# 背

| 背 | U+80CC, &#32972; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-80CC |
| ← 胋 [U+80CB] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 胍 → [U+80CD] |

## Translingual
### Han character

背 (Kangxi radical 130, 肉+5, 9 strokes, cangjie input 中心月 (LPB), four-corner 1122$_7$, composition ⿱北月(GJK) or ⿱北⺼(HT))

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 977, character 21
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 29363
* Dae Jaweon: page 1429, character 11
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2058, character 4
* Unihan data for U+80CC

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

* Historical forms of the character 背
* Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
* Small seal script
| | Old Chinese |
| 背 | *pɯːɡs, *bɯːɡs |
| 鄁 | *bɯːɡs |
| 偝 | *bɯːɡs |
| 邶 | *bɯːɡs |
| 苝 | *bɯːɡs |
| 北 | *pɯːɡ |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *pɯːɡs, *bɯːɡs): phonetic 北 (OC *pɯːɡ) + semantic 月 (“meat”). Originally written as 北, semantic 肉 was added to be distinguished from the derived meaning of 北 (“north”).

### Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ba (“to carry (on back), shoulder”).
Two pronunciations were distinguished in Middle Chinese: puʌi$^H$ (“back”), buʌi$^H$ (“to turn one's back to; to betray”).

### Pronunciation 1

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): bèi (bei$^4$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄅㄟˋ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): bei$^4$
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): бый (bɨy, III)
* Cantonese (Jyutping): bui$^3$ / bui$^6$
* Gan (Wiktionary): bi$^4$
* Hakka (Sixian, PFS): phoi / poi
* Jin (Wiktionary): bei$^3$
* Northern Min (KCR): bò
* Eastern Min (BUC): buôi
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): pōe / pòe / pēr / pē / pè
    (Teochew, Peng'im): buê$^3$ / bu$^3$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^5$pe; $^6$be
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): bei$^4$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: bèi
*** Zhuyin: ㄅㄟˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: bèi
*** Wade–Giles: pei$^4$
*** Yale: bèi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bey
*** Palladius: бэй (bɛj)
*** Sinological IPA : /peɪ̯⁵¹/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: bei$^4$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: bei
*** Sinological IPA : /pei²¹³/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: бый (bɨy, III)
*** Sinological IPA : /pei⁴⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: bui$^3$ / bui$^6$
*** Yale: bui / buih
*** Cantonese Pinyin: bui$^3$ / bui$^6$
*** Guangdong Romanization: bui$^3$ / bui$^6$
*** Sinological IPA : /puːi̯³³/, /puːi̯²²/
* bui3 - “back; to betray; to violate”;
* bui6 - “to recite; unlucky; remote; out of touch; hard of hearing”.
* Middle Chinese: bwojH, pwojH
Rime :
| Character | 背 | 背 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 並 (3) | 幫 (1) |
| Final (韻) | 灰 (42) | 灰 (42) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Closed | Closed |
| Division (等) | I | I |
| Fanqie | 蒲昧切 | 補妹切 |
| Baxter | bwojH | pwojH |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /buʌi$^H$/ | /puʌi$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /buoi$^H$/ | /puoi$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /buɒi$^H$/ | /puɒi$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /bwəj$^H$/ | /pwəj$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /buᴀi$^H$/ | /puᴀi$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /buɒi$^H$/ | /puɒi$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /bʱuɑ̆i$^H$/ | /puɑ̆i$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | bèi | bèi |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | bui$^6$ | bui$^3$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*m-pˤək-s/, /*pˤək-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*pɯːɡs/, /*bɯːɡs/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 背 | 背 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | bèi | bèi |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ bwoj$^H$ › | ‹ pwoj$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*m-pˁək-s/ | /*pˁək-s/ |
| English | turn the back on | the back |
| 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 | 背 | 背 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| No. | 408 | 409 |
| Phonetic component | 北 | 北 |
| Rime group | 代 | 代 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 背 | 佩 |
| Old Chinese | /*pɯːɡs/ | /*bɯːɡs/ |

