# 早

| 早 | U+65E9, &#26089; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-65E9 |
| ← 旨 [U+65E8] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 旪 → [U+65EA] |

## Translingual
### Han character

早 (Kangxi radical 72, 日+2, 6 strokes, cangjie input 日十 (AJ), four-corner 6040$_0$, composition ⿱日十)

#### Derived characters

* 㔬 卓 章 草 覃 𰁹 𫩭 𭎓 𭑷 𭜬 𢫵 𭥳 𣑬 𤞋 𥏅 𮁲 𮇘 𮈎 𮡲 𫘷 𪞂 𨚰 𭥡 𬀵 𭦞 𭧃 𭧓 𨴝 𠦝(龺) 𡴐 𣁌 𫅃 𭈼 𥏯 𪸣 𬁄

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 489, character 12
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13742
* Dae Jaweon: page 850, character 9
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1483, character 6
* Unihan data for U+65E9

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 早 :
| Warring States | Warring States | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Bronze inscriptions | Chu slip and silk script | Qin slip script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 早 | *ʔsuːʔ |
| 草 | *sʰuːʔ |
| 愺 | *sʰuːʔ |
| 騲 | *sʰuːʔ |
| 皁 | *zuːʔ |
| 皂 | *zuːʔ |
Early bronze inscriptions: Pictogram (象形) – acorn. Original form of 皂 (OC *zuːʔ) through an intermediate variant 皁 (once also written as 草 (cǎo)). Borrowed phonetically for "morning" sense.
Late bronze inscriptions: Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *ʔsuːʔ): semantic 日 (“sun”) + phonetic 棗 (OC *ʔsuːʔ), with 棗 sometimes simplified as 朿.
Small seal script: Ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 日 (“sun”) + 甲 (“first”) – when the sun first rises. However, Xu Shen's interpretation is not based on oracle bones and bronzes inscriptions.
In some ancient texts, 蚤 (OC *ʔsuːʔ) was often used instead.
Unrelated to the ancient version of 是: in this character, it doesn't represent an acorn but a spoon.

### Etymology

Possible cognate found in Proto-Hmong-Mien *ntsi̯ouˣ (“early”), whence White Hmong ntxov and Iu Mien nziou (Baxter and Sagart, 2014; Schuessler, 2007), and Proto-Tai *ɟaːwꟲ (“early morning”), whence Thai เช้า (cháao) and Lü ᦋᧁᧉ (tsaw²).

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): zǎo, zóu (zao$^3$, zou$^2$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄗㄠˇ, ㄗㄡˊ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): zao$^3$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): zào
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): зо (zo, II)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): zou$^2$
    (Dongguan, Jyutping++): zou$^2$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): dau$^2$
* Gan (Wiktionary): zau$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): chó
    (Hailu, HRS): zo$^ˊ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): zau$^3$
* Jin (Wiktionary): zau$^2$
* Northern Min (KCR): cǎu
* Eastern Min (BUC): cā / cō̤
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): zor$^3$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): chá / chái / chó͘ / chó
    (Teochew, Peng'im): za$^2$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): za$^2$ / zao$^2$
* Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): zaau$^2$
* Wu (Wugniu)
** (Northern): $^5$tsau / $^3$tsau
** (Jinhua): $^3$tsau
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): zau$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: zǎo
*** Zhuyin: ㄗㄠˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: zǎo
*** Wade–Giles: tsao$^3$
*** Yale: dzǎu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzao
*** Palladius: цзао (czao)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sɑʊ̯²¹⁴/
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: zóu
*** Zhuyin: ㄗㄡˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: zóu
*** Wade–Giles: tsou$^2$
*** Yale: dzóu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzour
*** Palladius: цзоу (czou)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡soʊ̯³⁵/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: zao$^3$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: zao
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sau⁵³/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: zào
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sau⁵³/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: зо (zo, II)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sɔ⁵¹/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: zou$^2$
*** Yale: jóu
*** Cantonese Pinyin: dzou$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: zou$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sou̯³⁵/
** (Dongguan, Guancheng)
*** Jyutping++: zou$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sɔu³⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: dau$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /tau⁵⁵/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: zau$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sau²¹³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chó
*** Hakka Romanization System: zo$^ˋ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: zo$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡so³¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: zo$^ˊ$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡so²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: zau$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sau³¹/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: zau$^2$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sau⁵³/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: cǎu
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sau²¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: cā / cō̤
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sa³³/, /t͡so³³/
* cā - vernacular;
* cō̤ - literary.
* Middle Chinese: tsawX
Rime :
| Character | 早 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 精 (13) |
| Final (韻) | 豪 (89) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | I |
| Fanqie | 子晧切 |
| Baxter | tsawX |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡sɑu$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /t͡sɑu$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡sɑu$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /t͡saw$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡sɑu$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡sɑu$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /t͡sɑu$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | zǎo |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | zou$^2$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*Nə.tsˤuʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*ʔsuːʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 早 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | zǎo |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tsaw$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*Nə.tsˁuʔ/ |
| English | early |
| 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 | 早 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 16546 |
| Phonetic component | 早 |
| Rime group | 幽 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 早 |
| Old Chinese | /*ʔsuːʔ/ |

