# 界

| 界 | U+754C, &#30028; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-754C |
| ← 畋 [U+754B] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 畍 → [U+754D] |

## Translingual
### Han character

界 (Kangxi radical 102, 田+4, 9 strokes, cangjie input 田人中中 (WOLL), four-corner 4612$_8$, composition ⿱田介(G) or ⿳田八⿰丿丨(HTJKV))

#### Derived characters

* 堺, 𨺬, 楐, 琾, 𤋽, 䛺, 鎅, 𠝹, 𤲂, 𰂽

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 760, character 18
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 21775
* Dae Jaweon: page 1170, character 11
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2534, character 2
* Unihan data for U+754C

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

* Historical forms of the character 界
* Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
* Small seal script
| | Old Chinese |
| 妎 | *ɡaːds, *ɡeːds |
| 芥 | *kreːds |
| 尬 | *kreːds |
| 界 | *kreːds |
| 介 | *kreːds |
| 疥 | *kreːds |
| 玠 | *kreːds |
| 砎 | *kreːds, *kreːd, *ɡraːd |
| 魪 | *kreːds |
| 价 | *kreːds |
| 衸 | *kreːds, *ɡreːds |
| 齘 | *ɡreːds |
| 骱 | *ɡaːd, *kreːd |
| 扴 | *kreːd |
| 圿 | *kreːd |
| 忦 | *kreːd |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *kreːds): semantic 田 (“field”) + phonetic 介 (OC *kreːds).

### Etymology

Compare perhaps Burmese ခြား (hkra:, “to keep separated”).

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): jiè (jie$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄝˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): gaai$^3$
* Hakka (Sixian, PFS): kie / kiai
* Eastern Min (BUC): gái
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): kài / kè / kòe
    (Teochew, Peng'im): gai$^3$
* Wu (Wugniu)
** (Northern): $^5$ka / $^5$cia / $^5$cie / $^5$kau
** (Jinhua): $^5$ka; $^5$ciae
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: jiè
*** Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄝˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: jiè
*** Wade–Giles: chieh$^4$
*** Yale: jyè
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jieh
*** Palladius: цзе (cze)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: gaai$^3$
*** Yale: gaai
*** Cantonese Pinyin: gaai$^3$
*** Guangdong Romanization: gai$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /kaːi̯³³/
* Hakka
** (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kie
*** Hakka Romanization System: gie
*** Hagfa Pinyim: gie$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /ki̯e⁵⁵/
** (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kiai
*** Hakka Romanization System: giai
*** Hagfa Pinyim: giai$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /ki̯ai̯⁵⁵/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: gái
*** Sinological IPA : /kɑi²¹³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kài
*** Tâi-lô: kài
*** Phofsit Daibuun: kaix
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung): /kai²¹/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /kai⁴¹/
*** IPA (Taipei): /kai¹¹/
** (Hokkien: Kaohsiung, Zhangzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kè
*** Tâi-lô: kè
*** Phofsit Daibuun: kex
*** IPA (Kaohsiung, Zhangzhou): /ke²¹/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Taipei, Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kòe
*** Tâi-lô: kuè
*** Phofsit Daibuun: koex
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /kue⁴¹/
*** IPA (Xiamen): /kue²¹/
*** IPA (Taipei): /kue¹¹/
* kài - literary;
* kè/kòe - vernacular.
* Middle Chinese: keajH
Rime :
| Character | 界 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 見 (28) |
| Final (韻) | 皆 (33) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | II |
| Fanqie | 古拜切 |
| Baxter | keajH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /kˠɛi$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /kᵚæi$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /kɐi$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /kəɨj$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /kɛi$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /kɐi$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /kăi$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | jiè |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | gaai$^3$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*kˤr[e][t]-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*kreːds/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 界 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | jiè |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ kɛj$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*kˁr[e][t]-s/ |
| English | boundary |
| 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 | 界 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 6524 |
| Phonetic component | 介 |
| Rime group | 祭 |
| Rime subdivision | 2 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 誡 |
| Old Chinese | /*kreːds/ |

### Definitions

界
* boundary
    境界 ― jìngjiè ― boundary; state
       Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó shěngjiè jiūfēn [Pinyin]
       PRC provincial boundary dispute
* domain; realm; zone; area
* circle; world; industry
    音樂界／音乐界 ― yīnyuèjiè ― the music world; music circles
* (taxonomy) kingdom

