# 命

| 命 | U+547D, &#21629; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-547D |
| ← 呼 [U+547C] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 呾 → [U+547E] |

## Translingual
### Han character

命 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+5, 8 strokes, cangjie input 人一口中 (OMRL), four-corner 8062$_7$, composition ⿱亼叩 or ⿹令口)

#### Derived characters

* 掵, 椧, 㥐
* 𠊈, 𠵴, 𦁸, 𨉟, 𦅫, 𩸍, 𪵍, 𪂤, 𥮡, 𡇳
* 𭝕, 𭰷, 𬍱, 𬔣, 𬫦, 𫾽

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 183, character 18
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3473
* Dae Jaweon: page 402, character 15
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 604, character 11
* Unihan data for U+547D

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 命 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Chu slip and silk script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 令 | *ren, *reŋ, *reŋs, *reːŋ, *reːŋs |
| 怜 | *riːn, *reːŋ |
| 零 | *riːŋ, *reːŋ, *reːŋs |
| 魿 | *ɡriŋ, *reːŋ |
| 命 | *mreŋs |
| 冷 | *raːŋʔ, *reːŋ, *reːŋʔ |
| 跉 | *reŋ, *reːŋ |
| 嶺 | *reŋʔ |
| 領 | *reŋʔ |
| 阾 | *reŋʔ, *reːŋ |
| 柃 | *reŋʔ, *reːŋ |
| 袊 | *reŋʔ |
| 詅 | *reŋs, *reːŋ |
| 旍 | *ʔsleŋ |
| 舲 | *reːŋ |
| 齡 | *reːŋ |
| 囹 | *reːŋ |
| 鴒 | *reːŋ |
| 蛉 | *reːŋ |
| 鈴 | *reːŋ |
| 苓 | *reːŋ |
| 伶 | *reːŋ |
| 泠 | *reːŋ |
| 瓴 | *reːŋ |
| 拎 | *reːŋ |
| 刢 | *reːŋ |
| 玲 | *reːŋ |
| 聆 | *reːŋ |
| 竛 | *reːŋ |
| 軨 | *reːŋ |
| 笭 | *reːŋ, *reːŋʔ |
| 翎 | *reːŋ |
| 閝 | *reːŋ |
| 鹷 | *reːŋ |
| 昤 | *reːŋ |
| 駖 | *reːŋ |
| 彾 | *reːŋ |
| 呤 | *reːŋ |
| 狑 | *reːŋ |
| 秢 | *reːŋ |
| 岭 | *reːŋ |
| 紷 | *reːŋ |
| 砱 | *reːŋ |
| 羚 | *reːŋ |
| 姈 | *reːŋ |
| 蕶 | *reːŋ |
| 澪 | *reːŋ |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *mreŋs): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 令 (OC *ren, *reŋ, *reŋs, *reːŋ, *reːŋs). Doublet of 呤 (OC *reːŋ).

### Etymology

Related to 令 (OC *ren, *reŋ, *reŋs, *reːŋ, *reːŋs, “to order; to command; order”) (Wang, 1982). Both may be derived from 名 (OC *meŋ, “name”): “name” (名) > “to name; to give (a name to)” (命) > “to order; to command” > “order; command” > “destiny; fate; lot” > “life” (Schuessler, 2007). For a roughly similar semantic development, see Latin fāta (whence English fate), from fātus (“spoken”), from for (“to speak”).

