侯

See also: 候 and 矦

侯 U+4FAF, 侯 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4FAF ← 侮 [U+4FAE] CJK Unified Ideographs 侰 → [U+4FB0]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

侯 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+7, 9 strokes, cangjie input 人弓一大 (ONMK), four-corner 2723₄, composition ⿰亻⿱⿱𠃍一矢 or ⿰亻⿱⿱乛一矢)

Derived characters

• 喉, 猴, 堠, 帿, 瘊, 睺, 篌, 糇, 緱/缑, 葔, 鍭/𬭤, 餱/𫗯, 鄇, 㢿, 㬋, 㮢, 䂉, 䗔, 䙈, 䞀/𬥽, 䫛, 翭, 鯸, 䳧/𪃶/𫛺, 𠋫, 𡗁, 𡟑, 𡹵, 𪹍, 𢜵, 𢰡, 𣣠, 𤧝, 𤬈, 𥀃, 𦑤, 𦞈, 𧇹, 𧩨, 𧯁, 𨂸, 𩃺, 𩋴, 𩘋, 𩩵, 𪈱, 𪑻

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 103, character 7
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 633
• Dae Jaweon: page 218, character 20
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 167, character 1
• Unihan data for U+4FAF

Chinese

trad.		侯
simp. #		侯
2nd round simp.		𫶬
alternative forms		矦 ancient form 𥎦 ancient form 𬾗 historical variant 𬾃 historical variant

Wikipedia has articles on:

• 侯姓 (Written Standard Chinese^?)
• Hou (surname) (English)

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 侯
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts
Oracle bone script j13283 j13284 j13285 j13286 j13287 j13288 j13289 j13290 j13291 j13292 j13293 j13294 j13295 j13296 j13297 j13298 j13299 j13300 j13301 j13302 j13303 j13304 j13305 j13306 j13307 j13308 j13309 j13310 j13311 j13312 j13313 j13314 j13315 j13316 j13317 j13318 j13319 j13320 j13321 j13322 j13323 j13324 j13325 j13326 j13327 j13328 j13329 j13330 j13331 j13332 j13333 j13334 j13335 j13336 j13337 j13338 j13339 j13340 j13341 j13342 j13343 j13344 j13345 j13346 j13347 j13348 j13349 j13350 j13351 j13352 j13353 j13354 j13355 j13356 j13357 j13358 j13359 j13360 j13361 j13362 j13363 j13364 Bronze inscriptions b08167 b08168 b08169 b08170 b08171 b08172 b08173 b08174 b08175 b08176 b08177 b08178 b08179 b08180 b08181 b08182 b08183 b08184 b08185 b08186 b08187 b08188 b08189 b08190 b08191 b08192 b08193 b08194 b08195 b08196 b08197 b08198 b08199 b08200 b08201 b08202 b08203 b08204 b08205 b08206 b08207 b08208 b08209 b08210 b08211 b08213 b08214 b08215 b08216 b08217 b08218 b08219 b08220 b08221 b08222 b08223 b08224 b08225 b08226 b08227 b08228 b08229 b08230 b08231 b08232 b08233 b08234 b08235 b08236 b08237 b08238 b08239 b08240 b08241 b08242 b08243 b08244 b08245 b08246 b08247 b08248 Transcribed ancient scripts L33678 L33679 L33680 L33681 L33682 L33683 L33684 L33685 L33686 L33687 L33688 L12079 L12080 L12081 L12082 L12083 L12084 L12085 L12086 L12087 L12088 L12089 L12090 L12091 L12092 L12093 L12094 L12095 L12096 L12097 L12098 L12099 L12100 L12101 L12102
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the same phonetic series (侯) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
緱	*koː, *koː
侯	*ɡoː
喉	*ɡoː
猴	*ɡoː
瘊	*ɡoː
篌	*ɡoː
糇	*ɡoː
帿	*ɡoː
睺	*ɡoː, *ɡoːs
矦	*ɡoː
餱	*ɡoː
翭	*ɡoː
葔	*ɡoː
鄇	*ɡoː, *ɡoːs
鍭	*ɡoː, *ɡoːs
鯸	*ɡoː
候	*ɡoːs
堠	*ɡoːs

Pictogram (象形) – a target for arrows.

