# 參

| 參 | U+53C3, &#21443; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-53C3 |
| ← 参 [U+53C2] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 叄 → [U+53C4] |
| 參 | U+F96B, &#63851; CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F96B |
| ← 索 [U+F96A] | CJK Compatibility Ideographs | 塞 → [U+F96C] |

## Translingual

| Traditional | 參 |
| Simplified | 参 |
| Japanese | 参 |
| Korean | 參 |

### Han character

參 (Kangxi radical 28, 厶+9, 11 strokes, cangjie input 戈戈戈竹 (IIIH), four-corner 2320$_2$, composition ⿱厽㐱)

#### Derived characters

* 傪, 嘇, 墋, 㜗, 㠁, 幓, 慘, 摻, 槮, 滲, 㺑, 犙, 㽩, 磣, 穇, 襂, 糝, 縿, 謲, 贂, 醦, 鏒, 驂, 鰺, 黲, 䟃, 遪, 剼, 毿, 䫩, 㓄, 瘮, 嵾, 篸, 蔘, 鬖
* 𠔭, 𠗿, 𢕕, 𤍜, 𤗲, 𤨵, 𥊀, 𬛓, 𧑁, 𧗋, 𮜒, 𩈼, 𬯘, 𩌰, 𩞀, 𩫦, 𣯶, 𩴑, 𢿈, 𣪶, 𨝐, 𪅩, 𠬙, 𦌀, 𩅙, 𰿕

#### Descendants

* 参 (Japanese shinjitai and simplified Chinese)

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 164, character 28
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3098
* Dae Jaweon: page 372, character 28
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 387, character 23
* Unihan data for U+53C3
* Unihan data for U+F96B

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 參 :
| Western Zhou | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Bronze inscriptions | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 篸 | *ʔsluːm, *ʔsluːms |
| 參 | *sʰluːm, *sʰluːms, *sloːm, *sʰrum, *srum |
| 驂 | *sʰluːm |
| 傪 | *sʰluːm, *sʰluːmʔ |
| 慘 | *sʰluːmʔ |
| 黲 | *sʰluːmʔ, *sʰloːmʔ |
| 謲 | *sʰluːms |
| 毿 | *sluːm |
| 蔘 | *sluːm, *srum |
| 犙 | *sluːm, *sru, *srɯu |
| 糝 | *sluːmʔ |
| 槮 | *sluːmʔ, *sʰrum, *srum, *srumʔ |
| 鬖 | *sloːm |
| 摻 | *sruːm, *sruːmʔ |
| 醦 | *sruːmʔ, *sʰrumʔ |
| 縿 | *sroːm |
| 穇 | *sroːm |
| 嵾 | *sʰrum |
| 磣 | *sʰrumʔ |
| 墋 | *sʰrumʔ |
| 曑 | *srum |
| 瘮 | *srumʔ |
| 滲 | *srums |
Simplified from 曑 (晶 → 厽).
The bronze script form is an ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 晶 (“stars”) + 光 (“light; brightness”) + 彡 (“light rays”) – Three Stars mansion. 彡 (OC *sroːm, *slom) also acts as a phonetic component. Ignoring the lines connecting the three stars, 光 may be interpreted as 卩 (“kneeling person”), representing someone looking at the shining stars above him.
Alternatively, it may be the original character of 簪 (OC *ʔsɯːm, *ʔsrɯm, “hairpin”), since the bronze script forms resemble a person wearing a hat with three stars.
Based on the seal script form, Shuowen interprets the character as a phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *sʰluːm, *sʰluːms, *sloːm, *sʰrum, *srum): semantic 晶 (“stars”) + phonetic 㐱. However, according to the original form, this character is unrelated to 㐱.

### Etymology 1

From 三 (OC *suːm, *suːms, “three”) + other element (Schuessler, 2007).