#### Definitions

背
* (anatomy) back
    捶背 ― chuíbèi ― to give a back massage
    馬背／马背 ― mǎbèi ― horseback
    From: 1927, Lu Xun, 鑄劍
    Yī ge háizi tūrán pǎo guòlái, jīhū pèng zhe tā bèi shàng de jiàn jiān, shǐ tā xià chū le yī shēn hàn. [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
* back; backside; reverse side
    手背 ― shǒubèi ― back of the hand
    紙背／纸背 ― zhǐbèi ― back of a piece of paper
* to leave; to abandon
    背井離鄉／背井离乡 ― bèijǐnglíxiāng ― to leave one's native place and move elsewhere
* to back onto
    背著太陽坐／背着太阳坐 ― bèi zhe tàiyáng zuò ― to sit with one's back to the sun
    背山面海 ― bèi shān miàn hǎi ― backing on to a mountain and facing the sea
* to betray
    From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
    Suí Hé wǎng shuì Jiǔjiāng wáng Bù, Bù guǒ bèi Chǔ. [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
* to do something behind one's back; to hide something from someone
       Nánpéngyǒu bèi zhe wǒ hé qítā nǚshēng liáotiān. [Pinyin]
       My boyfriend chats with other girls behind my back.
* to deviate; to go contrary to; to violate
    背約／背约 ― bèiyuē ― to break one’s promise
    背著良心說話／背着良心说话 ― bèi zhe liángxīn shuōhuà ― to speak against one's conscience
* to memorize; to recite
       Zhè piān wénzhāng xiěde duō bàng a, bèi xiàlái. [Pinyin]
       How excellently written is this article! Memorize it.
       Nǐ bèi Tángshī bèi le duōshǎo shǒu? [Pinyin]
       How many Tang poems have you memorized?
* unlucky; out of luck
* hard of hearing
    耳朵有點兒背／耳朵有点儿背 ― ěrduo yǒudiǎnr bèi ― to be a bit hard of hearing
* remote; out-of-the-way
* (Cantonese) isolated; out of touch; out of the loop; ignorant of what is happening; uninformed of the latest news; not up to speed
** 2003 February 17, 杜依翹, “D場天后張茵再戰歌壇”, in 《東方日報》 [Oriental Daily News]‎:
       nam$^2$ gik$^6$ dou$^1$ nam$^2$ m$^4$ tung$^1$, jyu$^1$ si$^6$ zau$^2$ heoi$^3$ man$^6$ go$^3$ hai$^2$ di$^1$ coeng$^4$ zou$^6$ di$^1$ zhei$^1$ ge$^3$ lou$^5$ jau$^5$, keoi$^5$ ging$^2$ jin$^4$ waa$^6$: “mat$^1$ nei$^5$ gam$^3$ bui$^6$ gaa$^3$! go$^2$ sau$^2$ mai$^6$ hai$^6$ ji$^4$ gaa$^1$ coeng$^3$ dou$^3$ hang$^4$ saai$^3$, jau$^4$ DJ Lorry tung$^4$ zoeng$^1$ jan$^1$ hap$^6$ coeng$^3$ ge$^3$ “soeng$^6$ jat$^1$ go$^3$ bat$^1$ oi$^3$ wui$^4$ gaa$^1$ dik$^1$ jan$^4$. haa$^6$ jat$^1$ go$^3$” lo$^1$!” [Jyutping]
       No matter how hard I tried, I could not think of why, so I went to ask an old friend who works at a DJ at a disco; to my surprise, he told me: "How are you so behind the times!? Why, it's the duet by DJ Lorry and Yennis, 'Previous Person who Does Not Like To Return Home · Next Person'!"
* (swimming) Short for 背泳 (bèiyǒng, “backstroke”).

