# 層

| 層 | U+5C64, &#23652; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5C64 |
| ← 屣 [U+5C63] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 履 → [U+5C65] |
| 層 | U+FA3B, &#64059; CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-FA3B |
| ← 墨 [U+FA3A] | CJK Compatibility Ideographs | 屮 → [U+FA3C] |

## Translingual

| Traditional | 層 |
| Simplified | 层 |
| Japanese | 層 |
| Korean | 層 |

### Han character

層 (Kangxi radical 44, 尸+12 in Chinese, 尸+11 in Japanese, 15 strokes in Chinese, 14 strokes in Japanese, cangjie input 尸金田日 (SCWA), four-corner 7726$_6$, composition ⿸尸曾(GHTKV or U+FA3B) or ⿸尸曽(J))

#### Derived characters

* 𡃆, 𡒸, 𡾓, 𪴕, 𭣃, 𮜠, 𥶰

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 303, character 40
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 7798
* Dae Jaweon: page 601, character 34
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 981, character 3
* Unihan data for U+5C64
* Unihan data for U+FA3B

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

* Historical forms of the character 層
* Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
* Small seal script
| | Old Chinese |
| 潧 | *ʔsrɯn |
| 繒 | *ʔsɯːŋ, *zɯŋ |
| 增 | *ʔsɯːŋ, *ʔsɯːŋs |
| 憎 | *ʔsɯːŋ |
| 磳 | *ʔsɯːŋ, *zɯŋ |
| 曾 | *ʔsɯːŋ, *zɯːŋ |
| 矰 | *ʔsɯːŋ |
| 罾 | *ʔsɯːŋ |
| 熷 | *ʔsɯːŋ |
| 竲 | *ʔsɯːŋ, *zɯŋ |
| 橧 | *ʔsɯːŋ, *zɯŋ |
| 譄 | *ʔsɯːŋ |
| 蹭 | *sʰɯːŋs |
| 層 | *zɯːŋ |
| 贈 | *zɯːŋs |
| 僧 | *sɯːŋ |
| 鬙 | *sɯːŋ |
| 甑 | *ʔsɯŋs |
| 鄫 | *zɯŋ |
| 驓 | *zɯŋ |
| 嶒 | *zɯŋ |
| 噌 | *sʰɯːŋ |
| 鏳 | *zrɯːŋ |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *zɯːŋ): semantic 尸 + phonetic 曾 (OC *ʔsɯːŋ, *zɯːŋ).

### Etymology 1

The Baxter and Sagart (2014) reconstruction suggests this word is derived from 增 (OC *s-tˤəŋ, “to increase, to expand, to add”), in turn derived from 登 (OC *tˤəŋ, “to go up, to climb”).

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): céng (ceng$^2$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄘㄥˊ
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): цын (cɨn, I)
* Cantonese (Jyutping): cang$^4$
* Hakka (Sixian, PFS): chhèn
* Northern Min (KCR): cǎing
* Eastern Min (BUC): cèng
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): chn̂g / chêng / chân / chàn
    (Teochew, Peng'im): zang$^5$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^6$zen
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: céng
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄥˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: céng
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻêng$^2$
*** Yale: tséng
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tserng
*** Palladius: цэн (cɛn)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɤŋ³⁵/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: цын (cɨn, I)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰəŋ²⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: cang$^4$
*** Yale: chàhng
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsang$^4$
*** Guangdong Romanization: ceng$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɐŋ²¹/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhèn
*** Hakka Romanization System: cen$^ˇ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: cen$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰen¹¹/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: cǎing
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡saiŋ²¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: cèng
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sɛiŋ⁵³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chn̂g
*** Tâi-lô: tsn̂g
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zngg
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sŋ̍²⁴/
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chêng
*** Tâi-lô: tsîng
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zeeng
*** IPA (Xiamen): /t͡siɪŋ²⁴/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡siɪŋ¹³/
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chân
*** Tâi-lô: tsân
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zaan
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡san²³/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡san¹³/
*** IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /t͡san²⁴/
** (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chàn
*** Tâi-lô: tsàn
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zaxn
*** IPA (Taipei): /t͡san¹¹/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡san²¹/
* chân - classifier;
* chàn - story/level, 棧 is also used.
* Middle Chinese: dzong
Rime :
| Character | 層 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 從 (15) |
| Final (韻) | 登 (129) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | I |
| Fanqie | 昨楞切 |
| Baxter | dzong |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /d͡zəŋ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /d͡zəŋ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /d͡zəŋ/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /d͡zəŋ/ |
| Li Rong | /d͡zəŋ/ |
| Wang Li | /d͡zəŋ/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /d͡zʱəŋ/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | céng |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | cang$^4$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*N-s-tˤəŋ/, /*m-s-tˤəŋ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*zɯːŋ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 層 | 層 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | céng | céng |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ dzong › | ‹ dzong › |
| Old Chinese | /*N-s-tˁəŋ/ | /*m-s-tˁəŋ/ |
| English | in two storeys, double | additional floor, field |
| 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 | 層 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 16626 |
| Phonetic component | 曾 |
| Rime group | 蒸 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | |
| Old Chinese | /*zɯːŋ/ |