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): shēn (shen$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄕㄣ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): sam$^1$
* Eastern Min (BUC): sĕng
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): sim / serm / sam
    (Teochew, Peng'im): siam$^1$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: shēn
*** Zhuyin: ㄕㄣ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: shen
*** Wade–Giles: shên$^1$
*** Yale: shēn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shen
*** Palladius: шэнь (šɛnʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʂən⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: sam$^1$
*** Yale: sām
*** Cantonese Pinyin: sam$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: sem$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /sɐm⁵⁵/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: sĕng
*** Sinological IPA : /sɛiŋ⁵⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sim
*** Tâi-lô: sim
*** Phofsit Daibuun: sym
*** IPA (Xiamen): /sim⁴⁴/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: serm
*** Tâi-lô: serm
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /səm³³/
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sam
*** Tâi-lô: sam
*** Phofsit Daibuun: safm
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /sam⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /sam³³/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: siam$^1$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siam
*** Sinological IPA : /siam³³/
* Middle Chinese: srim
Rime :
| Character | 參 |
| Reading # | 1/5 |
| Initial (聲) | 生 (21) |
| Final (韻) | 侵 (140) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 所今切 |
| Baxter | srim |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ʃˠiɪm/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʃᵚim/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ʃiem/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʂjim/ |
| Li Rong | /ʃjəm/ |
| Wang Li | /ʃĭĕm/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʂi̯əm/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | shēn |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | sam$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*srum/
    (Zhengzhang): /*srum/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 參 |
| Reading # | 4/4 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | shēn |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ srim › |
| Old Chinese | /*srum/ (should be *s.rum) |
| English | the constellation Orion’ (named for the three stars in Orion’s belt) |
| 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 | 參 |
| Reading # | 5/5 |
| No. | 1108 |
| Phonetic component | 參 |
| Rime group | 侵 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 森 |
| Old Chinese | /*srum/ |

#### Definitions

參
* 參宿 (Written Standard Chinese)
* Three Stars (Chinese constellation) (English)
* (～宿) (Chinese astronomy) Three Stars mansion (one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions)
* a surname

#### Compounds

* 動如參商 / 动如参商
* 卯酉參辰 / 卯酉参辰
* 參商 / 参商 (shēnshāng)
* 參辰 / 参辰
* 參辰卯酉 / 参辰卯酉
* 參辰日月 / 参辰日月
* 捫參歷井 / 扪参历井
* 斗轉參橫 / 斗转参横
* 日月參辰 / 日月参辰
* 曾參殺人 / 曾参杀人 (Zēng Shēn shārén)
* 月落參橫 / 月落参横
* 略無參商 / 略无参商

### Etymology 2

Related to Japhug tɤzrɤm (“root”), Yakkha साम (“root”) (Jacques, 2015b).

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): shēn (shen$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄕㄣ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): sam$^1$
* Hakka (Sixian, PFS): sêm
* Jin (Wiktionary): seng$^1$
* Eastern Min (BUC): sĕng
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): sim / serm / song / som
    (Teochew, Peng'im): siam$^1$ / siang$^1$ / som$^1$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^1$sen
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: shēn
*** Zhuyin: ㄕㄣ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: shen
*** Wade–Giles: shên$^1$
*** Yale: shēn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shen
*** Palladius: шэнь (šɛnʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʂən⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: sam$^1$
*** Yale: sām
*** Cantonese Pinyin: sam$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: sem$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /sɐm⁵⁵/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sêm
*** Hakka Romanization System: sem$^ˊ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: sem$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /sem²⁴/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: seng$^1$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /səŋ¹¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: sĕng
*** Sinological IPA : /sɛiŋ⁵⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Hsinchu, Sanxia, Kinmen, Magong)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sim
*** Tâi-lô: sim
*** Phofsit Daibuun: sym
*** IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Kinmen): /sim⁴⁴/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: serm
*** Tâi-lô: serm
*** IPA (Quanzhou, Lukang): /səm³³/
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Magong)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: song
*** Tâi-lô: song
*** Phofsit Daibuun: sofng
*** IPA (Xiamen): /sɔŋ⁴⁴/
** (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Tainan, Taichung, Sanxia, Yilan)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: som
*** Tâi-lô: som
*** Phofsit Daibuun: sofm
*** IPA (Zhangzhou, Tainan, Yilan): /sɔm⁴⁴/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: siam$^1$ / siang$^1$ / som$^1$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siam / siang / som
*** Sinological IPA : /siam³³/, /siaŋ³³/, /som³³/
* siang1 - Chaoyang;
* som1 - Raoping.
* Middle Chinese: srim
Rime :
| Character | 參 |
| Reading # | 1/5 |
| Initial (聲) | 生 (21) |
| Final (韻) | 侵 (140) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 所今切 |
| Baxter | srim |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ʃˠiɪm/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʃᵚim/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ʃiem/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʂjim/ |
| Li Rong | /ʃjəm/ |
| Wang Li | /ʃĭĕm/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʂi̯əm/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | shēn |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | sam$^1$ |