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 背 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 背, 背部, 背脊, 脊背, 後背 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 後脊樑, 脊樑 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 背 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Ulanhot | 背 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Tongliao | 背 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Chifeng | 背 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 背 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 背, 後背, 後脊樑, 脊樑 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 背 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 脊樑 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 脊樑桿子, 脊樑, 脊樑蓋子 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 脊樑 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 脊背 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 脊樑 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 脊背 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 脊背 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 後筋股, 筋股, 後脊樑股, 脊樑股 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 脊樑 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Bayanhot | 背, 脊背, 脊樑 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 脊背 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 脊背, 脊樑 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 背 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 背心, 背 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 背 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 背, 脊樑 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 脊背, 脊背心 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 脊背, 脊樑, 背 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 脊背, 背, 後背心 |
| Mandarin | Nanping (Yanping) | 背子 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 背脊, 背脢 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 背脊 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) | 背脊, 背樑, 背裡 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Ting Kok) | 背裡脊 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) | 背脊 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 背脢 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 背脊 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 背脊 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 背脊 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 背脊 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 背脊, 背 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 背囊, 背脊 |
| Hakka | Xingning | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Daling) | 背囊脊 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Shuizhai) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Huacheng) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Changbu) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Mianyang) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 背脊 |
| Hakka | Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Jiexi | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Luhe | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Changting | 背脊, 背 |
| Hakka | Wuping | 背脊, 背囊 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Pingyu) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Liancheng | 背脊 |
| Hakka | Ninghua | 背脊 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 背 |
| Hakka | Ruijin | 背脊 |
| Hakka | Shicheng | 背脊 |
| Hakka | Shangyou (Shexi) | 背 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 背脊𩩍 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Sabah (Longchuan) | 背囊, 背 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Sungai Tapang, Batu Kawa (Hepo) | 背囊 |
| Hakka | Singkawang | 背囊 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 背脊 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 脊背 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 脊背 |
| Jin | Taibus (Baochang) | 背 |
| Jin | Linhe | 脊背 |
| Jin | Jining | 脊背 |
| Jin | Hohhot | 脊背 |
| Jin | Baotou | 脊背 |
| Jin | Dongsheng | 脊背 |
| Jin | Haibowan | 脊背 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 背脊, 背脊𩩍 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 𩩍, 𩩍脊骨 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 尻脊, 尻脊𩩍, 巴脊 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 尻脊, 巴脊 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 尻壁 |
| Southern Min | Yongchun | 巴脊 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 尻脊, 尻脊𩩍, 巴脊 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou (Longhai) | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou (Changtai) | 尻脊 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 巴脊 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 尻脊𩩍 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 尻脊, 尻脊後 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 尻脊, 巴脊 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 巴脊, 後壁, 尻脊 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 尻脊 |
| Southern Min | Raoping | 尻脊 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 尻脊, 尻脊枋 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 巴脊 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 尻脊 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 尻脊 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 尻脊 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 尻脊 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 胛脊 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang) | 胛脊 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang) | 胛脊 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu) | 胛脊 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 胛脊, 胛𩩍 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Fengting) | 胛脊, 胛𩩍 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Youyang) | 胛脊, 胛𩩍 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 背脊, 背脢 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 背脊, 背脊骨 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 背肌 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 背心, 背 |
| Wu | Danyang | 背背 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 背脊 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 背脊心, 背脊登, 背脊胴, 背脊 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 背脊身, 背骶身, 後半身 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 背脊 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 背脊, 背心, 背 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 背, 背皮 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 背心, 背 |
| Xiang | Hengyang | 背身 |

