# 敬

| 敬 | U+656C, &#25964; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-656C |
| ← 敫 [U+656B] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 敭 → [U+656D] |
| 敬 | U+2F8C9, &#194761; CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F8C9 |
| ← 敏 [U+2F8C8] | CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement | 𣀊 → [U+2F8CA] |

## Translingual
### Han character

敬 (Kangxi radical 66, 攴+9 in traditional Chinese and Korean, 攴+8 in mainland China and Japanese, 13 strokes in traditional Chinese and Korean, 12 strokes in mainland China and Japanese, cangjie input 廿口人大 (TROK), four-corner 4864$_0$, composition ⿰苟攵(GJKV) or ⿰茍攵(HT))

#### Derived characters

* 儆, 𠧂, 𫱻, 𢢩, 擏, 𤀂, 曔, 㯳, 璥, 䜘, 𩼃, 𫄿, 𭋆, 𭘷, 㢣, 𢐧, 憼, 擎, 檠, 𭶍, 蟼, 警, 驚

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 473, character 35
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13285
* Dae Jaweon: page 826, character 17
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1466, character 2
* Unihan data for U+656C
* Unihan data for U+2F8C9

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 敬 :
| Western Zhou | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Bronze inscriptions | Chu slip and silk script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 蟼 | *kraː, *kreŋ, *kreŋʔ |
| 憼 | *kaŋʔ, *kreŋʔ |
| 驚 | *kreŋ |
| 警 | *kreŋʔ |
| 儆 | *kreŋʔ, *ɡreŋs |
| 璥 | *keŋʔ |
| 檠 | *kreŋʔ, *ɡreŋ, *ɡreŋs |
| 敬 | *kreŋs |
| 擎 | *ɡreŋ |
| 曔 | *ɡreŋs |
Possibly ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 茍 (“kneeling person or sitting dog”) + 攴 (“hand holding a stick, authority”).

### Etymology

Cognate with 驚 (OC *kreŋ, “to be afraid; to scare”) (Schuessler, 2007). See there for more.

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): jìng (jing$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄥˋ
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ging$^3$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): gen$^1$
* Gan (Wiktionary): jin$^4$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): kin
    (Hailu, HRS): gin$^ˇ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): gin$^4$
* Northern Min (KCR): ge̿ng
* Eastern Min (BUC): géng
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): ging$^4$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): kèng
    (Teochew, Peng'im): gêng$^3$
* Wu (Wugniu)
** (Northern): $^5$cin
** (Jinhua): $^5$cin
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: jìng
*** Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄥˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: jìng
*** Wade–Giles: ching$^4$
*** Yale: jìng
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jinq
*** Palladius: цзин (czin)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: ging$^3$
*** Yale: ging
*** Cantonese Pinyin: ging$^3$
*** Guangdong Romanization: ging$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /kɪŋ³³/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: gen$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /ken³³/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: jin$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕin³⁵/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kin
*** Hakka Romanization System: gin
*** Hagfa Pinyim: gin$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /kin⁵⁵/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: gin$^ˇ$
*** Sinological IPA: /kin¹¹/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: gin$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /kin⁵³/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ge̿ng
*** Sinological IPA : /keiŋ³³/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: géng
*** Sinological IPA : /kɛiŋ²¹³/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: ging$^4$
*** Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: gi̍ng
*** Sinological IPA : /kiŋ⁴²/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kèng
*** Tâi-lô: kìng
*** Phofsit Daibuun: kexng
*** IPA (Xiamen): /kiɪŋ²¹/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /kiɪŋ⁴¹/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /kiɪŋ²¹/
*** IPA (Taipei): /kiɪŋ¹¹/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /kiɪŋ²¹/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: gêng$^3$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kèng
*** Sinological IPA : /keŋ²¹³/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai, Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
*** Wugniu: $^5$cin
*** MiniDict: cin$^去$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^2$jin
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡ɕin³⁴/
*** Sinological IPA (Jiading): /t͡ɕiŋ³⁴/
*** Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /ciŋ³⁵/
*** Sinological IPA (Chongming): /t͡ɕin³³/
*** Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /t͡ɕin⁵²³/
*** Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /t͡ɕiŋ⁵²³/
*** Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /t͡ɕin³³⁴/
*** Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /t͡ɕin⁴⁵/
*** Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /t͡ɕiŋ³³/
*** Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/
*** Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /t͡ɕiŋ⁴⁴/
** (Jinhua)
*** Wugniu: $^5$cin
*** Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/
* Middle Chinese: kjaengH
Rime :
| Character | 敬 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 見 (28) |
| Final (韻) | 庚 (111) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 居慶切 |
| Baxter | kjaengH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /kˠiæŋ$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /kᵚiaŋ$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /kiaŋ$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /kiajŋ$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /kiɐŋ$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /kĭɐŋ$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ki̯ɐŋ$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | jìng |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | ging$^3$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*kreŋ(ʔ)-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*kreŋs/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 敬 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | jìng |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ kjæng$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*kreŋ(ʔ)-s/ |
| English | respectful |
| 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 | 敬 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 6885 |
| Phonetic component | 敬 |
| Rime group | 耕 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 敬 |
| Old Chinese | /*kreŋs/ |