### Definitions

早
* early; in advance; soon
    我醒得很早。 ― Wǒ xǐng dé hěn zǎo. ― I woke up early.
       Nǐ néng bù néng zǎo yīdiǎn lái? [Pinyin]
       Can you be here a little earlier?
       Qǐngwèn, wǒ jīntiān zǎo zǒu yīhuìr xíng ma? [Pinyin]
       Please could I leave early today?
    Antonym: 遲 / 迟
* long ago; for a long time
    他早走了。 ― Tā zǎo zǒu le. ― He left long ago.
       Zhè ge biànyāqì yǐjīng shāo huǐ le, zǎo gāi chāi huàn yī ge xīn de le. [Pinyin]
       This transformer has burnt out. It should have been replaced a long time ago.
* (early) morning
       Wǒ jīn zǎo méi yǒu jiàndào tā. [Pinyin]
       I didn't see him this morning.
* good morning
    老師早！／老师早！ ― Lǎoshī zǎo! ― Good morning, teacher!
    Synonym: 早安 (zǎo'ān)
* before; in the past time
       Xiànzài zhème cōngmáng, nǐ zǎo gànmá qù le. [Pinyin]
       So now you are in a hurry. What were you doing before?
* Short for 早上 (zǎoshang).; a.m.
    早八 ― zǎo bā ― 8:00 a.m.
* (Hainanese) breakfast
* a surname

