# 惜

| 惜 | U+60DC, &#24796; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-60DC |
| ← 惛 [U+60DB] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 惝 → [U+60DD] |

## Translingual
### Han character

惜 (Kangxi radical 61, 心+8, 11 strokes, cangjie input 心廿日 (PTA), four-corner 9406$_1$, composition ⿰忄昔)

#### Derived characters

* 𥧶

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 391, character 11
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 10814
* Dae Jaweon: page 725, character 23
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2313, character 9
* Unihan data for U+60DC

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 惜 :
| Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 借 | *ʔsjaːɡs, *ʔsjaːɡ |
| 唶 | *ʔsjaːɡs |
| 藉 | *zjaːɡs, *zjaːɡ |
| 躤 | *zjaːɡs |
| 蜡 | *zraːɡs, *sʰaːɡs |
| 齰 | *zraːɡs, *zraːɡ |
| 醋 | *sʰaːɡs |
| 錯 | *sʰaːɡs, *sʰaːɡ |
| 措 | *sʰaːɡs |
| 厝 | *sʰaːɡs, *sʰaːɡ |
| 逪 | *sʰaːɡ |
| 剒 | *sʰaːɡ |
| 鵲 | *sʰaɡ |
| 碏 | *sʰaɡ |
| 踖 | *sʰaɡ, *ʔsjaːɡ, *zjaːɡ |
| 趞 | *sʰaɡ |
| 皵 | *sʰaɡ, *sʰjaːɡ |
| 舄 | *sʰjaːɡ, *sʰaɡ, *sjaːɡ, *sjaːɡ |
| 斮 | *ʔsraɡ, *ʔsraːɡ |
| 簎 | *zraːwɢ, *sʰraːɡ, *zjaːɡ |
| 諎 | *ʔsraːɡ |
| 矠 | *sʰreːɡ, *zreːɡ |
| 庴 | *ʔsjaːɡ, *zjaːɡ |
| 籍 | *zjaːɡ |
| 耤 | *zjaːɡ |
| 猎 | *zjaːɡ |
| 昔 | *sjaːɡ |
| 惜 | *sjaːɡ |
| 腊 | *sjaːɡ |
| 焟 | *sjaːɡ |
| 棤 | *sjaːɡ |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *sjaːɡ): semantic 忄 (“heart”) + phonetic 昔 (OC *sjaːɡ) – a feeling (of the heart).
Note that 昔 has meaning of “past, ending”, hence connotations of “feelings for the past, feeling about an ending – regret, rue”.

### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): xī, xí
    (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧ, ㄒㄧˊ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): sik$^1$ / sek$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): siak / sit
    (Hailu, HRS): siag / sid
    (Meixian, Guangdong): xiag$^5$ / xid$^5$
* Eastern Min (BUC): sék
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): sieo$^5$ / sih$^6$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): sioh / sek / siak
    (Teochew, Peng'im): sioh$^4$ / siêh$^4$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese, Mainland)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: xī
*** Zhuyin: ㄒㄧ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: si
*** Wade–Giles: hsi$^1$
*** Yale: syī
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shi
*** Palladius: си (si)
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕi⁵⁵/
** (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: xí
*** Zhuyin: ㄒㄧˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: sí
*** Wade–Giles: hsi$^2$
*** Yale: syí
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shyi
*** Palladius: си (si)
*** Sinological IPA : /ɕi³⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: sik$^1$ / sek$^3$
*** Yale: sīk / sek
*** Cantonese Pinyin: sik$^7$ / sek$^8$
*** Guangdong Romanization: xig$^1$ / ség$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /sɪk̚⁵/, /sɛːk̚³/
* sik1 - literary (all senses except “to kiss”);
* sek3 - vernacular (“to kiss; to cherish”).
* Middle Chinese: sjek
Rime :
| Character | 惜 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 心 (16) |
| Final (韻) | 昔 (123) |
| Tone (調) | Checked (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 思積切 |
| Baxter | sjek |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /siᴇk̚/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /siɛk̚/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /siæk̚/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /siajk̚/ |
| Li Rong | /siɛk̚/ |
| Wang Li | /sĭɛk̚/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /si̯ɛk̚/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | xi |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | sik$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[s]Ak/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sjaːɡ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 惜 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | xī |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ sjek › |
| Old Chinese | /*[s]Ak/ |
| English | regret; alas |
| 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 | 惜 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 13310 |
| Phonetic component | 昔 |
| Rime group | 鐸 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 昔 |
| Old Chinese | /*sjaːɡ/ |