#### Definitions

層
* to pile up; to overlap
* thing made of layers
* layer; storey; floor; stratum
* Classifier for things arranged in layers, storeys or levels.
* (Southern Min) Classifier for events.

##### Synonyms

* 樓／楼 (lóu) (more colloquial and more used)
* 樓層／楼层 (lóucéng)
* (storey): (Hokkien) 棧／栈 (chàn)

#### Compounds

* 一層 / 一层 (yīcéng)
* 一層天 / 一层天
* 三層 / 三层
* 下層 / 下层 (xiàcéng)
* 上層 / 上层 (shàngcéng)
* 三層仔 / 三层仔
* 三層肉 / 三层肉 (sāncéngròu)
* 下層階級 / 下层阶级
* 中層 / 中层 (zhōngcéng)
* 中氣層 / 中气层
* 中胚層 / 中胚层 (zhōngpēicéng)
* 九層塔 / 九层塔 (jiǔcéngtǎ)
* 傾移斷層 / 倾移断层
* 內層 / 内层
* 分層負責 / 分层负责
* 剝一層皮 / 剥一层皮
* 千層糕 / 千层糕 (qiāncénggāo)
* 千層麵 / 千层面 (qiāncéngmiàn)
* 卷層雲 / 卷层云 (juǎncéngyún)
* 向斜層 / 向斜层
* 同斜層 / 同斜层
* 同溫層 / 同温层 (tóngwēncéng)
* 含水層 / 含水层 (hánshuǐcéng)
* 單斜層 / 单斜层
* 土層 / 土层
* 地層 / 地层 (dìcéng)
* 地層下陷 / 地层下陷
* 基層 / 基层 (jīcéng)
* 基層建設 / 基层建设
* 基層組織 / 基层组织
* 基層行政 / 基层行政
* 塗層 / 涂层 (túcéng)
* 外層 / 外层 (wàicéng)
* 外胚層 / 外胚层 (wàipēicéng)
* 大氣層 / 大气层 (dàqìcéng)
* 大腦皮層 / 大脑皮层
* 大陸礁層 / 大陆礁层
* 夾層 / 夹层 (jiācéng)
* 夾層屋 / 夹层屋
* 密密層層 / 密密层层
* 密層層 / 密层层
* 對流層 / 对流层 (duìliúcéng)
* 層出不窮 / 层出不穷 (céngchūbùqióng)
* 層出疊見 / 层出叠见 (céngchūdiéxiàn)
* 層報 / 层报 (céngbào)
* 層壓 / 层压
* 層壓法 / 层压法
* 層密 / 层密
* 層層 / 层层 (céngcéng)
* 層層加碼 / 层层加码
* 層層深入 / 层层深入
* 層層疊疊 / 层层叠叠
* 層峰 / 层峰
* 層巒 / 层峦 (céngluán)
* 層巒疊嶂 / 层峦叠嶂
* 層序分明 / 层序分明
* 層態 / 层态
* 層林 / 层林 (cénglín)
* 層樓 / 层楼
* 層檀 / 层檀 (Céngtán)
* 層次 / 层次 (céngcì)
* 層次井然 / 层次井然
* 層次分明 / 层次分明
* 層流 / 层流 (céngliú)
* 層浪 / 层浪
* 層瀾 / 层澜
* 層理 / 层理
* 層甍 / 层甍
* 層疊 / 层叠 (céngdié)
* 層積法 / 层积法
* 層積雲 / 层积云 (céngjīyún)
* 層級 / 层级 (céngjí)
* 層臺 / 层台
* 層見疊出 / 层见叠出 (céngxiàndiéchū)
* 層遞 / 层递
* 層雲 / 层云 (céngyún)
* 層面 / 层面 (céngmiàn)
* 岩層 / 岩层
* 常溫層 / 常温层
* 平流層 / 平流层 (píngliúcéng)
* 平移斷層 / 平移断层
* 年齡層 / 年龄层
* 底層 / 底层 (dǐcéng)
* 形成層 / 形成层 (xíngchéngcéng)
* 恆溫層 / 恒温层
* 文化層 / 文化层
* 斜溫層 / 斜温层
* 斷層 / 断层 (duàncéng)
* 斷層掃描 / 断层扫描 (duàncéng sǎomiáo)
* 更上一層樓 / 更上一层楼 (gèngshàngyīcénglóu)
* 更上層樓 / 更上层楼
* 楞層 / 楞层
* 樓層 / 楼层 (lóucéng)
* 正斷層 / 正断层
* 氣密層 / 气密层
* 沖積層 / 冲积层
* 油層 / 油层
* 活斷層 / 活断层
* 洪積層 / 洪积层
* 海成層 / 海成层
* 混合層 / 混合层
* 游離層 / 游离层
* 炭層 / 炭层
* 煤層 / 煤层 (méicéng)
* 熱氣層 / 热气层
* 特權階層 / 特权阶层
* 疊嶺層巒 / 叠岭层峦
* 白千層 / 白千层
* 皮層 / 皮层
* 矽鎂層 / 矽镁层
* 礦層 / 矿层
* 稜層 / 棱层
* 綠皮層 / 绿皮层
* 胚層 / 胚层 (pēicéng)
* 背斜層 / 背斜层
* 胞間層 / 胞间层
* 臭氧層 / 臭氧层 (chòuyǎngcéng)
* 表土層 / 表土层
* 表層 / 表层 (biǎocéng)
* 角質層 / 角质层 (jiǎozhìcéng)
* 變溫層 / 变温层
* 逆溫層 / 逆温层
* 階層 / 阶层 (jiēcéng)
* 雙層 / 双层 (shuāngcéng)
* 雙層公路 / 双层公路
* 雙層公車 / 双层公车
* 雙層巴士 / 双层巴士 (shuāngcéng bāshì)
* 雨層雲 / 雨层云 (yǔcéngyún)
* 雲層 / 云层 (yúncéng)
* 頂層 / 顶层 (dǐngcéng)
* 頂層設計 / 顶层设计 (dǐngcéng shèjì)
* 高層人士 / 高层人士
* 高階層 / 高阶层
* 鳥糞層 / 鸟粪层