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 早 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 早 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 早 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 早 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 早 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 早 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 早 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 早 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 早 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 早 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 早 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 早 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 早 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 早 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 早 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 早 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 早 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 早 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 早 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 早 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 早 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 早 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 早 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 早 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 早 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 早 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 早 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 早 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 早 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 早 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 早 |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 早安, 早上好 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 早安, 早 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 早安 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 早安, 早 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 早晨 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Nanning | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Penang (Guangfu) | 早晨 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 早晨 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 恁早 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 早晨 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 早晨 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 早晨 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 早晨 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 恁早, 恁會早, 恁早萋 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 恁早 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 恁早, 恁會早, 恁早萋 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 恁早, 恁早萋 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 恁早, 恁早萋 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 𠢕早, 堅早 |
| Hakka | Sabah (Bao'an) | 早晨 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 早頭好 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 早安 |
| Eastern Min | Singapore (Fuqing) | 早頭好 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 𠢕早 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 𠢕早 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 𠢕早 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 𠢕早 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 𠢕早 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 好早起 |
| Southern Min | Pingnan (Shangdu) | 早安 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 早安 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 𠢕早 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 早上好 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 早晨 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 早晨 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 儂早, 早, 早浪好, 谷貓迎 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 早浪好 |
| Wu | Wuxi | 早 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 天亮好 |
| Xiang | Quanzhou | 早安 |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 朝食, 饔, 晨炊 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 早飯, 早餐 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 早飯, 早點 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 早飯, 早餐, 早點 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Ulanhot | 早上飯 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Tongliao | 早上飯 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Chifeng | 早飯 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 早上飯 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 早上飯, 早飯 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Shenyang | 早飯 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 早餐 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 早餐 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tianjin | 點心 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 早飯, 早晨飯, 早點 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 朝飯兒, 早飯 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 清早飯 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 早起飯 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 清早起來飯 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 乾早飯, 早飯 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 早起 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 早點, 早上飯, 早飯 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) | 趕早飯 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 早飯 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Bayanhot | 早飯 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 早飯 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 乾早飯, 早飯 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 早飯, 早餐 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 早飯 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 早飯 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Kunming | 早飯 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 早餐, 早飯, 早點 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 早餐, 早飯, 早點 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 早飯, 點心 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 早飯 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nantong | 早飯 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 早飯 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Huanggang | 早飯 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 早餐, 朝早飯, 朝 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) | 早飯 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 早飯 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Ting Kok) | 早飯 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) | 早飯, 朝頭 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 早飯 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 早飯, 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 粥 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 朝早飯 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 早飯 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 朝早飯 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 朝早飯 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 早飯 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Shaoguan | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Yunfu | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 朝 |
| Cantonese | Xinyi | 朝 |
| Cantonese | Lianjiang | 朝 |
| Cantonese | Nanning | 過早 |
| Cantonese | Wuzhou | 過早 |
| Cantonese | Yulin | 早朝 |
| Cantonese | Hepu (Lianzhou) | 早朝 |
| Cantonese | Danzhou | 早朝 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 早餐 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 早餐 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 早飯 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 早飯 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 早飯 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 朝 |
| Hakka | Xingning | 朝 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 朝, 早餐 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Shuikou; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Hengli; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Pingshan; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Daling) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Longmen (Pingling; Bendihua) | 早餐, 朝 |
| Hakka | Longmen (Luxi; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Boluo (Bendihua) | 早餐 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Zhengguo, Zengcheng) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Wuguishan) | 朝, 早餐 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 早餐 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Shuizhai) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Huacheng) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Changbu) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Mianyang) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Heyuan (Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Zijin (Guzhu; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Longchuan (Tuocheng; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Longchuan (Sidu; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Heping (Linzhai; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Lianping (Zhongxin; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Lianping (Longjie; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Xinfeng (Matou; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Xinfeng (Daxi; Bendihua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Liannan | 朝 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Jiexi | 朝 |
| Hakka | Changting | 朝 |
| Hakka | Wuping | 朝 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Pingyu) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Liancheng | 天光 |
| Hakka | Ninghua | 朝飯 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 晨朝 |
| Hakka | Ruijin | 朝 |
| Hakka | Shicheng | 朝飯 |
| Hakka | Shangyou (Shexi) | 早晨 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 朝 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 早頓, 早, 晨早 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 朝, 朝飯 |
| Hakka | Luchuan | 朝 |
| Hakka | Luchuan (Daqiao) | 朝, 早點 |
| Hakka | Sabah (Longchuan) | 早餐 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 朝, 早餐 |
| Hakka | Singkawang | 朝 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 早飯 |
| Huizhou | Shexian | 早飯 |
| Huizhou | Huangshan (Tunxi) | 天光 |
| Huizhou | Xiuning | 天光 |
| Huizhou | Yixian | 天光 |
| Huizhou | Qimen | 點心 |
| Huizhou | Wuyuan | 朝飯, 朝粥 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 早清飯, 清早飯, 打早飯 |
| Jin | Pingyao | 早起飯, 早晨飯 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 打早飯, 早起飯, 早升飯 |
| Jin | Taibus (Baochang) | 早飯 |
| Jin | Linhe | 早飯 |
| Jin | Jining | 早飯 |
| Jin | Hohhot | 早飯 |
| Jin | Baotou | 早飯 |
| Jin | Dongsheng | 早飯 |
| Jin | Haibowan | 早點 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 早 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou (Dikou) | 早 |
| Northern Min | Songxi | 飯 |
| Northern Min | Zhenghe (Zhenqian) | 飯 |
| Northern Min | Wuyishan | 朝 |
| Northern Min | Pucheng (Shibei) | 朝 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 早 |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 飯, 早 |
| Eastern Min | Zhouning | 飯 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 早頓, 早起頓, 早起 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 早頓, 早起頓, 早起 |
| Southern Min | Yongchun | 早起 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 早頓, 早起頓, 早起 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 早起頓, 早起, 早餐, 早頓 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 早餐, 早起 |
| Southern Min | Zhangping | 飯 |
| Southern Min | Zhangping (Yongfu) | 飯 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 眠起, 早餐 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 猛早頓, 猛早, 早飯, 早糜 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 眠早 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 早餐, 早頓 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 早餐 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 早餐 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 早糜, 早 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 糜旦, 天光糜, 早 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 天光糜, 天光, 天光早糜, 天光早, 天光白糜, 天光白 |
| Southern Min | Qionghai | 早糜, 早餐 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 早餐 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 早餐 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Sanxiang) | 早餐 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 過早, 朝飯, 點心 |
| Northern Pinghua | Guilin (Dahe) | 早飯 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 早飯, 早點 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 飯 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 早飯 |
| Wu | Wuxi | 早飯, 早點 |
| Wu | Danyang | 早飯 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 早飯 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 天亮飯 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 天光 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 五更兒飯, 五更飯, 五更兒 |
| Wu | Jinhua (Tangxi) | 五更 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 早飯 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 早飯 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 早飯, 晨飯 |
| Xiang | Quanzhou | 早飯 |