### Definitions

敬
* to respect; to honor
* to present; to offer (alcohol, food, cigarettes, tea, etc.)
* (literary, or in compounds) to concentrate completely on; to devote oneself to; to focus all of one's attention on
* (literary, or in compounds) respectful; deferential (Can we add an example for this sense?)
* a surname

#### Synonyms

* (to respect):
* 寅畏 (yínwèi) (literary)
* 尊存 (Hokkien)
* 尊崇 (zūnchóng)
* 尊敬 (zūnjìng)
* 尊重 (zūnzhòng)
* 尚
* 崇尚 (chóngshàng)
* 崇拜 (chóngbài)
* 崇敬 (chóngjìng)
* 推尊 (tuīzūn)
* 推崇 (tuīchóng)
* 敦尚 (dūnshàng) (literary)
* 敬愛 / 敬爱 (jìng'ài)
* 敬服 (jìngfú)
* 敬畏 (jìngwèi)
* 敬重 (jìngzhòng)
* 畏服 (wèifú) (literary)
* 誠忠 / 诚忠 (chéngzhōng) (literary)
* (to concentrate completely on):
* 上心 (shàngxīn)
* 專心 / 专心 (zhuānxīn)
* 專注 / 专注 (zhuānzhù)
* 沉潛 / 沉潜 (chénqián)
* 潛心 / 潜心 (qiánxīn)
* 用心 (yòngxīn)
* 走心 (zǒuxīn)
* (respectful):
* 恭敬 (gōngjìng)
* 恭順 / 恭顺 (gōngshùn)
* 敬虔 (jìngqián)
* 莊嚴 / 庄严 (zhuāngyán)
* 莊敬 / 庄敬 (zhuāngjìng) (literary)
* 虔恪 (qiánkè) (literary)
* 虔敬 (qiánjìng)
* 虔誠 / 虔诚 (qiánchéng)

#### Antonyms

* (antonym(s) of “to respect”): 鄙 (bǐ)

### Compounds

* 不敬 (bùjìng)
* 主敬存誠 / 主敬存诚
* 最敬禮 / 最敬礼 (zuìjìnglǐ)
* 可敬 (kějìng)
* 回敬 (huíjìng)
* 大不敬 (dàbùjìng)
* 失敬 (shījìng)
* 奠敬
* 奩敬 / 奁敬
* 孝敬 (xiàojìng)
* 尊敬 (zūnjìng)
* 屈尊敬賢 / 屈尊敬贤
* 崇敬 (chóngjìng)
* 廝抬廝敬 / 厮抬厮敬
* 廝敬廝愛 / 厮敬厮爱
* 彌敬 / 弥敬
* 忒敬思
* 忠敬
* 恭恭敬敬 (gōnggōngjìngjìng)
* 恭敬 (gōngjìng)
* 慎始敬終 / 慎始敬终 (shènshǐjìngzhōng)
* 憐貧敬老 / 怜贫敬老
* 敬上
* 敬上愛下 / 敬上爱下
* 敬之
* 敬事
* 敬事不暇
* 敬事房
* 敬亭山
* 敬仰 (jìngyǎng)
* 敬佩 (jìngpèi)
* 敬信 (Jìngxìn, “Jingxin”)
* 敬同
* 敬天愛民 / 敬天爱民
* 敬奉 (jìngfèng)
* 敬姜猶績 / 敬姜犹绩
* 敬小慎微
* 敬心
* 敬思
* 敬悉
* 敬意 (jìngyì)
* 敬愛 / 敬爱 (jìng'ài)
* 敬慎
* 敬慕 (jìngmù)
* 敬懇者 / 敬恳者
* 敬懼 / 敬惧
* 敬授人時 / 敬授人时
* 敬啟者 / 敬启者 (jìngqǐzhě)
* 敬時愛日 / 敬时爱日
* 敬服 (jìngfú)
* 敬業 / 敬业 (jìngyè)
* 敬業樂群 / 敬业乐群
* 敬業精神 / 敬业精神
* 敬畏 (jìngwèi)
* 敬祝 (jìngzhù)
* 敬神
* 敬禮 / 敬礼 (jìnglǐ)
* 敬稟者 / 敬禀者
* 敬稱 / 敬称 (jìngchēng)
* 敬老尊賢 / 敬老尊贤
* 敬老恤貧 / 敬老恤贫
* 敬老慈幼
* 敬老憐貧 / 敬老怜贫
* 敬老節 / 敬老节
* 敬老院 (jìnglǎoyuàn)
* 敬而遠之 / 敬而远之 (jìng'éryuǎnzhī)
* 敬肅者 / 敬肃者
* 敬若神明
* 敬虔主義 / 敬虔主义 (jìngqiánzhǔyì)
* 敬詞 / 敬词 (jìngcí)
* 敬請 / 敬请 (jìngqǐng)
* 敬諾 / 敬诺
* 敬謝 / 敬谢
* 敬謝不敏 / 敬谢不敏
* 敬謹 / 敬谨
* 敬賢 / 敬贤 (jìngxián)
* 敬賢禮士 / 敬贤礼士 (jìngxiánlǐshì)
* 敬身
* 敬辭 / 敬辞 (jìngcí)
* 敬酒 (jìngjiǔ)
* 敬重 (jìngzhòng)
* 敬陪末坐
* 敬陪末座
* 敬頌 / 敬颂
* 梁敬帝
* 楮敬
* 欽敬 / 钦敬 (qīnjìng)
* 潔敬 / 洁敬
* 炭敬
* 無以為敬 / 无以为敬
* 用代楮敬
* 畢恭畢敬 / 毕恭毕敬 (bìgōngbìjìng)
* 相敬如賓 / 相敬如宾
* 程敬
* 節敬 / 节敬
* 肅然起敬 / 肃然起敬 (sùránqǐjìng)
* 脩敬
* 至敬無文 / 至敬无文
* 致敬 (zhìjìng)
* 茶敬
* 莊敬 / 庄敬 (zhuāngjìng)
* 莊敬自強 / 庄敬自强
* 菲敬
* 虔敬 (qiánjìng)
* 誠心敬意 / 诚心敬意
* 誠敬 / 诚敬
* 贄敬 / 贽敬
* 起敬 (qǐjìng)
* 輕財敬士 / 轻财敬士