#### Compounds

* 亞肩疊背 / 亚肩叠背
* 倒背剪
* 倒背如流 (dàobèirúliú)
* 偏背
* 冷背
* 刀背 (dāobèi)
* 分背
* 刮書背 / 刮书背
* 力透紙背 / 力透纸背
* 勾肩搭背
* 包背裝 / 包背装
* 反背 (fǎnbèi)
* 向聲背實 / 向声背实
* 向背 (xiàngbèi)
* 啣口墊背 / 衔口垫背
* 回背
* 墊背 / 垫背 (diànbèi)
* 墊背錢 / 垫背钱
* 壓肩疊背 / 压肩叠背
* 夾背心子 / 夹背心子
* 崙背鄉 / 仑背乡
* 弓背
* 弓腰曲背
* 彎腰駝背 / 弯腰驼背
* 後背 / 后背 (hòubèi)
* 忘恩背義 / 忘恩背义
* 手背 (shǒubèi)
* 手背朝下
* 打背
* 打背公
* 打背弓
* 打背花
* 扼吭拊背
* 扼喉撫背 / 扼喉抚背 (èhóufǔbèi)
* 拊背扼喉
* 拱肩縮背 / 拱肩缩背
* 挨肩搭背
* 挨肩擦背
* 挨肩疊背 / 挨肩叠背
* 捐背
* 捱肩擦背
* 捶背
* 推背圖 / 推背图
* 掉背臉 / 掉背脸
* 控背躬身
* 揩背
* 搤肮拊背
* 搭背
* 搶背 / 抢背
* 搔背 (sāobèi)
* 搔背爬
* 撫背扼喉 / 抚背扼喉
* 擦背
* 曝背
* 曲背
* 書背 / 书背
* 望其肩背
* 望其項背 / 望其项背 (wàngqíxiàngbèi)
* 棄義背理 / 弃义背理
* 棄背 / 弃背
* 正點背畫 / 正点背画
* 死背 (sǐbèi)
* 民意向背
* 水過鴨背 / 水过鸭背 (shuǐguòyābèi)
* 汗流洽背
* 汗流浹背 / 汗流浃背 (hànliújiābèi)
* 流汗浹背 / 流汗浃背
* 浹背 / 浃背
* 灼背燒頂 / 灼背烧顶
* 炙背
* 熊腰虎背
* 發背 / 发背
* 白背飛蝨 / 白背飞虱
* 相背
* 睟面盎背
* 笞背
* 紙背 / 纸背 (zhǐbèi)
* 紫背草
* 羊背石
* 老背悔
* 老背晦
* 耳背 (ěrbèi)
* 聯肩疊背 / 联肩叠背
* 肩背相望
* 背世
* 背主 (bèizhǔ)
* 背主賣友 / 背主卖友
* 背了時 / 背了时
* 背井離鄉 / 背井离乡 (bèijǐnglíxiāng)
* 背人 (bèirén)
* 背信 (bèixìn)
* 背信忘義 / 背信忘义
* 背信棄義 / 背信弃义 (bèixìnqìyì)
* 背信罪
* 背光 (bèiguāng)
* 背光性
* 背前背後 / 背前背后
* 背剪 (bèijiǎn)
* 背叉
* 背反 (bèifǎn)
* 背叛 (bèipàn)
* 背哈喇子
* 背囊 (bēináng)
* 背地 (bèidì)
* 背地裡 / 背地里 (bèidìlǐ)
* 背城一戰 / 背城一战 (bèichéng-yīzhàn)
* 背城借一 (bèichéng-jièyī)
* 背多分
* 背密
* 背山起樓 / 背山起楼
* 背工
* 背巷
* 背弓
* 背影 (bèiyǐng)
* 背後 / 背后 (bèihòu)
* 背心 (bèixīn)
* 背恩 (bèi'ēn)
* 背恩忘義 / 背恩忘义
* 背悔
* 背抄手
* 背搭
* 背斜層 / 背斜层
* 背旨