### Compounds

* 一世界
* 三千世界 (sānqiān shìjiè)
* 三界 (sānjiè)
* 上界 (shàngjiè)
* 下界 (xiàjiè)
* 三界公
* 不間不界 / 不间不界
* 世界 (shìjiè)
* 世界主義 / 世界主义 (shìjiè zhǔyì)
* 世界報 / 世界报
* 世界大同
* 世界大戰 / 世界大战 (shìjiè dàzhàn)
* 世界屋脊 (shìjiè wūjǐ)
* 世界性 (shìjièxìng)
* 世界末日 (shìjiè mòrì)
* 世界紀錄 / 世界纪录 (shìjiè jìlù)
* 世界級 / 世界级 (shìjièjí)
* 世界觀 / 世界观 (shìjièguān)
* 世界語 / 世界语 (shìjièyǔ)
* 世界銀行 / 世界银行 (Shìjiè Yínháng)
* 中千世界 (zhōng qiān shìjiè)
* 交界 (jiāojiè)
* 仙界 (xiānjiè)
* 俗界
* 傳播界 / 传播界
* 全世界 (quánshìjiè)
* 冥界
* 出版界
* 分界 (fēnjiè)
* 分界牌
* 劃清界線 / 划清界线 (huàqīngjièxiàn)
* 劃界 / 划界 (huàjiè)
* 十八界
* 十界
* 半間不界 / 半间不界
* 古生界
* 各界 (gèjiè)
* 各界人士 (gèjiè rénshì)
* 四法界
* 四界 (sìjiè)
* 回教世界
* 國界 / 国界 (guójiè)
* 地界 (dìjiè)
* 圻界
* 報界 / 报界 (bàojiè)
* 境界 (jìngjiè)
* 塵界 / 尘界
* 外界 (wàijiè)
* 大千世界 (dàqiānshìjiè)
* 大同世界
* 大開眼界 / 大开眼界 (dàkāiyǎnjiè)
* 太古界
* 天然國界 / 天然国界
* 天界 (tiānjiè)
* 夾界 / 夹界
* 娑婆世界 (Suōpó shìjiè)
* 學界 / 学界 (xuéjiè)
* 安樂世界 / 安乐世界
* 官界 (guānjiè)
* 實業界 / 实业界
* 射界 (shèjiè)
* 小千世界 (xiǎo qiān shìjiè)
* 小界 (Xiǎojiè)
* 廣播界 / 广播界
* 彩色世界
* 悲慘世界 / 悲惨世界
* 搭界 (dājiè)
* 撈過界 / 捞过界
* 政界 (zhèngjiè)
* 新世界 (xīnshìjiè)
* 新生界
* 新界 (Xīnjiè)
* 新聞界 / 新闻界 (xīnwénjiè)
* 棋界 (qíjiè)
* 極樂世界 / 极乐世界 (jílè shìjiè)
* 楚河漢界 / 楚河汉界 (chǔhéhànjiè)
* 業界 / 业界 (yèjiè)
* 欲界 (yùjiè)
* 水界
* 法界 (fǎjiè)
* 浮華世界 / 浮华世界
* 清平世界
* 混沌世界
* 滿世界 / 满世界 (mǎnshìjiè)
* 無色界 / 无色界 (wúsèjiè)
* 現世界 / 现世界
* 生物界
* 界上
* 界內球 / 界内球
* 界分 (jièfèn)
* 界別 / 界别 (jièbié)
* 界口 (jièkǒu)
* 界址 (jièzhǐ)
* 界外
* 界外球 (jièwàiqiú)
* 界定 (jièdìng)
* 界尺 (jièchǐ)
* 界方
* 界樁 / 界桩
* 界標 / 界标
* 界河 (jièhé)
* 界牌 (jièpái)
* 界畫 / 界画 (jièhuà)
* 界石 (jièshí)
* 界碑 (jièbēi)
* 界稻
* 界箍兒 / 界箍儿
* 界約 / 界约
* 界線 / 界线 (jièxiàn)
* 界說 / 界说 (jièshuō)
* 界限 (jièxiàn)
* 界面 (jièmiàn)
* 疆界 (jiāngjiè)
* 眼界 (yǎnjiè)
* 神界
* 視界 / 视界 (shìjiè)
* 租界 (zūjiè)
* 第三世界 (Dì-sān Shìjiè)
* 第二世界 (Dì-èr Shìjiè)
* 第四世界
* 經界 / 经界
* 縣界 / 县界 (xiànjiè)
* 繁華世界 / 繁华世界
* 義界 / 义界
* 胎藏界
* 臨界 / 临界 (línjiè)
* 臨界線 / 临界线
* 臨界點 / 临界点 (línjièdiǎn)
* 自然界 (zìránjiè)
* 自由世界 (zìyóu shìjiè)
* 色界 (sèjiè)
* 花界
* 花花世界 (huāhuāshìjiè)
* 華界 / 华界
* 藝術界 / 艺术界 (yìshùjiè)
* 越界 (yuèjiè)
* 軍界 / 军界
* 輿論界 / 舆论界 (yúlùnjiè)
* 邊界 / 边界 (biānjiè)
* 邊界談判 / 边界谈判
* 金剛界 / 金刚界
* 銀色世界 / 银色世界
* 開眼界 / 开眼界
* 限界 (xiànjiè)
* 靈界 / 灵界 (língjiè)
* 非生物界
* 音界號 / 音界号
* 香界
* 黑暗世界
* 齊梁世界