#### Definitions

參
* ginseng or any other similar plant
* Short for 海參／海参 (hǎishēn, “sea cucumber”).

##### Synonyms

* (ginseng):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 人參 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 人參 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 人參 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 人參 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 人參 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 人參 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 參 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 參 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 人參, 參 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 人參 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 人參 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 人參, 參 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 參 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 人參 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 人參 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 人參 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 參仔 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 參 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 人參 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 人參 |

#### Compounds

* 丹參 / 丹参 (dānshēn)
* 人參 / 人参 (rénshēn)
* 人參果 / 人参果
* 刺參 / 刺参 (cìshēn)
* 參湯 / 参汤 (shēntāng)
* 土參 / 土参
* 沙參 / 沙参 (shāshēn)
* 泡參 / 泡参 (pàoshēn)
* 海參 / 海参 (hǎishēn)
* 海參崴 / 海参崴
* 玄參 / 玄参 (xuánshēn)
* 粉光參 / 粉光参
* 苦參 / 苦参 (kǔshēn)
* 血參 / 血参
* 西洋參 / 西洋参 (xīyángshēn)
* 還陽參 / 还阳参 (huányángshēn)
* 高麗參 / 高丽参 (gāolíshēn)
* 鮑參翅肚 / 鲍参翅肚 (bàoshēnchìdǔ)

### Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “derived from 三? related to 審?”)

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): cān (can$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄘㄢ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): caam$^1$ / cam$^1$
* Eastern Min (BUC): chăng
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): chham
    (Teochew, Peng'im): cam$^1$ / cang$^1$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^1$tshoe
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cān
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄢ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: can
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻan$^1$
*** Yale: tsān
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsan
*** Palladius: цань (canʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰän⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: caam$^1$ / cam$^1$
*** Yale: chāam / chām
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsaam$^1$ / tsam$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: cam$^1$ / cem$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰaːm⁵⁵/, /t͡sʰɐm⁵⁵/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: chăng
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰaŋ⁵⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chham
*** Tâi-lô: tsham
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zhafm
*** IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰam³³/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Taipei): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: cam$^1$ / cang$^1$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsham / tshang
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰam³³/, /t͡sʰaŋ³³/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^1$tshoe
*** MiniDict: tshoe$^平$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^1$tshoe
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰø⁵³/
* Middle Chinese: tshom
Rime :
| Character | 參 |
| Reading # | 3/5 |
| Initial (聲) | 清 (14) |
| Final (韻) | 覃 (159) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | I |
| Fanqie | 倉含切 |
| Baxter | tshom |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡sʰʌm/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /t͡sʰəm/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡sʰɒm/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /t͡sʰəm/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡sʰᴀm/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡sʰɒm/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /t͡sʰăm/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | cān |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | caam$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[tsʰ]ˤ[u]m/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰluːm/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 參 |
| Reading # | 1/4 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | cān |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tshom › |
| Old Chinese | /*[tsʰ]ˁ[u]m/ |
| English | accumulate |
| 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 | 參 |
| Reading # | 1/5 |
| No. | 1081 |
| Phonetic component | 參 |
| Rime group | 侵 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 參 |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰluːm/ |