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): mìng (ming$^4$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄇㄧㄥˋ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): min$^4$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): mīng
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): мин (min, III)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): meng$^6$ / ming$^6$
    (Dongguan, Jyutping++): meang$^3$ / moeng$^3$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): miang$^5$
* Gan (Wiktionary): miang$^5$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): miang / min
    (Hailu, HRS): miang$^˖$ / min$^˖$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): miang$^4$ / min$^4$
* Jin (Wiktionary): ming$^3$
* Northern Min (KCR): miāng / mēng
* Eastern Min (BUC): miâng / mêng
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): mia$^5$ / ming$^5$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): miā / bēng
    (Teochew, Peng'im): mian$^7$ / mêng$^6$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): mia$^1$ / ming$^7$
* Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): mang$^6$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^6$min
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): min$^5$ / min$^4$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: mìng
*** Zhuyin: ㄇㄧㄥˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: mìng
*** Wade–Giles: ming$^4$
*** Yale: mìng
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: minq
*** Palladius: мин (min)
*** Sinological IPA : /miŋ⁵¹/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: min$^4$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: min
*** Sinological IPA : /min²¹³/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: mīng
*** Sinological IPA : /miŋ⁵⁵/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: мин (min, III)
*** Sinological IPA : /miŋ⁴⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: meng$^6$ / ming$^6$
*** Yale: mehng / mihng
*** Cantonese Pinyin: meng$^6$ / ming$^6$
*** Guangdong Romanization: méng$^6$ / ming$^6$
*** Sinological IPA : /mɛːŋ²²/, /mɪŋ²²/
* meng6 - vernacular;
* ming6 - literary.
* Middle Chinese: mjaengH
Rime :
| Character | 命 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 明 (4) |
| Final (韻) | 庚 (111) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 眉病切 |
| Baxter | mjaengH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /mˠiæŋ$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /mᵚiaŋ$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /miaŋ$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /miajŋ$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /miɐŋ$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /mĭɐŋ$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /mi̯ɐŋ$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | mìng |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | ming$^6$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*m-riŋ-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*mreŋs/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 命 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | mìng |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ mjæng$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*m-riŋ-s/ (dialect: *m-r- > *mr-, *-iŋ> *-eŋ) |
| English | command (n.) |
| 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 | 命 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 8275 |
| Phonetic component | 令 |
| Rime group | 耕 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 命 |
| Old Chinese | /*mreŋs/ |
| Notes | 令轉註字 |

### Definitions

命
* life; existence; state of living (Classifier: 條／条 m c)
* lifespan; life expectancy
* destiny; fate; luck
* order; command; instruction
* to order; to command
* to give (a title, name to); to name

#### Synonyms

* (life): 生命 (shēngmìng)

#### See also

* 生活 (shēnghuó, “(personal aspects of) life”)