### Definitions

惜
* to have pity on; to regret; to feel sorry for
    痛惜 ― tòngxī ― to deeply regret
    From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE
    Zǐ wèi Yán Yuān yuē: “Xī hū! Wú jiàn qí jìn yě, wú wèi jiàn qí zhǐ yě!” [Pinyin]
    Speaking of Yan Yuan['s death], the Master said, "The pity of it! I saw him go on, but I never saw him stop!"
    From: Lü Buwei, Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, 239 BCE
    Zǐ yǔ wǒ yī, wǒ huó yě. Wǒ yǔ zǐ yī, zǐ huó yě. Wǒ, guóshì yě, wèi tiānxià xī sǐ. Zǐ, bùxiào rén yě, bùzú ài yě. Zǐ yǔ wǒ zǐ zhī yī. [Pinyin]
    If you give me your clothes, I will live. If I give you my clothes, you will live. I am a distinguished man of state, and it would be a pity if I died for the sake of the empire. As for you, you are an unworthy person and are not worth begrudging. You should give me your clothes.
* to cherish; to adore; to value greatly; to love dearly
    珍惜 ― zhēnxī ― to treasure
       ngo$^5$ aa$^3$ go$^1$ hou$^2$ sek$^3$ keoi$^5$ go$^3$ neoi$^{5-2}$ gaa$^3$. [Jyutping]
       My elder brother loves his daughter dearly.
    錫住嚟用／锡住嚟用 [Cantonese] ― sek$^3$ zyu$^6$ lai$^4$ jung$^6$ [Jyutping] ― to use with care
    From: 許冠傑 (Samuel Hui), 錫嗮你
    sek$^3$ saai$^3$ nei$^5$, nei$^5$ gwaai$^1$ gwaai$^1$ dei$^{6-2}$ ngo$^5$ sat$^6$ hang$^4$ sek$^3$ saai$^3$ nei$^5$ [Jyutping]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
* to begrudge; to grudge; to spare; to stint
* (Cantonese) to kiss
       maa$^{1-4}$ maa$^1$ sek$^3$ zo$^2$ bi$^4$ bi$^1$ jat$^1$ daam$^6$. [Jyutping]
       The mother gave the baby a kiss.
    From: 1986, 林姍姍, 連鎖反應
    mun$^4$ ngaa$^4$ wo$^4$ hung$^4$ seon$^4$ zou$^6$ mei$^5$ mung$^6$, mui$^5$ ci$^3$ nei$^5$ hing$^1$ hing$^1$ dik$^1$ can$^1$ ngo$^5$ (sek$^3$ daam$^6$ sin$^1$ lo$^1$, m$^4$) [Jyutping]
    Incisors and ruddy lips are dreaming good dreams every time you kiss me lightly (give me a kiss, mmm...)
* (Mainland China Hokkien) to take into consideration; to take into account; to give consideration to