Etymology

"target" > "prince, marquis"

侯 (OC *ɡoː)'s connection to archery is noted by Schuessler (2007), Theobald (2017), Goldin (2021), etc. Goldin further relates it to 鍭 (OC *ɡoː, *ɡoːs, “arrow with metal tip”), which Schuessler instead relates to 后 (OC *ɡoːʔ, *ɡoːs).

Schuessler (2007) proposes an Austroasiatic etymology, comparing 侯 (OC *ɡoː) to Khmer គាស់ (kŏəh, “to raise (a crossbow) with a view to aiming”), Khmer [script needed] (kpoḥ, “to be raised up, clearly visible”), & Khmer [script needed] (goḥ, “to hit (squarely)”).

When meaning "target > prince, marquis", possibly distinct from 后 (OC *ɡoːʔ, *ɡoːs, “(head >) ruler > queen”) (Schuessler, 2007; Goldin, 2021).

Its derivatives, from sense "target (n.) > to target (v.)", are 候 (OC *ɡoːs) & 觀 (OC *koːn, *koːns), both meaning "to watch" (Schuessler, 2007); contra Lau (1999), who thinks sense "to watch" to be fundamental and "target; lord, marquis" to be derivatives..

"to be; to have"

Austroasiatic (Schuessler, 2007). Compare Proto-Vietic *kɔːʔ (“to have, to be”) and Proto-Monic *gooʔ (“to get, to possess”); compare also Jingpho gu³¹ (“to have”).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): hóu (hou²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄏㄡˊ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): hou²

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): hau⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): heu³

• Gan (Wiktionary): heu²
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): hèu

  (Hailu, HRS): heu

  (Meixian, Guangdong): hêu²

• Jin (Wiktionary): hou¹
• Northern Min (KCR): ě
• Eastern Min (BUC): hèu
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): hieo² / ao²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): hô͘ / hiô / kâu / hâu

  (Teochew, Peng'im): hou⁵ / gao⁵

• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁶gheu / ²gheu
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): hou²

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: hóu
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄡˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: hóu
    • Wade–Giles: hou²
    • Yale: hóu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: hour
    • Palladius: хоу (xou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xoʊ̯³⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: hou²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xou
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xəu²¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong–Macau)
    • Jyutping: hau⁴
    • Yale: hàuh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hau⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: heo⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɐu̯²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: heu³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /heu²²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: heu²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɛu²⁴/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: hèu
    • Hakka Romanization System: heu^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: heu²
    • Sinological IPA: /heu̯¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: heu
    • Sinological IPA: /heu⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: hêu²
    • Sinological IPA: /heu¹¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: hou¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /xəu¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ě
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /e²¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: hèu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɛu⁵³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: hieo²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: há̤u
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hieu¹³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: hieo²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hieu²⁴/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ao²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: áu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /au¹³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ao²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /au²⁴/

Note:

• hieo2 - literary, all senses (incl. surname);
• ao2 - ancient vernacular.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hô͘
    • Tâi-lô: hôo
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hoo
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei): /hɔ²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /hɔ²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /hɔ¹³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiô
    • Tâi-lô: hiô
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hiooi
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /hio²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kâu
    • Tâi-lô: kâu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kaau
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou): /kau²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kau¹³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hâu
    • Tâi-lô: hâu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: haau
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Taipei): /hau²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /hau²³/
Note:
• hô͘/hiô - literary (incl. surname in Xiamen and Zhangzhou);
• kâu - vernacular (incl. surname, dated in Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou);
• hâu - vernacular (incl. surname in Quanzhou and Taiwan).
• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: hou⁵ / gao⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hôu / kâu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hou⁵⁵/, /kau⁵⁵/
Note:
• hou5 - all senses (incl. surname);
• gao5 - surname.
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶gheu
    • MiniDict: gheu^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³hheu
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɦɤ²³/
  • (Northern: Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²gheu
    • MiniDict: gheu^平
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ɦøy²²³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: hou²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xəu̯¹³/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 侯
Mandarin	Beijing	/xou³⁵/
	Harbin	/xou²⁴/
	Tianjin	/xou⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/xou⁴²/
	Qingdao	/xou⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/xou⁴²/
	Xi'an	/xou²⁴/
	Xining	/xɯ²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/xəu⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/xou⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/xɤu⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/xəu²¹³/
	Chengdu	/xəu³¹/
	Guiyang	/xəu²¹/
	Kunming	/xəu³¹/
	Nanjing	/xəɯ²⁴/
	Hefei	/xɯ⁵⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/xəu¹¹/
	Pingyao	/xəu¹³/
	Hohhot	/xəu³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ɦɤ²³/
	Suzhou	/ɦɤ¹³/
	Hangzhou	/ɦei²¹³/
	Wenzhou	/ɦau³¹/
Hui	Shexian	/xiu⁴⁴/
	Tunxi
Xiang	Changsha	/xəu¹³/
	Xiangtan	/ɦəɯ¹²/
Gan	Nanchang	/hɛu²⁴/
Hakka	Meixian	/heu¹¹/
	Taoyuan	/heu¹¹/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/hɐu²¹/
	Nanning	/hɐu²¹/
	Hong Kong	/hɐu²¹/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/hɔ³⁵/ /kau³⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/hɛu⁵³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/e²¹/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/hou⁵⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/hɔu³¹/

---

• Middle Chinese: huw

Rime
Character	侯
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	匣 (33)
Final (韻)	侯 (137)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	戸鉤切
Baxter	huw
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦəu/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦəu/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣəu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦəw/
Li Rong	/ɣu/
Wang Li	/ɣəu/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ɣə̯u/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	hóu
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hau4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ɡ]ˤ(r)o/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɡoː/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	侯
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	hóu
Middle Chinese	‹ huw ›
Old Chinese	/*[ɡ]ˁ(r)o/
English	feudal lord
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	侯
Reading #	1/1
No.	5139
Phonetic component	侯
Rime group	侯
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime
Old Chinese	/*ɡoː/
Notes	矦隸變

Definitions

侯

1. marquis; lord

   • 王者之制：祿爵，公、侯、伯、子、男，凡五等。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     王者之制：禄爵，公、侯、伯、子、男，凡五等。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE

     Wángzhě zhī zhì: lùjué, gōng, hóu, bó, zǐ, nán, fán wǔděng. [Pinyin]

     According to the regulations of emolument and rank framed by the kings, there were the duke; the marquis; the earl; the count; and the baron - in all, five gradations (of rank).

2. (obsolete) target

   • 終日射侯 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     终日射侯 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zhōngrì shè hóu [Pinyin]

     Shooting all day at the target

3. (obsolete) to be, to have

   • 山有嘉卉、侯栗侯梅。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Shān yǒu jiāhuì, hóu lì hóu méi. [Pinyin]

     On the mountains are fine trees, - there are chestnut trees and there are plum trees.

4. a surname

   侯孝賢／侯孝贤  ―  Hóu Xiàoxián  ―  Hou Hsiao-hsien (Taiwanese film director)