### Compounds

* 一命 (yīmìng)
* 一命嗚呼 / 一命呜呼 (yīmìngwūhū)
* 一文如命
* 一錢如命 / 一钱如命
* 三命
* 上命 (shàngmìng)
* 不敢從命 / 不敢从命
* 不辱使命 (bùrǔshǐmìng)
* 丟命 / 丢命
* 九命
* 九命奇冤
* 乞命
* 了身達命 / 了身达命
* 亡命 (wángmìng)
* 亡命之徒 (wángmìngzhītú)
* 亡身短命
* 人命 (rénmìng)
* 休命
* 任命 (rènmìng)
* 任命狀 / 任命状
* 任天由命
* 佐命
* 佳人命薄
* 佳人薄命 (jiārénbómìng)
* 使命 (shǐmìng)
* 使命感 (shǐmìnggǎn)
* 俟命
* 保命 (bǎomìng)
* 俛首聽命 / 俯首听命
* 倒懸捱命 / 倒悬捱命
* 俯首聽命 / 俯首听命
* 假言命題 / 假言命题
* 催命 (cuīmìng)
* 催命符 (cuīmìng fú)
* 催命鬼
* 償命 / 偿命 (chángmìng)
* 元命
* 內命 / 内命
* 八敗命 / 八败命
* 共命鳥 / 共命鸟 (gòngmìngniǎo)
* 冇命
* 冊命 / 册命
* 分命
* 制命
* 勞碌命 / 劳碌命
* 千里命駕
* 反命
* 受命 (shòumìng)
* 受命推事
* 司命
* 同命
* 同命鳥 / 同命鸟
* 同命鴛鴦 / 同命鸳鸯
* 命不牢
* 命不該絕 / 命不该绝
* 命世 (mìngshì)
* 命世之才 (mìngshì zhī cái)
* 命世才
* 命中 (mìngzhòng)
* 命中注定 (mìngzhōngzhùdìng)
* 命中率 (mìngzhònglǜ)
* 命中註定 / 命中注定 (mìngzhōngzhùdìng)
* 命乖運拙 / 命乖运拙
* 命人
* 命仔
* 命令 (mìnglìng)
* 命儔嘯侶 / 命俦啸侣
* 命分
* 命名 (mìngmíng)
* 命在旦夕
* 命大 (mìngdà)
* 命如紙 / 命如纸
* 命婦 / 命妇
* 命官 (mìngguān)
* 命定 (mìngdìng)
* 命宮 / 命宫
* 命小福薄
* 命帶桃花 / 命带桃花
* 命快
* 命意
* 命數 / 命数 (mìngshù)
* 命數法 / 命数法
* 命服
* 命染黃沙 / 命染黄沙
* 命案 (mìng'àn)
* 命根 (mìnggēn)
* 命根子 (mìnggēnzi)
* 命毒
* 命理
* 命相
* 命硬
* 命神
* 命筆 / 命笔 (mìngbǐ)
* 命脈 / 命脉 (mìngmài)
* 命苦 (mìngkǔ)
* 命若懸絲 / 命若悬丝
* 命薄
* 命薄如花
* 命薄相窮 / 命薄相穷
* 命虧 / 命亏
* 命該如此 / 命该如此
* 命蹇
* 命蹇時乖 / 命蹇时乖
* 命輕鴻毛 / 命轻鸿毛
* 命途 (mìngtú)
* 命途坎坷
* 命途多舛 (mìngtúduōchuǎn)
* 命運 / 命运 (mìngyùn)
* 命道
* 命釘 / 命钉
* 命門 / 命门 (mìngmén)
* 命限
* 命題 / 命题 (mìngtí)
* 命館 / 命馆
* 命駕 / 命驾
* 唯命是從 / 唯命是从 (wéimìngshìcóng)
* 唯命是聽 / 唯命是听 (wéimìngshìtīng)
* 唾是命
* 唯是命題 / 唯是命题
* 喝命
* 喪命 / 丧命 (sàngmìng)
* 嗜之如命
* 嘏命
* 嚴命 / 严命
* 國命 / 国命 (guómìng)
* 圖財害命 / 图财害命
* 圖財致命 / 图财致命
* 垂命
* 執命 / 执命
* 報命 / 报命
* 填命 (tiánmìng)
* 壽命 / 寿命 (shòumìng)
* 大命 (dàmìng)
* 天命
* 天命有歸 / 天命有归
* 天命真主
* 奉命 (fèngmìng)
* 奔命
* 奉命唯謹 / 奉命唯谨
* 奪命 / 夺命
* 好命 (hǎomìng)
* 委命
* 孤鸞照命 / 孤鸾照命
* 安之若命
* 安命 (ānmìng)
* 安身立命 (ānshēnlìmìng)
* 安非他命 (ānfēitāmìng)
* 定命 (dìngmìng)
* 害命
* 家貧命苦 / 家贫命苦
* 宿命 (sùmìng)
* 寄命
* 宿命論 / 宿命论 (sùmìnglùn)
* 宿命通
* 寵命 / 宠命
* 將命 / 将命 (jiāngmìng)
* 專命 / 专命
* 將士用命 / 将士用命
* 尊命 (zūnmìng)
* 對命 / 对命
* 小命兒 / 小命儿
* 峻命 (jùnmìng)
* 帝命
* 平均壽命 / 平均寿命 (píngjūn shòumìng)
* 年命
* 幸不辱命
* 度命 (dùmìng)
* 延命菊 (yánmìngjú)
* 待命 (dàimìng)
* 後命 / 后命
* 得命
* 從命 / 从命 (cóngmìng)
* 復命 / 复命 (fùmìng)
* 性命 (xìngmìng)
* 恩星照命
* 惟命是從 / 惟命是从 (wéimìngshìcóng)
* 惟命是聽 / 惟命是听 (wéimìngshìtīng)
* 愛才如命 / 爱才如命 (àicáirúmìng)
* 愛財如命 / 爱财如命 (àicáirúmìng)
* 愛錢如命 / 爱钱如命
* 慈命
* 應命 / 应命 (yìngmìng)
* 應天受命 / 应天受命 (yìngtiānshòumìng)
* 成命 (chéngmìng)
* 抗命
* 批命
* 投命
* 拜命
* 拚命 (pànmìng)
* 抵命
* 拚老命
* 拼命 (pīnmìng)
* 拼命三郎 (pīnmìng sānláng)
* 拱手聽命 / 拱手听命
* 掙命 / 挣命 (zhèngmìng)
* 捨命 / 舍命 (shěmìng)
* 授命 (shòumìng)
* 捨命救人 / 舍命救人
* 排斥命題 / 排斥命题
* 搶命 / 抢命
* 搏命 (bómìng)
* 攞命 / 𫽋命
* 收回成命