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 疼$_1$, 疼愛, 疼惜 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 疼$_1$ |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 疼 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 疼$_1$ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 惜 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 惜 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 矜 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 惜 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 惜, 痛 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 惜 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 赤 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 嬌 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 惜 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 奇異 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 痛, 種 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 痛惜 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 痛惜 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 惜 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 惜 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 赤 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 恨 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 赤 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 惜 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 恨 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 恨 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 恨 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 痛惜 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 敬 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 敬 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 惜, 沙央 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 沙央 |
| Hakka | Kuching (Hepo) | 惜 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 疼$_2$, 疼痛, 疼惜 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 疼$_2$, 疼痛, 疼惜 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 疼$_2$, 疼痛, 疼惜 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 疼$_2$, 惜, 疼痛, 疼惜 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 疼$_2$, 惜, 沙央 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 疼$_2$, 惜, 沙央 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 疼$_2$ |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 惜 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 惜 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 惜 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 惜 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 值鈿 |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 吻, 親, 親吻 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 吻, 親 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 吻, 親 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 吻, 親 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 親 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 親 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 親 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 親 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 惜, 啜, 痛 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 惜, 啜, 嘴 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 啜 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 啜 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 惜 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 唚 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 唚 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 唚 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 唚 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 唚 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 唚 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 唚 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 親 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 親 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 蜜 |
| Northern Min | Songxi | 鼻 |
| Northern Min | Zhenghe | 蜜 |
| Northern Min | Jianyang | 蜜 |
| Northern Min | Wuyishan | 敕 |
| Northern Min | Pucheng (Shibei) | 鼻 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen (Tong'an) | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Shishi | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 唚 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 惜 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 香, 親 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Zhoupu, Pudong) | 香 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 香 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 香 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 香 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 親 |
* (kiss): 親嘴／亲嘴 (qīnzuǐ), 接吻 (jiēwěn); (Hokkien) 相唚, 唚喙
* (to take into consideration):
* 冥思 (míngsī)
* 冥想 (míngxiǎng)
* 品味 (pǐnwèi)
* 尋味 / 寻味 (xúnwèi)
* 尋思 / 寻思
* 念 (niàn)
* 思 (literary, or in compounds)
* 思想 (sīxiǎng)
* 思慮 / 思虑 (sīlǜ)
* 思索 (sīsuǒ)
* 思維 / 思维 (sīwéi)
* 思考 (sīkǎo)
* 思裁 (si$^1$ cai$^2$) (Sichuanese)
* 思量 (sīliáng)
* 慎思 (shènsī)
* 掂掇 (diānduo) (colloquial)
* 推敲 (tuīqiāo)
* 掂量 (diānliáng)
* 揣摩 (chuǎimó)
* 斟酌 (zhēnzhuó) (figuratively)
* 沉思 (chénsī)
* 深思 (shēnsī)
* 照顧 / 照顾 (zhàogù)
* 玩味 (wánwèi)
* 玩弄 (Classical Chinese)
* 琢磨 (zuómo)
* 算計 / 算计 (suànjì)
* 考慮 / 考虑 (kǎolǜ)
* 苦思 (kǔsī)
* 著想 / 着想 (zhuóxiǎng)
* 計算 / 计算 (jìsuàn)
* 計較 / 计较
* 設想 / 设想 (shèxiǎng)
* 顧全 / 顾全 (gùquán)
* 顧及 / 顾及 (gùjí)