Compounds

• 三侯之章
• 五侯鯖 / 五侯鲭
• 侯伯
• 侯景之亂 / 侯景之乱
• 侯服
• 侯服玉食
• 侯栗
• 侯營 / 侯营 (Hóuyíng)
• 侯爵 (hóujué)
• 侯王 (Hóuwáng)
• 侯生
• 侯甸
• 侯白
• 侯萬戶 / 侯万户
• 侯門 / 侯门
• 侯門如海 / 侯门如海
• 侯馬盟書 / 侯马盟书
• 列侯 (lièhóu)
• 博望侯
• 即墨侯
• 名號侯 / 名号侯
• 君侯 (jūnhóu)
• 夏侯 (Xiàhóu)
• 宜侯夨簋
• 富比王侯
• 封侯
• 封侯拜相
• 封侯萬里
• 封侯賜爵 / 封侯赐爵
• 射侯 (shèhóu)
• 彭侯
• 徹侯 / 彻侯
• 拜將封侯 / 拜将封侯
• 拜相封侯
• 摩侯羅 / 摩侯罗 (móhóuluó)
• 故侯
• 故侯瓜
• 敝屣王侯
• 淮陰侯 / 淮阴侯
• 漢壽亭侯 / 汉寿亭侯
• 王侯 (wánghóu)
• 王侯將相 / 王侯将相 (wánghóujiàngxiàng)
• 留侯
• 留侯論 / 留侯论
• 百里侯
• 萬戶侯 / 万户侯 (wànhùhóu)
• 萬里侯
• 萬里封侯
• 粉侯
• 縣侯 / 县侯
• 蔡侯紙 / 蔡侯纸
• 蕃侯
• 褒成侯
• 覓封侯 / 觅封侯
• 談笑封侯 / 谈笑封侯
• 諸侯 / 诸侯 (zhūhóu)
• 邑侯
• 郡侯
• 鄉侯 / 乡侯
• 關內侯 / 关内侯
• 陽侯 / 阳侯
• 陽侯之患 / 阳侯之患
• 隋侯之珠
• 隋侯明月
• 隨侯之珠 / 随侯之珠
• 雍齒封侯
• 魏文侯

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (侯):

• → Japanese: 侯(こう) (kō, “marquess”)
• → Korean: 후(侯) (hu, “marquess”)
• → Vietnamese: hầu (侯, “marquess”)

Others:

• → Manchu: ᡥᡝᠣ (heo)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): hòu (hou⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄏㄡˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): hau⁶
• Eastern Min (BUC): âu
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): hô͘ / hō͘ / hāu

  (Teochew, Peng'im): hao⁷

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: hòu
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄡˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: hòu
    • Wade–Giles: hou⁴
    • Yale: hòu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: how
    • Palladius: хоу (xou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xoʊ̯⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong–Macau)
    • Jyutping: hau⁶
    • Yale: hauh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: hau⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: heo⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɐu̯²²/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: âu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɑu²⁴²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hô͘
    • Tâi-lô: hôo
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hoo
    • IPA (Xiamen): /hɔ²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hō͘
    • Tâi-lô: hōo
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ho
    • IPA (Xiamen): /hɔ²²/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hāu
    • Tâi-lô: hāu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hau
    • IPA (Xiamen): /hau²²/

Note:

• hô͘ - literary (common);
• hō͘ - literary (rare);
• hāu - vernacular (rare).

• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: hao⁷
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hāu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hau¹¹/

Definitions

侯

1. only used in 閩侯／闽侯 (Mǐnhòu)

Japanese

Kanji

See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 侯

侯

(Jōyō kanji)

1. marquis
2. lord
3. daimyo

Readings

• Go-on: ぐ (gu)
• Kan-on: こう (kō, Jōyō)
• Kun: まと (mato, 侯)、きみ (kimi, 侯)

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 侯 (MC huw).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean ᅘᅮᇢ (Yale: hhwuw) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
• Recorded as Middle Korean ⿰亻𫶬/후 (hwu) (Yale: hwu) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɸʷu]
• Phonetic hangul: [후]

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

侯

侯 (eumhun 제후 후 (jehu hu))

1. hanja form^? of 후 (“marquis; lord”)
2. hanja form^? of 후 (“target in archery”)

Compounds

• 공후 (公侯, gonghu)
• 봉후 (封侯, bonghu)
• 왕후 (王侯, wanghu)
• 제후 (諸侯, jehu)
• 제후국 (諸侯國, jehuguk)
• 후작 (侯爵, hujak)

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

侯: Hán Nôm readings: hậu, hầu

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

References

• Nom Foundation