* 放命
* 效命 (xiàomìng)
* 敕命 (chìmìng)
* 救命 (jiùmìng)
* 數奇命蹇 / 数奇命蹇
* 斃命 / 毙命 (bìmìng)
* 文命
* 文章憎命
* 斷難從命 / 断难从命
* 方命
* 明命
* 星命
* 時乖命蹇 / 时乖命蹇
* 時命 / 时命
* 景命 (jǐngmìng)
* 曆命 / 历命
* 有命
* 有才無命 / 有才无命
* 朕命
* 末命
* 本命年 (běnmìngnián)
* 本命星
* 桃花薄命
* 樂天安命 / 乐天安命
* 樂天知命 / 乐天知命 (lètiānzhīmìng)
* 欣然命筆 / 欣然命笔
* 欽命 / 钦命 (qīnmìng)
* 正命
* 歸命 / 归命
* 歹命
* 死命 (sǐmìng)
* 死於非命 / 死于非命 (sǐyúfēimìng)
* 死生有命
* 殞命 / 殒命 (yǔnmìng)
* 殞身滅命 / 殒身灭命
* 殺人償命 / 杀人偿命
* 民不堪命
* 氣命 / 气命
* 永命
* 沒命 / 没命
* 沒命似的 / 没命似的
* 治命
* 活命 (huómìng)
* 為民請命 / 为民请命
* 爛命 / 烂命
* 父母之命
* 特命 (tèmìng)
* 犬馬之命 / 犬马之命
* 狗命
* 狠命
* 王命 (wángmìng)
* 王命旗牌
* 玩兒命 / 玩儿命 (wánrmìng)
* 玩命 (wánmìng)
* 生命 (shēngmìng)
* 生死有命
* 用命 (yòngmìng)
* 畏天知命
* 畢命 / 毕命 (bìmìng)
* 疲於奔命 / 疲于奔命 (píyúbēnmìng)
* 盡命 / 尽命 (jìnmìng)
* 相依為命 / 相依为命 (xiāngyīwéimìng)
* 相倚為命 / 相倚为命
* 相命 (xiàngmìng)
* 相與為命 / 相与为命
* 相須為命 / 相须为命
* 真命天子 (zhēnmìng tiānzǐ)
* 知命 (zhīmìng)
* 知命之年 (zhīmìngzhīnián)
* 知命安身
* 知命樂天 / 知命乐天
* 短命 (duǎnmìng)
* 短命鬼 (duǎnmìngguǐ)
* 短壽促命 / 短寿促命
* 矯命 / 矫命
* 硬命
* 祚命
* 祿命 / 禄命 (lùmìng)
* 禍福有命 / 祸福有命
* 稟命 / 禀命 (bǐngmìng)
* 窮身潑命 / 穷身泼命
* 窮通皆命 / 穷通皆命
* 窮達有命 / 穷达有命
* 立命安身
* 符命
* 策命
* 算命 (suànmìng)
* 算命先生 (suànmìng xiānsheng)
* 紅顏命薄 / 红颜命薄
* 紅顏薄命 / 红颜薄命 (hóngyánbómìng)
* 紅鸞照命 / 红鸾照命
* 索命 (suǒmìng)
* 納命 / 纳命
* 納命來 / 纳命来
* 絕命 / 绝命
* 絕命書 / 绝命书
* 絕命詞 / 绝命词
* 維他命 / 维他命 (wéitāmìng)
* 維天之命 / 维天之命
* 緣慳命蹇 / 缘悭命蹇
* 繫命 / 系命 (xìmìng)
* 續命 / 续命 (xùmìng)
* 續命湯 / 续命汤
* 罷於奔命 / 罢于奔命
* 美人命薄
* 老命 (lǎomìng)
* 耳提面命 (ěrtímiànmìng)
* 耿命
* 聽命 / 听命
* 聽天任命 / 听天任命 (tīngtiānrènmìng)
* 聽天命 / 听天命 (tīngtiānmìng)
* 聽天由命 / 听天由命 (tīngtiānyóumìng)
* 肯定命題 / 肯定命题
* 脫命 / 脱命
* 臨危受命 / 临危受命 (línwēishòumìng)
* 臨危授命 / 临危授命 (línwēishòumìng)
* 臨危效命 / 临危效命
* 臨危致命 / 临危致命
* 自命 (zìmìng)
* 自命不凡 (zìmìngbùfán)
* 自命清高 (zìmìngqīnggāo)
* 致命 (zhìmìng)
* 致命傷 / 致命伤 (zhìmìngshāng)
* 臺命 / 台命
* 苦命 (kǔmìng)
* 薄命 (bómìng)
* 薄命女
* 衡命
* 複合命題 / 复合命题
* 要命 (yàomìng)
* 要命鬼
* 覆命 (fùmìng)
* 見危受命 / 见危受命
* 見危授命 / 见危授命
* 見危致命 / 见危致命
* 託命 / 托命
* 討命 / 讨命
* 託孤寄命 / 托孤寄命
* 誥命 / 诰命 (gàomìng)
* 認命 / 认命 (rènmìng)
* 課命 / 课命
* 請命 / 请命 (qǐngmìng)
* 謀財害命 / 谋财害命 (móucáihàimìng)
* 豁命
* 負命 / 负命
* 財多命殆 / 财多命殆
* 買命錢 / 买命钱
* 賣命 / 卖命 (màimìng)
* 贖命 / 赎命
* 踰牆避命 / 逾墙避命
* 身命 (shēnmìng)
* 軀命 / 躯命
* 辟命
* 辭不獲命 / 辞不获命
* 辭命 / 辞命
* 辱命
* 送命 (sòngmìng)
* 逃命 (táomìng)
* 逆命
* 造命
* 達人知命 / 达人知命
* 違命 / 违命
* 運命 / 运命 (yùnmìng)
* 運命論 / 运命论
* 遺命 / 遗命
* 遵命 (zūnmìng)
* 鈞命 / 钧命
* 銜命 / 衔命 (xiánmìng)
* 錫命 / 锡命
* 長命 / 长命 (chángmìng)
* 長命富貴 / 长命富贵
* 長命百歲 / 长命百岁 (chángmìngbǎisuì)
* 長命縷 / 长命缕
* 長命釘 / 长命钉
* 長命鎖 / 长命锁 (chángmìngsuǒ)
* 關係命題 / 关系命题
* 隕命 / 陨命
* 非命 (fēimìng)
* 非定命論 / 非定命论
* 面命耳提
* 靦顏借命 / 䩄颜借命
* 革命 (gémìng)
* 順命 / 顺命
* 順天聽命 / 顺天听命
* 領命 / 领命 (lǐngmìng)
* 顧命 / 顾命
* 饒命 / 饶命 (ráomìng)
* 駿命 / 骏命
* 鼎命

