龜

See also: 龟 and 亀

龜 U+9F9C, 龜 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-9F9C ← 龛 [U+9F9B] CJK Unified Ideographs 龝 → [U+9F9D]

⿔ U+2FD4, ⿔ KANGXI RADICAL TURTLE ← ⿓ [U+2FD3] Kangxi Radicals ⿕ → [U+2FD5]

⻱ U+2EF1, ⻱ CJK RADICAL TURTLE ← ⻰ [U+2EF0] CJK Radicals Supplement ⻲ → [U+2EF2]

龜 U+F907, 龜 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F907 ← 句 [U+F906] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 龜 → [U+F908]

龜 U+F908, 龜 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F908 ← 龜 [U+F907] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 契 → [U+F909]

龜 U+FACE, 龜 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-FACE ← 鬒 [U+FACD] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 𢡊 → [U+FACF]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order (Hong Kong)

Stroke order (alternative)

Traditional	龜
Shinjitai	亀
Simplified	龟

Han character

See images of
Radical 213 龜

龜 (Kangxi radical 213, 龜+0, 18 strokes in traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean, 16 strokes in mainland China, cangjie input 竹月尸尸 (HBSS) or 弓難山 (NXU), four-corner 2711₇, composition ⿱⺈⿹⿷⿻冂⿰一⿺乚⺊⿼コ㐅𢑑(H) or ⿱⺈⿻⿻冂⿰一⿺乚⺊⿻コ⿴⿹𠃌⺕㐅(G) or ⿱丿⿻⿻冂⿰一⿺乚⺊⿻コ⿴⿹𠃌⺕㐅)

1. Kangxi radical #213, ⿔.

Derived characters

• Appendix:Chinese radical/龜
• 𡤞, 𪷾, 𤒅, 櫷, 𦫉, 𪛕, 𨷺, 鬮

Descendants

• 亀 龟

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1537, character 23
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 48847
• Dae Jaweon: page 2078, character 18
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 7, page 4809, character 4
• Unihan data for U+9F9C

• Unihan data for U+F907

• Unihan data for U+F908

• Unihan data for U+FACE

Chinese

trad.		龜
simp.		龟
alternative forms		亀 𪚧 𪚿 𪚨 𪚦 亀 𪚧 𪚿 𪚨 𪚦 𬺞 𮯛 𮯜 𮯝 𮯞 𮯟

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 龜
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
鬮	*kʷɯ, *kʷruʔ
龜	*kʷɯ, *kʷrɯ

Pictogram (象形): A drawing of a turtle seen from the side and from above (Bronze inscriptions).

Etymology 1

Austroasiatic. Compare Mon ဂွိ (gwi, “soft-shell turtle”), Nyah Kur ทะวี่ʔ (tha wìiʼ, “soft-shell turtle”) (Schuessler, 2007).

"(Cantonese) signature"

Signatures are usually scribbled and difficult to recognize, making it resemble the character 龜, which is with many strokes.

"(Hong Kong Cantonese) police"

In the past, Hong Kong police uniforms were in dark green, similar to colour of turtles.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): guī (gui¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄨㄟ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): gui¹ / kui¹

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): gwai¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): gei¹ / gei^1*

• Gan (Wiktionary): gui¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): kûi

  (Hailu, HRS): gui^ˋ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): gui¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): gui¹
• Northern Min (KCR): gṳ́
• Eastern Min (BUC): gŭi
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gu¹ / gui¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): ku / kui

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gu¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹ciu; ¹kue
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): guei¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: guī
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄨㄟ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: guei
    • Wade–Giles: kuei¹
    • Yale: gwēi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: guei
    • Palladius: гуй (guj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: gui¹ / kui¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: gui / kui
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kuei⁵⁵/, /kʰuei⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: gwai¹
    • Yale: gwāi
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gwai¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: guei¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʷɐi̯⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: gei¹ / gei^1*
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kei³³/, /kei³³⁻³³⁵/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: gui¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kui⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kûi
    • Hakka Romanization System: gui^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: gui¹
    • Sinological IPA: /ku̯i²⁴/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: gui^ˋ
    • Sinological IPA: /kui⁵³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: gui¹
    • Sinological IPA: /kuɪ⁴⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: gui¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /kuei¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: gṳ́
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ky⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: gŭi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kui⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gu¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: gu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁵⁴⁴/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gui¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: gui
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kui⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gui¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kui⁵⁴⁴/

Note:

• gu1 - vernacular;
• gui1 - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Yongchun)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ku
    • Tâi-lô: ku
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kw
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Yongchun): /ku⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ku³³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kui
    • Tâi-lô: kui
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kuy
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kui⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kui³³/
Note:
• ku - vernacular;
• kui - literary.
• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: gu¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ku
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹ciu; ¹kue
    • MiniDict: ciu^平; kue^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹jy; ¹kue
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡ɕy⁵³/, /kue⁵³/
Note:
• 1jy - vernacular;
• 1kue - literary.
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: guei¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku̯e̞i̯³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: kwij