#### Definitions

參
* to join; to take part
    參軍／参军 ― cānjūn ― to join the army
* to consult
    參閱／参阅 ― cānyuè ― to refer to
    參照／参照 ― cānzhào ― to consult and follow
* (literary) to examine; to inspect
    From: Xunzi, c. 3rd century BCE
    Jūnzǐ bóxué ér rì cān xǐng hū jǐ, zé zhī míng ér xíng wú guò yǐ. [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
    From: The Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals
    Chá qí hàowù, yǐ cān zhōng nìng, kǎo qí wǎngxíng, yàn zhī yú jīn. [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
* (literary) to investigate and understand
    參透／参透 ― cāntòu ― to thoroughly understand
    From: Shi Nai'an, Water Margin, circa 14th century CE
    Cǐ nǎi chánjī yǐnyǔ, rǔ yí zì cān, bùkě míng shuō. [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
* to pay visit to a superior
    參拜／参拜 ― cānbài ― to make a formal visit to
* (historical) to impeach an official before the emperor
* (literary) to form a trio with two other things
    From: Xunzi, c. 3rd century BCE
    Gōng cān tiāndì, zé bèi shēngmín. [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
    From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE
    Wú yǔ rìyuè cānguāng, wú yǔ tiāndì wéi cháng. [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
    From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5th – 3rd centuries BCE
    Wèi jūn wèi gào Yí, Yí xǔnuò, yīn yǔ zhī cān zuò yú Wèi jūn zhī qián. [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)

#### Compounds

* 免參 / 免参
* 內參 / 内参
* 公眾參與 / 公众参与
* 利弊參半 / 利弊参半
* 功過參半 / 功过参半
* 參事 / 参事 (cānshì)
* 參伍 / 参伍
* 參佐 / 参佐 (cānzuǒ)
* 參假 / 参假 (cānjià)
* 參前落後 / 参前落后
* 參加 / 参加 (cānjiā)
* 參劾 / 参劾 (cānhé)
* 參半 / 参半 (cānbàn)
* 參同契 / 参同契
* 參堂 / 参堂
* 參場 / 参场
* 參天 / 参天 (cāntiān)
* 參孫 / 参孙 (Cānsūn)
* 參將 / 参将
* 參展 / 参展 (cānzhǎn)
* 參度 / 参度
* 參悟 / 参悟 (cānwù)
* 參戰 / 参战 (cānzhàn)
* 參拜 / 参拜 (cānbài)
* 參政 / 参政 (cānzhèng)
* 參政權 / 参政权
* 參數 / 参数 (cānshù)
* 參朝 / 参朝
* 參本 / 参本
* 參校 / 参校 (cānjiào)
* 參照 / 参照 (cānzhào)
* 參看 / 参看 (cānkàn)
* 參知政事 / 参知政事
* 參破 / 参破
* 參禪 / 参禅 (cānchán)
* 參綜 / 参综
* 參考 / 参考 (cānkǎo)
* 參考書 / 参考书 (cānkǎoshū)
* 參與 / 参与
* 參見 / 参见 (cānjiàn)
* 參觀 / 参观 (cānguān)
* 參訂 / 参订 (cāndìng)
* 參詳 / 参详 (cānxiáng)
* 參話頭 / 参话头
* 參請 / 参请
* 參謀 / 参谋 (cānmóu)
* 參謁 / 参谒 (cānyè)
* 參譚 / 参谭
* 參議 / 参议 (cānyì)
* 參議會 / 参议会
* 參議院 / 参议院 (cānyìyuàn)
* 參賽 / 参赛 (cānsài)
* 參贊 / 参赞 (cānzàn)
* 參軍 / 参军 (cānjūn)
* 參透 / 参透 (cāntòu)
* 參選 / 参选 (cānxuǎn)
* 參酌 / 参酌 (cānzhuó)
* 參閱 / 参阅 (cānyuè)
* 參雜 / 参杂
* 參靈 / 参灵
* 參革 / 参革
* 參預 / 参预
* 參頭 / 参头
* 參驗 / 参验 (cānyàn)
* 同參 / 同参
* 喝參 / 喝参
* 形名參同 / 形名参同
* 憂喜參半 / 忧喜参半
* 打參 / 打参
* 拔地參天 / 拔地参天
* 放參 / 放参 (fàngcān)
* 早參 / 早参
* 晚參 / 晚参
* 晨參暮省 / 晨参暮省
* 晨參暮禮 / 晨参暮礼
* 暮禮晨參 / 暮礼晨参
* 朝參暮禮 / 朝参暮礼
* 毀譽參半 / 毁誉参半 (huǐyùcānbàn)
* 疑信參半 / 疑信参半
* 筆參造化 / 笔参造化
* 聯合參謀 / 联合参谋
* 說參請 / 说参请
* 違紀參選 / 违纪参选
* 飽參 / 饱参
* 魚頭參政 / 鱼头参政

