敬

See also: 茍

敬 U+656C, 敬 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-656C ← 敫 [U+656B] CJK Unified Ideographs 敭 → [U+656D]

敬 U+2F8C9, 敬 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F8C9 ← 敏 [U+2F8C8] CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement 𣀊 → [U+2F8CA]

Translingual

Han character

敬 (Kangxi radical 66, 攴+9 in traditional Chinese and Korean, 攴+8 in mainland China and Japanese, 13 strokes in traditional Chinese and Korean, 12 strokes in mainland China and Japanese, cangjie input 廿口人大 (TROK), four-corner 4864₀, composition ⿰苟攵(GJKV) or ⿰茍攵(HT))

Derived characters

• 儆, 擏, 曔, 㯳, 璥, 䜘, 㢣, 憼, 擎, 檠, 蟼, 警, 驚

Additional Derived Characters

• 𠧂, 𱔻, 𫱻, 𢢩, 𤀂, 𩼃, 𫄿, 𭋆, 𱘄, 𭘷, 𢐧, 𭶍, 𱅽

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 473, character 35
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13285
• Dae Jaweon: page 826, character 17
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1466, character 2
• Unihan data for U+656C

• Unihan data for U+2F8C9

Chinese

trad.		敬
simp. #		敬

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 敬
Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
蟼	*kraː, *kreŋ, *kreŋʔ
憼	*kaŋʔ, *kreŋʔ
驚	*kreŋ
警	*kreŋʔ
儆	*kreŋʔ, *ɡreŋs
璥	*keŋʔ
檠	*kreŋʔ, *ɡreŋ, *ɡreŋs
敬	*kreŋs
擎	*ɡreŋ
曔	*ɡreŋs

Possibly ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 茍 (“kneeling person or sitting dog”) + 攴 (“hand holding a stick, authority”).

Etymology

Cognate with 驚 (OC *kreŋ, “to be afraid; to scare”) (Schuessler, 2007). See there for more.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): jìng (jing⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄥˋ

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ging³

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): gen¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): jin⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): kin

  (Hailu, HRS): gin^ˇ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): gin⁴

• Northern Min (KCR): ge̿ng
• Eastern Min (BUC): géng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): ging⁴
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): kèng

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gêng³

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁵cin
  • (Jinhua): ⁵cin

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jìng
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄥˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jìng
    • Wade–Giles: ching⁴
    • Yale: jìng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jinq
    • Palladius: цзин (czin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong–Macau)
    • Jyutping: ging³
    • Yale: ging
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ging³
    • Guangdong Romanization: ging³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɪŋ³³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: gen¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ken³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: jin⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕin³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kin
    • Hakka Romanization System: gin
    • Hagfa Pinyim: gin⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /kin⁵⁵/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: gin^ˇ
    • Sinological IPA: /kin¹¹/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: gin⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /kin⁵³/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ge̿ng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /keiŋ³³/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: géng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɛiŋ²¹³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ging⁴
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: gi̍ng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiŋ⁴²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kèng
    • Tâi-lô: kìng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kexng
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kiɪŋ²¹/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kiɪŋ⁴¹/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kiɪŋ²¹/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kiɪŋ¹¹/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kiɪŋ²¹/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: gêng³
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kèng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /keŋ²¹³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
    • Wugniu: ⁵cin
    • MiniDict: cin^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²jin
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡ɕin³⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /t͡ɕiŋ³⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /ciŋ³⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /t͡ɕin³³/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /t͡ɕin⁵²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /t͡ɕiŋ⁵²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /t͡ɕin³³⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /t͡ɕin⁴⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /t͡ɕiŋ³³/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /t͡ɕiŋ⁴⁴/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ⁵cin
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: kjaengH

Rime
Character	敬
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	庚 (111)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	居慶切
Baxter	kjaengH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kˠiæŋH/
Pan Wuyun	/kᵚiaŋH/
Shao Rongfen	/kiaŋH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kiajŋH/
Li Rong	/kiɐŋH/
Wang Li	/kĭɐŋH/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ki̯ɐŋH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	jìng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ging3

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*kreŋ(ʔ)-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kreŋs/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	敬
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	jìng
Middle Chinese	‹ kjængH ›
Old Chinese	/*kreŋ(ʔ)-s/
English	respectful
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	敬
Reading #	1/1
No.	6885
Phonetic component	敬
Rime group	耕
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	敬
Old Chinese	/*kreŋs/

Definitions

敬

1. to respect; to honor
2. to present; to offer (alcohol, food, cigarettes, tea, etc.)
3. (literary, or in compounds) to concentrate completely on; to devote oneself to; to focus all of one's attention on
4. (literary, or in compounds) respectful; deferential (Can we add an example for this sense?)
5. a surname

Synonyms

• (to respect):

edit

• 寅畏 (yínwèi) (literary)
• 尊存 (Hokkien)
• 尊崇 (zūnchóng)
• 尊敬 (zūnjìng)
• 尊重 (zūnzhòng)
• 尚
• 崇尚 (chóngshàng)
• 崇拜 (chóngbài)
• 崇敬 (chóngjìng)
• 推尊 (tuīzūn)
• 推崇 (tuīchóng)
• 敦尚 (dūnshàng) (literary)
• 敬愛 / 敬爱 (jìng'ài)
• 敬服 (jìngfú)
• 敬畏 (jìngwèi)
• 敬重 (jìngzhòng)
• 畏服 (wèifú) (literary)
• 誠忠 / 诚忠 (chéngzhōng) (literary)