Rime
Character	龜
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	脂 (18)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	居追切
Baxter	kwij
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kˠiuɪ/
Pan Wuyun	/kʷᵚi/
Shao Rongfen	/kiuɪ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kjwi/
Li Rong	/kjui/
Wang Li	/kwi/
Bernhard Karlgren	/kwi/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	guī
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gwai1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[k]ʷrə/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kʷrɯ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	龜
Reading #	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	guī
Middle Chinese	‹ kwij ›
Old Chinese	/*[k]ʷrə/
English	tortoise
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	龜
Reading #	2/2
No.	4616
Phonetic component	龜
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	龜
Old Chinese	/*kʷrɯ/

Definitions

龜

1. turtle; tortoise (Classifier: 隻／只 c)

   • 何謂四靈？麟鳳龜龍，謂之四靈。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     何谓四灵？麟凤龟龙，谓之四灵。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

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

     Héwèi sìlíng? Lín fèng guī lóng, wèi zhī sìlíng. [Pinyin]

     What are the four numinous animals? The lin, the feng, the tortoise, and the dragon; those are called the four numinous animals.

2. (figurative) cuckold
3. (Cantonese, humorous) signature (Classifier: 隻／只 c)

   畫隻龜／画只龟 [Cantonese]  ―  waak⁶ zek³ gwai¹ [Jyutping]  ―  (humorous) to sign (literally, “to draw a turtle”)

   潦隻龜／潦只龟 [Cantonese]  ―  liu² zek³ gwai¹ [Jyutping]  ―  (humorous) to sign (literally, “to doodle a turtle”)

4. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang) police

Synonyms

• (tortoise):