### Etymology 4
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): sān (san$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄙㄢ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): saam$^1$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^1$se
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: sān
*** Zhuyin: ㄙㄢ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: san
*** Wade–Giles: san$^1$
*** Yale: sān
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: san
*** Palladius: сань (sanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /sän⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: saam$^1$
*** Yale: sāam
*** Cantonese Pinyin: saam$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: sam$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /saːm⁵⁵/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^1$se
*** MiniDict: se$^平$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^1$se
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /se⁵³/
* Middle Chinese: sam
Rime :
| Character | 參 |
| Reading # | 4/5 |
| Initial (聲) | 心 (16) |
| Final (韻) | 談 (143) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | I |
| Fanqie | 蘇甘切 |
| Baxter | sam |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /sɑm/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /sɑm/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /sɑm/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /sam/ |
| Li Rong | /sɑm/ |
| Wang Li | /sɑm/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /sɑm/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | sān |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | saam$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*s.rum/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sloːm/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 參 |
| Reading # | 3/4 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | sān |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ sam › |
| Old Chinese | /*s.rum/ (*s.r- > s-; infl. by 四 *s-?) |
| English | three |
| 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 | 參 |
| Reading # | 3/5 |
| No. | 1094 |
| Phonetic component | 參 |
| Rime group | 談 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 三 |
| Old Chinese | /*sloːm/ |

#### Definitions

參
* (obsolete or financial) Alternative form of 三 (“three”)
    From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE
    Xiānwáng zhī zhì, dàdū bù guò sān guó zhī yī. [Pinyin]
    According to the regulations of the former kings, such a city of the first order can have its wall only a third as long as that of the capital.
    From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
    Zúxià yǔ Xiàng wáng yǒugù, hé bù fǎn Hàn yǔ Chǔ liánhé, sān fēn tiānxià wàng zhī? [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)

##### See also

Chinese numbers :
| | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10$^2$ | 10$^3$ | 10$^4$ | 10$^6$ | 10$^8$ | 10$^{12}$ |
| Normal (小寫 / 小写) | 〇, 零, 空 | 一, 蜀 | 二, 兩 / 两 | 三 | 四 | 五 | 六 | 七 | 八 | 九 | 十 | 百 | 千 | 萬 / 万, 十千 (Malaysia, Singapore) | 百萬 / 百万, 桶(Philippines), 面桶 (Philippines) | 億 / 亿 | 兆 (Taiwan) 萬億 / 万亿 (Mainland China) |
| Financial (大寫 / 大写) | 零 | 壹 | 貳 / 贰 | 參 / 叁 | 肆 | 伍 | 陸 / 陆 | 柒 | 捌 | 玖 | 拾 | 佰 | 仟 | 萬 / 万, 十千 (Malaysia, Singapore) | 百萬 / 百万, 桶(Philippines), 面桶 (Philippines) | 億 / 亿 | 兆 (Taiwan) 萬億 / 万亿 (Mainland China) |

#### Compounds

* 參兩 / 参两
* 參夷 / 参夷
* 參會 / 参会 (sānhuì)

### Etymology 5

Related to 巉 (OC *zraːm, *zraːmʔ, “craggy”) (Schuessler, 2007).