### Compounds

* 不惜 (bùxī)
* 不足惜
* 作惜
* 保惜
* 傷惜 / 伤惜
* 可惜 (kěxī)
* 吝惜 (lìnxī)
* 哀惜
* 嗟惜
* 嘆惜 / 叹惜 (tànxī)
* 在所不惜 (zàisuǒbùxī)
* 大牛惜力 (Min Nan)
* 完惜
* 寵惜 / 宠惜
* 寶惜 / 宝惜
* 將惜 / 将惜
* 弔惜 / 吊惜
* 得人惜 (Min Nan)
* 怯惜
* 怨惜
* 惜傷 / 惜伤
* 惜分 (Min Nan)
* 惜分陰 / 惜分阴
* 惜別 / 惜别 (xībié)
* 惜別會 / 惜别会
* 惜力 (xīlì)
* 惜千千
* 惜名
* 惜吝
* 惜命命 (Min Nan)
* 惜售 (xīshòu)
* 惜囝 (Min Nan)
* 惜字
* 惜字如金
* 惜孤念寡
* 惜客好義 / 惜客好义
* 惜寸陰 / 惜寸阴
* 惜性命 (Min Nan)
* 惜恨
* 惜恐
* 惜惋
* 悵惜 / 怅惜
* 悲惜
* 惋惜 (wǎnxī)
* 悼惜
* 惜惜
* 惜愛 / 惜爱
* 惜指失掌
* 惜春
* 惜春御史
* 惜春鳥 / 惜春鸟
* 惜景
* 惜本分 (Min Nan)
* 惜死
* 惜氣 / 惜气
* 惜玉
* 惜玉憐香 / 惜玉怜香
* 惜生
* 惜略 (Min Nan)
* 惜疼
* 惜皮 (Min Nan)
* 惜眠 (Min Nan)
* 惜福 (Min Nan)
* 惜老憐貧 / 惜老怜贫
* 惜花連盆 / 惜花连盆 (Min Nan)
* 惜花連盆，疼囝連孫 / 惜花连盆，疼囝连孙 (Min Nan)
* 惜誓
* 惜護 / 惜护
* 惜身
* 惜閔 / 惜闵
* 惜陰 / 惜阴 (xīyīn)
* 惜面皮 (Min Nan)
* 惜香憐玉 / 惜香怜玉
* 惜墨如金
* 惜墨法
* 愍惜
* 慨惜
* 愛惜 / 爱惜 (àixī)
* 愛惜羽毛 / 爱惜羽毛 (àixīyǔmáo)
* 惺惺相惜 (xīngxīngxiāngxī)
* 愛日惜力 / 爱日惜力
* 愾惜 / 忾惜
* 慎惜
* 愧惜
* 憐孤惜寡 / 怜孤惜寡
* 憫惜 / 悯惜
* 憐惜 / 怜惜 (liánxī)
* 憐貧惜老 / 怜贫惜老
* 憐香惜玉 / 怜香惜玉 (liánxiāngxīyù)
* 憾惜
* 懊惜
* 戀惜 / 恋惜
* 拍惜
* 撫惜 / 抚惜
* 擏惜 (geng$^6$ sek$^3$) (Cantonese)
* 敏惜
* 暗惜
* 棄之可惜 / 弃之可惜
* 歉惜
* 歎惜 / 叹惜 (tànxī)
* 死不足惜 (sǐbùzúxī)
* 珍惜 (zhēnxī)
* 疼惜 (Min Nan)
* 痛惜 (tòngxī)
* 省惜
* 矜惜
* 祕惜 / 秘惜
* 禹惜寸陰 / 禹惜寸阴
* 自惜羽毛
* 苟惜
* 苦惜
* 計惜 / 计惜
* 謹惜 / 谨惜
* 護惜 / 护惜
* 貪惜 / 贪惜
* 貴惜 / 贵惜
* 軫惜 / 轸惜
* 輕憐疼惜 / 轻怜疼惜
* 輕憐痛惜 / 轻怜痛惜
* 輕憐重惜 / 轻怜重惜
* 追惜
* 遺惜 / 遗惜
* 重惜
* 閔惜 / 闵惜
* 閟惜 / 𮤲惜
* 靳惜
* 顧惜 / 顾惜 (gùxī)
* 體惜 / 体惜

### Descendants

* → Vietnamese: tiếc (“to regret”)

### References

* “惜”, 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–
* “惜”, 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

(Jōyō kanji)
* to feel regret, to find something a pity
* to cherish

#### Readings

* Go-on: しゃく (shaku)
* Kan-on: せき (seki, Jōyō)
* Kun: おしい (oshii, 惜しい, Jōyō)、おしむ (oshimu, 惜しむ, Jōyō)、あたらし (atarashi, 惜し)、あたらしい (atarashii, 惜しい)

#### Compounds

* 惜愛(せきあい) (sekiai)
* 惜陰(せきいん) (sekiin)
* 惜春(せきしゅん) (sekishun)
* 惜敗(せきはい) (sekihai)
* 惜別(せきべつ) (sekibetsu)
* 愛惜(あいじゃく) (aijaku)
* 哀惜(あいせき) (aiseki)
* 愛惜(あいせき) (aiseki)
* 嘆惜(たんせき), 歎惜(たんせき) (tanseki)
* 追惜(ついせき) (tsuiseki)
* 痛惜(つうせき) (tsūseki)
* 悼惜(とうせき) (tōseki)
* 悋惜(りんしゃく), 吝惜(りんしゃく) (rinshaku)
* 悋惜(りんせき), 吝惜(りんせき) (rinseki)
* 憐惜(れんせき) (renseki)

### Definitions

* Kanji in this term
* 惜
* あたら Grade: S
* kun'yomi
For pronunciation and definitions of 惜 – see the following entry. :
| 【可惜あたら】 | [adverb] (archaic) regrettably; to my great regret [adverb] (archaic) unfortunately [adverb] (archaic) tragically [interjection] alas! Alternative spelling あったら |
(This term, 惜, is an alternative spelling of the above term.) :

## Korean
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [sʰʌ̹k̚]
* Phonetic hangul: [석]

### Hanja

Wikisource 惜 • (seok) (hangeul 석, revised seok, McCune–Reischauer sŏk, Yale sek)
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

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