### See also

* 域 (yù)
* 界 (jiè)
* 門／门 (mén)
* 綱／纲 (gāng)
* 目 (mù)
* 科 (kē)
* 屬／属 (shǔ)
* 種／种 (zhǒng)

### References

* ↑ Luce, G. H. (1981) “-A Finals (17. to Separate; Boundary; Different)”, in A Comparative Word-List of Old Burmese, Chinese and Tibetan, London: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, →ISBN, page 1

### Further reading

* “界”, 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–

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Third grade kyōiku kanji)
* world
* border

#### Readings

(Can we verify this pronunciation?)
* Go-on: け (ke)
* Kan-on: かい (kai, Jōyō)
* Kun: さかい (sakai, 界)

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 界
* かい Grade: 3
* on'yomi
From Middle Chinese 界 (MC keajH, “boundary”).
In Buddhist contexts, derived from the Middle Chinese term used as a translation of Sanskrit धातु (dhātu, “layer, stratum”).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) かい [káꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [ka̠i]

#### Noun

界(かい) • (kai)
* boundary
* a bounded area or region
* a bounded group of people, a society, a world as a social grouping, such as business, celebrities, or finance
    Used both as a standalone noun, and in compounds. Use in compounds is more common in this sense.
    自然(しぜん)の界(かい)、自然(しぜん)界(かい)
       shizen no kai, shizenkai
       the natural world
    美術界(びじゅつかい)
       bijutsukai
       the art world
* the border edge of a thing
* (Buddhism) the category of a thing
* (Buddhism) the world or realm of a thing
* lines drawn between the lines of a text, as on lined writing paper
* lines drawn to lay out a draft of a piece of artwork: a sketch
* (biology, taxonomy) a kingdom
* (geology) a stratum corresponding to a geologic age

##### Coordinate terms

* ドメイン (domein)
* 界(かい) (kai)
* 門(もん) (mon)
* 綱(こう) (kō)
* 目(もく) (moku)
* 科(か) (ka)
* 属(ぞく) (zoku)
* 種(しゅ) (shu)

##### Derived terms

* 世(せ)界(かい) (sekai): world; land, realm
* 異(い)世(せ)界(かい) (isekai): another world
* 結界(けっかい) (kekkai): a cordoned off area; a barrier
* 境界(きょうかい) (kyōkai): a boundary, a border, a limit
* 物質界(ぶっしつかい) (busshitsukai): the material world
* 精神界(せいしんかい) (seishinkai): the spiritual world

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 界
* さかい Grade: 3
* kun'yomi
For pronunciation and definitions of 界 – see the following entry. :
| 【境さかい】5 | [noun] border, boundary, limits [proper noun] a surname |
(This term, 界, is an alternative spelling (less common) of the above term.) :

#### Usage notes

* More commonly spelled 境. Derived terms primarily use that spelling, so see that entry for more details.

### References

* ↑ “界”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006
* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean
### Etymology

From Middle Chinese 界 (MC keajH). Recorded as Middle Korean 계〯 (kyěy) (Yale: kyey) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

### Hanja

Wikisource 界 (eumhun 지경 계 (jigyeong gye))
* hanja form of 계 (“boundary”)

#### Compounds

* 결계(結界) (gyeolgye)
* 경계(境界) (gyeonggye)
* 마계(魔界) (magye)
* 세계(世界) (segye)
* 세계(世界) (segye, “world”)
* 신세계(新世界) (sinsegye)
* 업계(業界) (eopgye)
* 외계(外界) (oegye)
* 외계인(外界人) (oegyein)
* 천계(天界) (cheon'gye)
* 학계(學界) (hakgye)
* 한계(限界) (han'gye)

### 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

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