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Third grade kyōiku kanji)

#### Readings

* Go-on: みょう (myō, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: めい (mei, Jōyō)
* Kun: いのち (inochi, 命, Jōyō)、みこと (mikoto, 命)

#### Compounds

* 革(かく)命(めい) (kakumei): revolution
* 運(うん)命(めい) (unmei): fate, destiny

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 命
* いのち Grade: 3
* kun'yomi
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *inəti. Probably a compound of Old Japanese elements 息 (i, “breath”, i in compounds, iki on its own) +‎ の (no, possessive particle) +‎ 霊 (chi, “spirit, force, soul”).
Some analyses describe this as a compound using 生 (i, “life, breath”, i in compounds, iki on its own) as the initial semantic element. This is equally valid, as 息 (iki) and 生き (iki) are cognates.

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) いのち [íꜜnòchì] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [ino̞t͡ɕi]

#### Noun

命(いのち) • (inochi)
* life
    命(いのち)の恩(おん)人(じん)
       inochi no onjin
       person to whom one owes their life
* lifespan
* lifetime
* fate, destiny
* (figuratively) the most important part or aspect of a thing

##### Usage notes

命 as "life" is distinct from several other Japanese words that may also be translated to English as "life". In particular, it means "the state of being alive, an animating force, or life as a whole (from birth to death)". Compare the terms below, which may also be rendered as "life" in English:
* 生活 (seikatsu, “life”): Day-to-day life as it is experienced; lifestyle; one's usual activities, habits, and routines.
* 生存 (seizon, “life”): Action involved in staying alive, as in "signs of life".
* 生命 (seimei, “life”): Biological life in general, particularly in scientific contexts.
* 存在 (sonzai, “life”): Being; either the state of existing or a thing that exists.
* 人生 (jinsei, “life”): A person's narrative, experience, and/or accomplishments from birth to death.
* 寿命 (jumyō, “life”): Lifespan or life expectancy.
* 残機 (zanki, “life”): A video-game life; a chance to play.
* 元気 (genki, “life”): Liveliness.

##### Synonyms

* (life): 生(せい)命(めい) (seimei)
* (lifespan): 寿(じゅ)命(みょう) (jumyō)
* (lifetime): 生(しょう)涯(がい) (shōgai), 一(いっ)生(しょう) (isshō)
* (fate): 運(うん)命(めい) (unmei)
* (destiny): 天(てん)命(めい) (tenmei)
* (core aspect): 真(しん)髄(ずい) (shinzui)

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 命
* みこと Grade: 3
* kun'yomi
From Old Japanese. Compound of 御 (mi-, honorific prefix) +‎ 言 (koto, “word”). The mi prefix is generally limited to extremely high-status contexts such as gods or emperors.