#### Descendants

* → Japanese: 層(そう) (sō)
* → Korean: 층(層) (cheung)
Others:
* → Vietnamese: tầng

### Etymology 2
#### Pronunciation

* Southern Min (Teochew, Peng'im): ing$^5$ / êng$^5$
* Southern Min
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: ing$^5$ / êng$^5$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: îng / êng
*** Sinological IPA : /iŋ⁵⁵/, /eŋ⁵⁵/

#### Definitions

層
* (Teochew) Classifier for things arranged in layers, storeys or levels.

### References

* “層”, 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–
* “層”, 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

| Shinjitai | 層 |
| Kyūjitai | 層 &#xFA3B; or 層+&#xFE00; |
| Kyūjitai | 層󠄁 層+&#xE0101; (Adobe-Japan1) |
| Kyūjitai | 層󠄃 層+&#xE0103; (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho) |
| The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details. |||

### Kanji

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 層)
* layer, level

#### Readings

* Go-on: ぞう (zō)
* Kan-on: そう (sō, Jōyō)
* Kun: かさなる (kasanaru, 層なる)、こし (koshi, 層)

#### Synonyms

* 階(かい)層(そう) (kaisō)
* 段(だん)階(かい) (dankai)

### Pronunciation

* Kanji in this term
* 層
* そう Grade: 6
* kan'on
* Alternative spelling
* 層 (kyūjitai)
* (Tokyo) そー [sóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [so̞ː]

### Noun

層(そう) • (sō)
* layer

### Counter

層(そう) • (-sō)
* counter for floors or stories of a building

### References

* ↑ “層”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎ (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2025

## Korean
### Hanja

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

## Vietnamese
### Han character

層: Hán Việt readings: tằng
層: Nôm readings: tàng, tầng, từng
* chữ Nôm form of tầng (“layer; storey; floor”).

#### References

* 1 2 3 Génibrel (1898).
* ↑ Thiều Chửu (1942).
* ↑ Nguyễn (1974).
* 1 2 3 Hồ (1976).
* ↑ Trần (1999).
* ↑ Bonet (1899).
* ↑ Nguyễn et al. (2009).