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): cēn (cen$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄘㄣ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): caam$^1$ / cam$^1$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): chhim / chham / chherm
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^1$tshen
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cēn
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄣ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cen
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻên$^1$
*** Yale: tsēn
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsen
*** Palladius: цэнь (cɛnʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰən⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: caam$^1$ / cam$^1$
*** Yale: chāam / chām
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsaam$^1$ / tsam$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: cam$^1$ / cem$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰaːm⁵⁵/, /t͡sʰɐm⁵⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhim
*** Tâi-lô: tshim
*** Phofsit Daibuun: chym
*** IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰim⁴⁴/
** (Hokkien: Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chham
*** Tâi-lô: tsham
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zhafm
*** IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰam⁴⁴/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chherm
*** Tâi-lô: tsherm
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡sʰəm³³/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^1$tshen
*** MiniDict: tshen$^平$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^1$tshen
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰən⁵³/
* Middle Chinese: tsrhim
Rime :
| Character | 參 |
| Reading # | 2/5 |
| Initial (聲) | 初 (19) |
| Final (韻) | 侵 (140) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 楚簪切 |
| Baxter | tsrhim |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡ʃʰˠiɪm/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʈ͡ʂʰᵚim/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡ʃʰiem/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʈ͡ʂʰjim/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡ʃʰjəm/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡ʃʰĭĕm/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʈ͡ʂʰi̯əm/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | chēn |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | cam$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[tsʰr][u]m/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰrum/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 參 |
| Reading # | 2/4 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | cēn |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tsrhim › |
| Old Chinese | /*[tsʰr][u]m/ |
| English | 參差 tsrhim.tsrhje uneven |
| 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 | 參 |
| Reading # | 4/5 |
| No. | 1103 |
| Phonetic component | 參 |
| Rime group | 侵 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 嵾 |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰrum/ |
| Notes | 同嵾 |

#### Definitions

參
* Only used in 參差／参差 (cēncī) and 參錯／参错 (cēncuò).

#### Compounds

* 參差 / 参差 (cēncī)
* 參差不齊 / 参差不齐 (cēncībùqí)
* 參錯 / 参错 (cēncuò)
* 玉參差 / 玉参差

### Etymology 6
#### Pronunciation

* Cantonese (Taishan, Wiktionary): tam$^2$
* Cantonese
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: tam$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /tʰam⁵⁵/

#### Definitions

參
* (Siyi Yue) clever; capable; competent; powerful

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 聰明, 伶俐, 聰敏, 聰穎 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 聰明, 機靈, 伶俐, 聰敏, 聰穎, 聰慧 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 聰明 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 聰明 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 聰明 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 聰明 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 聰明 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 靈, 靈醒 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 精靈, 聰明 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 聰明 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 聰明 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 聰明 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 聰明 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 聰明, 醒, 醒目, 叻, 精 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 聰明, 醒, 醒目, 叻, 精 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 聰明, 叻, 參 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 叻 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 伶俐, 叻 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 精, 扮𠮨 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 聰明, 精, 叻, 醒目, 扮𠮨 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 精靈, 聰明 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 聰明, 機靈 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 聰明 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 聰明 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 聰明 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 聰明, 精 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 聰明, 精 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 聰明 |
| Hakka | Kuching (Hepo) | 將 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 機靈, 聰明 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 聰明 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 聰明 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 聰明, 伶俐 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 聰明, 骨, 骨鳥 derogatory, 伶俐 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 聰明, 伶俐 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 聰明, 巧, 明白 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 聰明, 𠢕, 勥, 醒目, 巧 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 巧, 勥, 𠢕 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 聰明 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 聰明 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 精 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 精 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 聰明 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 聰明 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 靈, 聰明 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 靈泛, 聰明 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 聰明 |

### Etymology 7

From English ransom (Cheung, 2007, page 219).