* 背時 / 背时 (bèishí)
* 背時鬼 / 背时鬼
* 背晦 (bèihui)
* 背景 (bèijǐng)
* 背景輻射 / 背景辐射 (bèijǐng fúshè)
* 背景音樂 / 背景音乐 (bèijǐng yīnyuè)
* 背暗投明
* 背書 / 背书 (bèishū)
* 背本爭末 / 背本争末
* 背本趨末 / 背本趋末
* 背梁骨
* 背棄 / 背弃 (bèiqì)
* 背槽拋糞 / 背槽抛粪
* 背氣 / 背气 (bèiqì)
* 背水
* 背水一戰 / 背水一战 (bèishuǐ-yīzhàn)
* 背水陣 / 背水阵 (bèishuǐzhèn)
* 背淨 / 背净
* 背熟
* 背理法 (bèilǐfǎ)
* 背生兒子 / 背生儿子
* 背生芒刺
* 背空子
* 背篼 (bēidōu)
* 背簍 / 背篓 (bēilǒu)
* 背約 / 背约 (bèiyuē)
* 背紫腰金
* 背繩墨 / 背绳墨
* 背義 / 背义 (bèiyì)
* 背聽 / 背听
* 背肌 (bèijī)
* 背脊 (bèijǐ)
* 背膠布 / 背胶布
* 背臨 / 背临
* 背興 / 背兴 (bèixìng)
* 背花
* 背若芒刺
* 背袋
* 背褾
* 背襯 / 背衬
* 背誦 / 背诵 (bèisòng)
* 背譜 / 背谱
* 背路
* 背躬
* 背逆
* 背道 (bèidào)
* 背運 / 背运 (bèiyùn)
* 背道而馳 / 背道而驰 (bèidào'érchí)
* 背部 (bèibù)
* 背陰 / 背阴 (bèiyīn)
* 背離 / 背离 (bèilí)
* 背面 (bèimiàn)
* 背風坡 / 背风坡
* 背風面 / 背风面
* 背馬 / 背马
* 背馳 / 背驰 (bèichí)
* 背鰭 / 背鳍 (bèiqí)
* 脊背 (jǐbèi)
* 腳背 / 脚背 (jiǎobèi)
* 腹背
* 腹背之毛
* 腹背受敵 / 腹背受敌 (fùbèishòudí)
* 膝癢搔背 / 膝痒搔背
* 芒刺在背 (mángcìzàibèi)
* 落背弓
* 虎背熊腰 (hǔbèixióngyāo)
* 蜂腰削背
* 表背 (biǎobèi)
* 袒胸露背 (tǎnxiōnglùbèi)
* 裝背 / 装背
* 裱背 (biǎobèi)
* 褾背 (biǎobèi)
* 見背 / 见背 (jiànbèi)
* 貼背 / 贴背
* 赤背 (chìbèi)
* 走背運 / 走背运
* 趨末背本 / 趋末背本
* 轉背 / 转背
* 辜恩背義 / 辜恩背义
* 逆天背理
* 違信背約 / 违信背约
* 違背 / 违背 (wéibèi)
* 鄙背
* 闊背肌 / 阔背肌
* 陰山背後 / 阴山背后
* 難望項背 / 难望项背
* 離鄉背井 / 离乡背井 (líxiāngbèijǐng)
* 離鄉背土 / 离乡背土
* 靠背 (kàobèi)
* 面譽背毀 / 面誉背毁
* 鞭背
* 項背相望 / 项背相望
* 駘背 / 骀背 (táibèi)
* 駝背 / 驼背 (tuóbèi)
* 騁強背理 / 骋强背理
* 鮐背 / 鲐背 (táibèi)
* 黃髮鮐背 / 黄发鲐背 (huángfàtáibèi)
* 鼇背負山 / 鳌背负山
* 龜背芋 / 龟背芋