• (to concentrate completely on):

edit

• 上心 (shàngxīn)
• 專心 / 专心 (zhuānxīn)
• 專注 / 专注 (zhuānzhù)
• 沉潛 / 沉潜 (chénqián)
• 潛心 / 潜心 (qiánxīn)
• 用心 (yòngxīn)
• 走心 (zǒuxīn)

• (respectful):

edit

• 恭敬 (gōngjìng)
• 恭順 / 恭顺 (gōngshùn)
• 敬虔 (jìngqián)
• 莊嚴 / 庄严 (zhuāngyán)
• 莊敬 / 庄敬 (zhuāngjìng) (literary)
• 虔恪 (qiánkè) (literary)
• 虔敬 (qiánjìng)
• 虔誠 / 虔诚 (qiánchéng)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “to respect”): 鄙 (bǐ)

Compounds

• 不敬 (bùjìng)
• 主敬存誠 / 主敬存诚
• 最敬禮 / 最敬礼 (zuìjìnglǐ)
• 可敬 (kějìng)
• 回敬 (huíjìng)
• 大不敬 (dàbùjìng)
• 失敬 (shījìng)
• 奠敬
• 奩敬 / 奁敬
• 孝敬 (xiàojìng)
• 尊敬 (zūnjìng)
• 屈尊敬賢 / 屈尊敬贤
• 崇敬 (chóngjìng)
• 廝抬廝敬 / 厮抬厮敬
• 廝敬廝愛 / 厮敬厮爱
• 彌敬 / 弥敬
• 忒敬思
• 忠敬
• 恭恭敬敬 (gōnggōngjìngjìng)
• 恭敬 (gōngjìng)
• 慎始敬終 / 慎始敬终 (shènshǐjìngzhōng)
• 憐貧敬老 / 怜贫敬老
• 敬上
• 敬上愛下 / 敬上爱下
• 敬之
• 敬事
• 敬事不暇
• 敬事房
• 敬亭山
• 敬仰 (jìngyǎng)
• 敬佩 (jìngpèi)
• 敬信 (Jìngxìn, “Jingxin”)
• 敬同
• 敬天愛民 / 敬天爱民
• 敬奉 (jìngfèng)
• 敬姜猶績 / 敬姜犹绩
• 敬小慎微
• 敬心
• 敬思
• 敬悉
• 敬意 (jìngyì)
• 敬愛 / 敬爱 (jìng'ài)
• 敬慎
• 敬慕 (jìngmù)
• 敬懇者 / 敬恳者
• 敬懼 / 敬惧
• 敬授人時 / 敬授人时
• 敬啟者 / 敬启者 (jìngqǐzhě)
• 敬時愛日 / 敬时爱日
• 敬服 (jìngfú)
• 敬業 / 敬业 (jìngyè)
• 敬業樂群 / 敬业乐群
• 敬業精神 / 敬业精神
• 敬畏 (jìngwèi)
• 敬祝 (jìngzhù)
• 敬神
• 敬禮 / 敬礼 (jìnglǐ)
• 敬稟者 / 敬禀者
• 敬稱 / 敬称 (jìngchēng)
• 敬老尊賢 / 敬老尊贤
• 敬老恤貧 / 敬老恤贫
• 敬老慈幼
• 敬老憐貧 / 敬老怜贫
• 敬老節 / 敬老节
• 敬老院 (jìnglǎoyuàn)
• 敬而遠之 / 敬而远之 (jìng'éryuǎnzhī)
• 敬肅者 / 敬肃者
• 敬若神明
• 敬虔主義 / 敬虔主义 (jìngqiánzhǔyì)
• 敬詞 / 敬词 (jìngcí)
• 敬請 / 敬请 (jìngqǐng)
• 敬諾 / 敬诺
• 敬謝 / 敬谢
• 敬謝不敏 / 敬谢不敏
• 敬謹 / 敬谨
• 敬賢 / 敬贤 (jìngxián)
• 敬賢禮士 / 敬贤礼士 (jìngxiánlǐshì)
• 敬身
• 敬辭 / 敬辞 (jìngcí)
• 敬酒 (jìngjiǔ)
• 敬重 (jìngzhòng)
• 敬陪末坐
• 敬陪末座
• 敬頌 / 敬颂
• 梁敬帝
• 楮敬
• 欽敬 / 钦敬 (qīnjìng)
• 潔敬 / 洁敬
• 炭敬
• 無以為敬 / 无以为敬
• 用代楮敬
• 畢恭畢敬 / 毕恭毕敬 (bìgōngbìjìng)
• 相敬如賓 / 相敬如宾 (xiāngjìngrúbīn)
• 程敬
• 節敬 / 节敬
• 肅然起敬 / 肃然起敬 (sùránqǐjìng)
• 脩敬
• 至敬無文 / 至敬无文
• 致敬 (zhìjìng)
• 茶敬
• 莊敬 / 庄敬 (zhuāngjìng)
• 莊敬自強 / 庄敬自强
• 菲敬
• 虔敬 (qiánjìng)
• 誠心敬意 / 诚心敬意
• 誠敬 / 诚敬
• 贄敬 / 贽敬
• 起敬 (qǐjìng)
• 輕財敬士 / 轻财敬士

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (敬):

• → Vietnamese: kính (敬)

Others:

• → Zhuang: gingq

References

• “敬”, 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–
• “敬”, 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.