### Compounds

* 一大早 (yīdàzǎo)
* 一早 (yīzǎo)
* 一早起
* 一早起了
* 一黑早
* 不早 (bùzǎo)
* 不早不晚
* 侵早
* 倒屎咁早 (dou$^2$ si$^2$ gam$^3$ zou$^2$) (Cantonese)
* 儘早 / 尽早
* 冗早 (liōng-chá) (Min Nan)
* 𠢕早 (gâu-chá)
* 半早
* 即早兒 / 即早儿
* 又早
* 及早 (jízǎo)
* 可早
* 古早 (gǔzǎo)
* 多早晚
* 大早
* 大清早 (dàqīngzǎo)
* 大清早上
* 大清早起
* 好早晚
* 屍骨早寒 / 尸骨早寒
* 打早 (dǎzǎo)
* 拜早年 (bàizǎonián)
* 提早 (tízǎo)
* 早上 (zǎoshang)
* 早來 / 早来 (zǎolái)
* 早先 (zǎoxiān)
* 早出晚歸 / 早出晚归 (zǎochūwǎnguī)
* 早前 (zǎoqián)
* 早則 / 早则
* 早占勿藥
* 早參 / 早参
* 早名必折
* 早場 / 早场 (zǎochǎng)
* 早報 / 早报 (zǎobào)
* 早夭
* 早婚 (zǎohūn)
* 早季
* 早安 (zǎo'ān)
* 早尖
* 早就 (zǎojiù)
* 早已 (zǎoyǐ)
* 早年 (zǎonián)
* 早慧 (zǎohuì)
* 早操 (zǎocāo)
* 早放囝
* 早日 (zǎorì)
* 早早 (zǎozǎo)
* 早是
* 早春 (zǎochūn)
* 早時 / 早时
* 早晏
* 早晌
* 早晚 (zǎowǎn)
* 早晝 / 早昼
* 早晨
* 早暝
* 早期 (zǎoqī)
* 早朝
* 早材
* 早死 (zǎosǐ)
* 早水
* 早熟 (zǎoshú)
* 早熟兒童 / 早熟儿童
* 早班 (zǎobān)
* 早生貴子 / 早生贵子 (zǎoshēngguìzǐ)
* 早產 / 早产 (zǎochǎn)
* 早產兒 / 早产儿 (zǎochǎn'ér)
* 早田 (Zǎotián)
* 早秫
* 早稻 (zǎodào)
* 早粟
* 早膳
* 早茶 (zǎochá)
* 早草
* 早落
* 早衙
* 早衰 (zǎoshuāi)
* 早課 / 早课
* 早賜玉音 / 早赐玉音
* 早起 (zǎoqǐ)
* 早退 (zǎotuì)
* 早迷晚寤
* 早逝 (zǎoshì)
* 早遲 / 早迟
* 早難道 / 早难道
* 早霜
* 早霞 (zǎoxiá)
* 早頓 / 早顿 (chá-tǹg)
* 早飯 / 早饭 (zǎofàn)
* 早餐 (zǎocān)
* 早餐會 / 早餐会
* 早麻
* 早點 / 早点
* 早點兒 / 早点儿 (zǎo diǎnr)
* 早齋 / 早斋 (chá-chai) (Min Nan)
* 明早 (míngzǎo)
* 次早 (cìzǎo)
* 清早 (qīngzǎo)
* 絕早 / 绝早 (juézǎo)
* 老早 (lǎozǎo)
* 言之過早 / 言之过早 (yánzhīguòzǎo)
* 起早 (qǐzǎo)
* 起早貪黑 / 起早贪黑 (qǐzǎomōhēi)
* 趁早 (chènzǎo)
* 趕早 / 赶早 (gǎnzǎo)
* 透早 (thàu-chá)
* 這早晚 / 这早晚 (zhè zǎowǎn)
* 遛早兒 / 遛早儿
* 遲早 / 迟早 (chízǎo)
* 遲行早住 / 迟行早住
* 還早 / 还早
* 黑早