### Pronunciation 2

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): bēi (bei$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄅㄟ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): bui$^3$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): pōe
    (Teochew, Peng'im): buê$^3$ / bi$^3$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^5$pe
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: bēi
*** Zhuyin: ㄅㄟ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: bei
*** Wade–Giles: pei$^1$
*** Yale: bēi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bei
*** Palladius: бэй (bɛj)
*** Sinological IPA : /peɪ̯⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: bui$^3$
*** Yale: bui
*** Cantonese Pinyin: bui$^3$
*** Guangdong Romanization: bui$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /puːi̯³³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pōe
*** Tâi-lô: puē
*** Phofsit Daibuun: poe
*** IPA (Xiamen): /pue²²/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: buê$^3$ / bi$^3$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: puè / pì
*** Sinological IPA : /pue²¹³/, /pi²¹³/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^5$pe
*** MiniDict: pe$^去$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^2$pe
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /pe³⁴/

#### Definitions

背
* to carry on the back
* (figurative) to carry; to bear (blame); to shoulder (responsibility)

##### Synonyms

* (to carry on the back): 馱／驮 (tuó)
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 負 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 背負 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 背 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 背 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 背 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 背 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 背 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 背, 馱 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 背, 馱 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 背, 馱 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 孭 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 孭 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 孭 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 孭 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 馱, 背 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 背, 揹$_2$ |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 背 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 騎, 邁 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 邁 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 背, 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 偝 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 背, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 背, 揹$_3$, 偝 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 偝 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 背 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 背 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 背, 擐 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 背 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 背 |

#### Compounds

* 肩挑背負 / 肩挑背负
* 背包 (bēibāo)
* 背子 (bēizi)
* 背帶 / 背带 (bēidài)
* 背榜 (bēibǎng)
* 背負 / 背负 (bēifù)
* 背黑鍋 / 背黑锅 (bēi hēiguō)

### References

* “背”, 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

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)
* back, stature

#### Readings

* Go-on: へ (he)、べ (be)、はい (hai, Jōyō)、ばい (bai)
* Kan-on: はい (hai, Jōyō)
* Kun: せ (se, 背, Jōyō)、せい (sei, 背, Jōyō)、そむく (somuku, 背く, Jōyō)、そむける (somukeru, 背ける, Jōyō)

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 背
* せ Grade: 6
* kun'yomi
* Alternative spellings
* 背 脊 (uncommon)

#### Alternative forms

* (one's height): 背(せい) (sei)

#### Pronunciation

* (one's back; the rear of something):
* (Tokyo) せ [sè] (Heiban – [0])
* (Tokyo) せ [séꜜ] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [se̞]
* (one's height):
* (Tokyo) せ [séꜜ] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [se̞]

#### Noun

背(せ) • (se)
* one's back (part of the human body)
* one's height
    田(た)中(なか)さんは背(せ)が高(たか)い。
       Tanaka-san wa se ga takai.
       Tanaka is tall.
* the rear of something, the area behind

##### Synonyms

* (part of the body): 背(せ)中(なか) (senaka)

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 背
* せい Grade: 6
* kun'yomi
* Alternative spelling
* 脊

#### Noun

背(せい) • (sei)
* height

### References

* 1 2 3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean
### Etymology

From Middle Chinese 背 (MC bwojH|pwojH). Recorded as Middle Korean ᄇᆡ〯 (pǒy) (Yale: pǒy) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [pɛ(ː)] ~ [pe̞(ː)]
* Phonetic hangul: [배(ː)/베(ː)]
** Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

### Hanja

Wikisource 背 (eumhun 등 배 (deung bae))
* hanja form of 배 (“back”)
* hanja form of 배 (“betrayal”)

#### Compounds

* 배경 (背景, baegyeong)
* 배낭 (背囊, baenang)
* 배반 (背反/背叛, baeban, “betrayal”)
* 배신 (背信, baesin, “betrayal”)
* 배후 (背後, baehu, “the rear”)
* 위배 (違背, wibae)

### 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

背: Hán Nôm readings: bối, bội, bổi, bồi
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.