#### Alternative forms

* 御(み)言(こと) (mikoto)

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) みこと [mìkótó] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [mʲiko̞to̞]

#### Noun

命(みこと) • (mikoto)
* the words or pronouncements of a god or an emperor

### Etymology 3

* Kanji in this term
* 命
* みこと Grade: 3
* kun'yomi
From Old Japanese. Originally a compound of 御 (mi-, honorific prefix) +‎ 事 (koto, “abstract thing”, as opposed to 物, mono, “concrete thing”).

#### Alternative forms

* 尊

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) みこと [mìkótó] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [mʲiko̞to̞]

#### Noun

命(みこと) • (mikoto)
* the honorable, the exalted
    Used as a title after the referenced noun when referring to gods, emperors, or other high-status persons.
** 711–712, Kojiki, Kami tsu maki:
    夜知富許能 迦微能美許登波
    八千矛の神の命は
       やちほこのかみのみことは
       Yachihoko no kami no mikoto wa
          the honorable god Yachihoko
** c. 759, Man’yōshū, book Book 20, No. 4408:
    波々蘇婆能 波々能美許等波
    柞葉の母の命は
       ははそばのははのみことは
       hahasoba no haha no mikoto wa
          the exalted mother of the oak leaf
* the beloved, dearly beloved
    Similarly used as a title after the referenced noun.
** 711–712, Kojiki, Kami tsu maki:
    和加久佐能　都麻能美許登
    若草の妻の命
       わかくさのつまのみこと
       Wakakusa no tsuma no mikoto
          dearly beloved young wife

#### Pronoun

命(みこと) • (mikoto)
* you
* that person

##### Usage notes

Used ironically from the late Heian period, expressing a sense of mild derision or ridicule.

### Etymology 4

* Kanji in this term
* 命
* めい Grade: 3
* on'yomi
From Middle Chinese 命 (mjæng$^H$, “command”). Compare modern Mandarin 命 (mìng, “life, destiny, instruction”).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) めー [méꜜè] (Atamadaka –)
* IPA: [me̞ː]

#### Noun

命(めい) • (mei)
* fate, destiny
* life, lifespan
* order, command

##### Synonyms

* (fate): 運(うん)命(めい) (unmei)
* (destiny): 天(てん)命(めい) (tenmei)
* (life): 生(せい)命(めい) (seimei)
* (lifespan): 寿(じゅ)命(みょう) (jumyō)
* (order): 仰(おおせ), 仰(おお)せ (ōse); 命(めい)令(れい) (meirei)

### References

* 1 2 3 4 5 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* 1 2 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

## Korean
### Hanja

命 (eumhun 목숨 명 (moksum myeong))
* hanja form of 명 (“life”)

## Okinawan
### Kanji

(Third grade kyōiku kanji)

#### Readings

* Kun: ぬち (nuchi, 命)、いぬち (inuchi, 命)

### Etymology 1

From Proto-Ryukyuan *inoti, from Proto-Japonic *inəti.
* Kanji in this term
* 命
* ぬち Grade: 3
* kun'yomi

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: [nut͡ɕi]

#### Noun

命(ぬち) (nuchi)
* life

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 命
* いぬち Grade: 3
* kun'yomi

#### Noun

命(いぬち) (inuchi)
* (literary) life

### References

* “ぬち【命】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

命: Hán Việt readings: mệnh, mạng, mạnh, mịnh
命: Nôm readings: mạng, mình, mệnh, mạnh
* chữ Hán form of mệnh (“life; destiny, fate, luck; an order, instruction”).
** 1820, Nguyễn Du (阮攸), Truyện Kiều (傳翹) [The Tale of Kieu], Liễu Văn Ðường edition, published 1866, line 2:𡦂(chữ)才(tài)𡦂(chữ)命(mệnh)窖(khéo)⿱罒𪜀(là)恄(ghét)饒(nhau)Talent and fate are always apt to strife
* chữ Hán form of mạng (“life; destiny, fate, luck; an order, instruction”).

### References

* ↑ Nguyễn (2014).
* 1 2 3 4 5 Trần (2004).
* 1 2 3 4 5 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
* 1 2 Bonet (1899).
* 1 2 Hồ (1976).
* 1 2 Génibrel (1898).
* ↑ Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).