### References

* “早”, 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–
* “早”, 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

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

#### Readings

* Go-on: そう (sō, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: そう (sō, Jōyō)
* Kan’yō-on: さっ (sa', Jōyō $^†$)
* Kun: はやい (hayai, 早い, Jōyō)、はやまる (hayamaru, 早まる, Jōyō)、はやめる (hayameru, 早める, Jōyō)、さ (sa, 早)、わさ (wasa, 早)

#### Compounds

* 足(あし)早(ばや) (ashibaya): briskness, swift-footedness, fast-pacedness

### Pronunciation

* Kanji in this term
* 早
* はや Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
* (Tokyo) はや [háꜜyà] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [ha̠ja̠]

### Noun

早(はや) • (haya)
* already, now
    はや数日(すうじつ) — few days now (or few days in the future)
       haya-sūjitsu
       (please add an English translation of this example)

### References

* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean
### Etymology

From Middle Chinese 早 (MC tsawX). Recorded as Middle Korean 조〯 (cwǒ) (Yale: cwo) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

### Hanja

Wikisource 早 (eumhun 일찍 조 (iljjik jo))
* hanja form of 조 (“early”)

#### Compounds

* 조기 (早期, jogi)
* 조만간 (早晩間, joman'gan)
* 조속 (早速, josok)
* 조숙 (早熟, josuk)
* 조조 (早朝, jojo)
* 조퇴 (早退, jotoe)

### 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

早: Hán Việt readings: tảo (子(tử)皓(hạo)切(thiết))
早: Nôm readings: tảo, chảo, tảu
* chữ Hán form of tảo (“early; in advance”).
* chữ Hán form of tảo (“morning”).

#### Compounds

* 太早 (thái tảo)
* 早來 (tảo lai)
* 早婚 (tảo hôn)
* 早時 (tảo thì)
* 早晚 (tảo vãn)
* 早禾 (tảo hòa/tảo hoà)

### References

* 1 2 Nguyễn (2014).
* 1 2 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
* ↑ Trần (2004).
* 1 2 Bonet (1899).
* ↑ Génibrel (1898).
* ↑ Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).