#### Pronunciation

* Cantonese (Jyutping): sam$^1$
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: sam$^1$
*** Yale: sām
*** Cantonese Pinyin: sam$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: sem$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /sɐm⁵⁵/

#### Definitions

參
* (Cantonese) hostage (Classifier: 條／条 c)

##### Synonyms

* 人質／人质 (rénzhì)

##### Compounds

* 救參 / 救参
* 標參 / 标参
* 肉參 / 肉参
* 藏參 / 藏参

### Etymology 8

* For pronunciation and definitions of 參 – see 摻 (“càn, type of drum music”). (This character is a variant form of 摻).

### Etymology 9

* For pronunciation and definitions of 參 – see 糝 (“mixed; impure”). (This character is a variant form of 糝).

## Japanese

| Shinjitai | 参 |
| Kyūjitai | 參 |

### Kanji

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 参)
* three

#### Readings

* Go-on: さん (san)、しん (shin)、そん (son)
* Kan-on: さん (san)、しん (shin)
* Kun: まいる (mairu, 參る)

## Korean
### Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC tshom, “add; influence; join”).
Historical Readings :
| Dongguk Jeongun Reading |||
| Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 | 참 (Yale: chàm) | 참 (Yale: chàm) |
| Middle Korean |||
| Text | Eumhun | Eumhun |
| Text | Gloss (hun) | Reading |
| Sinjeung Yuhap, 1576 | 참예 (Yale: chamyey) | 참 (Yale: cham) |
| Early Modern Korean |||
| Text | Final (韻) | Reading |
| Samun Seonghwi, 1751 | 覃 | 참 (cham) |

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [t͡ɕʰa̠m]
* Phonetic hangul: [참]

#### Hanja

Wikisource 參 (eumhun 참여할 참 (chamyeohal cham))
* hanja form of 참 (“to join; to participate”) [affix]

#### Compounds

* 고참 (古參, gocham)
* 동참 (同參, dongcham)
* 불참 (不參, bulcham)
* 신참 (新參, sincham)
* 지참 (持參, jicham)
* 참가 (參加, chamga)
* 참견 (參見, chamgyeon)
* 참고 (參考, chamgo)
* 참관 (參觀, chamgwan)
* 참모 (參謀, chammo)
* 참배 (參拜, chambae)
* 참석 (參席, chamseok, “attendance”)
* 참여 (參與, chamyeo)
* 참전 (參戰, chamjeon)
* 참조 (參照, chamjo)
* 합참 (合參, hapcham)

### Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC tsrhim, “jagged; uneven”).
Historical Readings :
| Dongguk Jeongun Reading |||
| Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 | ᄎᆞᆷ (Yale: chòm) | ᄎᆞᆷ (Yale: chòm) |
| Early Modern Korean |||
| Text | Final (韻) | Reading |
| Samun Seonghwi, 1751 | 侵 | ᄎᆞᆷ (cham) |

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [t͡ɕʰa̠m]
* Phonetic hangul: [참]

#### Hanja

參 (eumhun 들쭉날쭉할 참 (deuljjungnaljjukhal cham))
* (literary) hanja form of 참 (“jagged; uneven”)

#### Compounds

* 참착 (參錯, chamchak)
* 참치 (參差, chamchi)

### Etymology 3

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC srim, “Three Stars mansion”).
Historical Readings :
| Dongguk Jeongun Reading |||
| Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 | ᄉᆞᆷ (Yale: sòm) | ᄉᆞᆷ (Yale: sòm) |
| Early Modern Korean |||
| Text | Final (韻) | Reading |
| Samun Seonghwi, 1751 | 侵 | ᄉᆞᆷ (sam) |

#### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [sʰa̠m]
* Phonetic hangul: [삼]

#### Hanja

參 (eumhun 별 이름 삼 (byeol ireum sam))
* hanja form of 삼 (“(Chinese astronomy) Three Stars mansion (one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions)”)

#### Compounds

* 삼례 (參禮, Samnye, “Samnye”)
* 삼상 (參商, samsang)
* 삼성 (參星, samseong)
* 삼수 (參宿, samsu)

### Etymology 4

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC sam, “three”).

#### Hanja

參 (eumhun 석 삼 (seok sam))
* (financial) Alternative form of 三 (“hanja form of 삼 (“three”)”)

### 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

參: Hán Nôm readings: tham
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.