### Descendants

* → Vietnamese: kính (敬)
Others:
* → Zhuang: gingq

### References

* “敬”, 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–
* “敬”, 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

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

#### Readings

* Go-on: きょう (kyō)
* Kan-on: けい (kei, Jōyō)
* Kun: うやまう (uyamau, 敬う, Jōyō)
* Nanori: け (ke)、たか (taka)、たかし (takashi)、たけ (take)、とし (toshi)、のり (nori)、ひろ (hiro)、ゆき (yuki)、よし (yoshi)

#### Compounds

* 敬(けい)愛(あい) (keiai): respect and affection
* 敬(けい)畏(い) (keī): reverence, holding in awe, fear
* 敬(けい)意(い) (keī): respect
* 敬(けい)遠(えん) (keien): keeping at a distance
* 敬(けい)具(ぐ) (keigu): a respectful closing statement
* 敬(けい)虔(けん) (keiken): pious
* 敬(けい)語(ご) (keigo): honorifics
* 敬(けい)神(しん) (keishin): piety
* 敬(けい)称(しょう) (keishō): title of honor
* 敬(けい)体(たい) (keitai): distal style
* 敬(けい)白(はく) (keihaku): Yours Sincerely
* 敬(けい)服(ふく) (keifuku): admiration
* 敬(けい)慕(ぼ) (keibo): love and respect
* 敬(けい)礼(れい) (keirei): salute, bow
* 敬(けい)老(ろう) (keirō): respect for elders
* 敬(けい)譲(じょう)語(ご) (keijōgo): polite speech
* 敬(けい)天(てん)愛(あい)人(じん) (keiten aijin): "Revere heaven, love people."
* 失(しっ)敬(けい) (shikkei): rude
* 尊(そん)敬(けい) (sonkei): respect
Archaic
* 敬(けい)啓(けい) (keikei): salutation at end of formal letter
* 敬(けい)呈(てい) (keitei): salutation in a formal letter

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 敬
* けい Grade: 6
* on'yomi
From Middle Chinese 敬 (kjæng$^H$, “respectful”).

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ke̞ː]

#### Affix

敬(けい) • (kei)
* respect, honor, reverence

##### Usage notes

Used in kanji compounds. Not used in isolation except as a suru verb. See 敬する.

##### Derived terms

* 敬(けい)する (kei suru): to respect, to esteem

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 敬
* うやまい Grade: 6
* kun'yomi
The 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of verb 敬う (uyamau, “to respect, to esteem”).

#### Alternative forms

* 敬(うやま)い (uyamai)

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ɯ̟ja̠ma̠i]

#### Noun

敬(うやまい) • (uyamai)
* respect, esteem

##### Usage notes

More commonly spelled as 敬い with the okurigana.

### Etymology 3

Used as ateji in various names.

#### Proper noun

敬(たかし) • (Takashi)
* a male given name

### References

* 1 2 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
* 1 2 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean
### Hanja

敬 (eumhun 공경할 경 (gonggyeonghal gyeong))
* hanja form of 경 (“respect, honor”)
* hanja form of 경 (“respectfully”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

敬: Hán Việt readings: kính (居(cư)慶(khánh)切(thiết))
敬: Nôm readings: kính, kỉnh, kinh
* chữ Hán form of kính (“to respect”).

#### Compounds

* 恭敬 (cung kính)
* 敬重 (kính trọng)

### References

* 1 2 Nguyễn (2014).
* 1 2 3 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
* ↑ Trần (2004).
* 1 2 Bonet (1899).
* ↑ Génibrel (1898).
* ↑ Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).