫
* 吐司 (tǔsī)
* 各司其事
* 吃官司 (chī guānsi)
* 員司 / 员司
* 四司六局
* 土司 (tǔsī)
* 壽司 / 寿司 (shòusī)
* 大司客
* 大司徒
* 大司空
* 大司馬 / 大司马 (dàsīmǎ)
* 大眾公司 / 大众公司
* 大祭司
* 官司
* 客將司 / 客将司
* 客帳司 / 客帐司
* 密司脫 / 密司脱
* 密昔司
* 專司 / 专司
* 布政司 (bùzhèngsī)
* 市舶司 (shìbósī)
* 庫司 / 库司
* 廣儲司 / 广储司
* 所司
* 打官司
* 投資公司 / 投资公司
* 押司
* 拜耳公司
* 控股公司 (kònggǔ gōngsī)
* 握股公司
* 教坊司
* 文君司馬 / 文君司马
* 有司 (yǒusī)
* 有司徹 / 有司彻
* 有限公司 (yǒuxiàn gōngsī)
* 本司三院
* 本司院
* 東司 / 东司 (dōngsī)
* 毛司
* 江州司馬 / 江州司马
* 沒頭官司 / 没头官司
* 法司
* 派司
* 無限公司 / 无限公司 (wúxiàn gōngsī)
* 牝雞司晨 / 牝鸡司晨 (pìnjīsīchén)
* 牧司
* 百司
* 百福司 (Bǎifúsī)
* 百貨公司 / 百货公司 (bǎihuò gōngsī)
* 盎司 (àngsī)
* 監司 / 监司
* 祭司 (jìsī)
* 稅務司 / 税务司
* 筆墨官司 / 笔墨官司
* 總公司 / 总公司 (zǒnggōngsī)
* 總司令 / 总司令 (zǒngsīlìng)
* 職司 / 职司
* 股份公司 (gǔfèn gōngsī)
* 臺司 / 台司
* 興業公司 / 兴业公司
* 舊司 / 旧司 (Jiùsī)
* 航空公司 (hángkōng gōngsī)
* 船公司
* 蔡司
* 藍德公司 / 蓝德公司
* 藩司
* 行政司法
* 袞司 / 衮司
* 見慣司空 / 见惯司空
* 貝司 / 贝司 (bèisī)
* 費司 / 费司
* 起司
* 起司蛋糕 (qǐsī dàngāo)
* 通政司 (Tōngzhèngsī)
* 金融公司 (jīnróng gōngsī)
* 開司米 / 开司米 (kāisīmǐ)
* 開司米龍 / 开司米龙
* 陰司 / 阴司 (yīnsī)
* 頂頭上司 / 顶头上司

### References

* “司”, 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

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)
* an official, a director, a boss

#### Readings

* Go-on: し (shi, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: し (shi, Jōyō)
* Tō-on: す (su)
* Kun: つかさ (tsukasa, 司)、つかさどる (tsukasadoru, 司る)、みこともち (mikotomochi, 司)
* Nanori: まもる (mamoru)

#### Compounds

* 司(し)会(かい) (shikai, “leading a meeting; chairman”)
* 司(し)書(しょ) (shisho, “librarian”)
* 司(し)法(ほう) (shihō, “administration of justice”)
* 司(し)令(れい) (shirei, “command, control; commander”)
* 行(ぎょう)司(じ) (gyōji, “(sumo) referee”)
* 寿司(すし) (sushi, “sushi”)

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 司
* つかさ Grade: 4
* kun'yomi
For pronunciation and definitions of 司 – see the following entry. :
| 【長つかさ】2 | [noun] a manager, a headman, a foreman [noun] an official [noun] government service [proper noun] a surname [proper noun] a unisex given name Alternative spellings 官, 首, 宰, 省 |
(This term, 司, is an alternative spelling of the above term.) :

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 司
* まもる Grade: 4
* nanori

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) まもる [màmórú] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [ma̠mo̞ɾɯ̟]

#### Proper noun

司(まもる) • (Mamoru)
* a male given name

### Etymology 3

* Kanji in this term
* 司
* みこともち Grade: 4
* kun'yomi
For pronunciation and definitions of 司 – see the following entry. :
| 【みこともち】 | [noun] (archaic, possibly obsolete, historical) in ancient Japan prior to the Taika Reform, a governor appointed by the emperor to carry out imperial policies in the provinces Alternative spelling 宰 |
(This term, 司, is an alternative spelling of the above term.) :

## Korean
### Hanja

司 (eum 사 (sa))
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

司: Hán Nôm readings: ti, tư, tơ
* chữ Hán form of ti (“to take charge of; to control; to manage; officer; official”).