Dialectal synonyms of 烏龜 (“tortoise; turtle”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		龜
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		烏龜
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	烏龜
	Taiwan	烏龜
	Ulanhot	烏龜
	Tongliao	烏龜
	Chifeng	烏龜, 王八
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	烏龜
	Harbin	龜
	Shenyang	烏龜
	Malaysia	烏龜
	Singapore	烏龜
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	龜子
	Jinan	烏龜
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	鱉
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	烏龜
	Xi'an	烏龜, 龜
	Xining	烏龜, 龜, 王八
	Xuzhou	烏龜, 龜
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	鱉蓋, 鱉
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	烏龜, 龜
	Bayanhot	烏龜
	Lanzhou	龜, 烏龜
	Ürümqi	烏龜
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	烏龜
	Wuhan	烏龜, 四腳爬, 爬爬
	Guiyang	烏龜
	Kunming	烏龜
	Guilin	烏龜
	Liuzhou	烏龜
	Dagudi (Maliba)	烏龜
	Reshuitang (Longling)	烏龜
	Mae Salong (Lancang)	烏龜
	Mae Sai (Tengchong)	烏龜
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	烏龜
	Yangzhou	烏龜, 龜
	Hefei	烏龜
	Huanggang	王八
Cantonese	Guangzhou	烏龜, 龜
	Hong Kong	烏龜, 龜
	Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)	昂龜
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	烏龜
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	烏龜
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	爬龜
	Macau	烏龜
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	烏龜
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	龜
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	龜
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	烏龜
	Foshan	烏龜
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	龜
	Foshan (Shunde)	烏龜
	Foshan (Sanshui)	烏龜
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	龜
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	烏龜
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	烏龜
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	烏龜
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	烏龜
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	烏龜
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	烏龜
	Taishan	烏龜
	Kaiping (Chikan)	烏龜
	Enping (Niujiang)	烏龜
	Heshan (Yayao)	烏龜
	Dongguan	烏龜, 龜
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	烏龜
	Qingyuan	烏龜
	Fogang	龜
	Yingde (Hanguang)	烏龜
	Yangshan	烏龜
	Lianshan (Butian)	烏龜
	Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui)	烏龜
	Shaoguan	烏龜
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	烏龜
	Renhua	烏龜
	Lechang	烏龜
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	烏龜
	Sihui	烏龜
	Guangning	烏龜
	Deqing	烏龜
	Huaiji	龜
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	龜
	Yunfu	烏龜
	Xinxing	烏龜
	Luoding	烏龜
	Yunan (Pingtai)	烏龜
	Yangjiang	龜
	Xinyi	烏龜
	Lianjiang	烏龜
	Nanning	烏龜, 龜
	Wuzhou	烏龜, 龜
	Yulin	烏龜
	Rongxian	烏龜
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	烏龜, 龜
	Hepu (Shatian)	烏龜
	Guiping	烏龜
	Guiping (Mule)	龜
	Pingnan	龜
	Guigang (Gangcheng)	龜
	Guigang (Pingdong)	龜
	Beihai	龜
	Beihai (Nankang)	烏龜
Beihai (Yingpan)	龜
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	烏龜
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	烏龜, 龜
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	烏龜
Danzhou	烏龜
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	烏龜
Singapore (Guangfu)	烏龜, 龜
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	烏龜
Móng Cái	烏龜
Bangkok (Guangfu)	龜, เต่า
Betong (Rongxian)	烏龜
Gan	Nanchang	烏龜
	Lichuan	烏龜
	Pingxiang	烏龜
Hakka	Meixian	烏龜, 龜仔
	Dabu (Xihe)	烏龜
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	烏龜
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	烏龜
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	烏龜
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	烏龜
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	烏龜
	Jiexi	烏龜
	Longyan (Xiayang, Yongding)	烏龜
	Yudu	烏龜
	Ruijin	烏龜
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	龜仔
	Miaoli (Zaoqiao; N. Sixian)	龜仔
	Miaoli (Touwu; N. Sixian)	龜仔
	Miaoli (Nanzhuang; N. Sixian)	龜仔
	Miaoli (Shitan; N. Sixian)	龜仔
	Miaoli (Sanwan; N. Sixian)	龜仔
	Miaoli (Toufen; N. Sixian)	龜仔
	Miaoli (Gongguan; N. Sixian)	龜仔
	Miaoli (Zhuolan; N. Sixian)	龜仔
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	龜仔
	Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian)	龜仔
	Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian)	烏龜
	Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian)	龜仔
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	龜仔
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	龜
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	龜
	Miaoli (Zhuolan; Raoping)	烏龜
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	龜
	Hong Kong	烏龜
	Fumian (Xisha, Xinqiao)	烏龜
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	烏龜
	Luchuan (Sihe, Hengshan)	龜
	Bobai (Cuntou, Xintian)	龜
	Beiliu (Mumian, Xilang)	龜
	Xingye (Gaofeng)	烏龜
	Rongxian (Xiandi)	龜
	Sabah (Longchuan)	烏龜, 龜仔
	Kuala Lumpur (Dabu)	烏龜
	Senai (Huiyang)	烏龜
	Singkawang	龜
	Bangkok (Jiexi)	烏龜
Huizhou	Jixi	烏龜
Jin	Taiyuan	王八, 烏龜, 龜
	Pingyao	鱉疙瘩
	Taibus (Baochang)	烏龜
	Linhe	烏龜
	Jining	烏龜
	Hohhot	王八
	Baotou	烏龜
	Dongsheng	王八
	Haibowan	王八
Northern Min	Jian'ou	烏龜
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	烏龜, 龜
	Fuqing	龜, 烏龜
	Matsu	烏龜
Southern Min	Xiamen	烏龜, 龜
	Quanzhou	烏龜, 龜
	Yongchun	烏龜, 龜
	Zhangzhou	烏龜, 龜
	Zhao'an	龜
	Taipei	龜
	Taipei (Wanhua)	龜
	New Taipei (Tamsui)	龜
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	龜
	New Taipei (Pingxi)	龜
	Kaohsiung	龜
	Kaohsiung (Cijin)	龜
	Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang)	龜
	Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang)	龜
	Kaohsiung (Tianliao)	龜
	Yilan	龜
	Changhua (Lukang)	龜
	Taichung	龜
	Taichung (Wuqi)	龜
	Tainan	龜
	Tainan (Anping)	龜
	Taitung	龜
	Hsinchu	龜
	Kinmen	龜
	Penghu (Magong)	龜
	Penghu (Xiyu)	龜
	Penang (Hokkien)	龜, 烏龜
	Singapore (Hokkien)	龜, 烏龜
	Zhangping (Yongfu)	龜
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	烏龜
	Pingnan (Sijie)	龜
	Pingle (Zhoutang)	龜
	Lechang (Tatou)	龜
	Yingde (Yuzui)	龜
	Yunan (Liantan)	龜
	Chaozhou	烏龜, 龜
	Bangkok (Teochew)	烏龜
	Chiang Mai (Teochew)	龜
	Hat Yai (Teochew)	烏龜
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	龜
	Leizhou	龜
	Wenchang	龜
	Haikou	龜
Puxian Min	Putian	烏龜, 龜
	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	烏龜
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	烏龜, 龜
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	烏龜
	Xianyou	烏龜, 龜
	Xianyou (Fengting)	烏龜, 龜
	Xianyou (Youyang)	烏龜, 龜
Central Min	Yong'an	烏龜
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	烏龜, 龜
	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	烏龜, 龜
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	烏龜, 龜
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	烏龜
Waxiang	Yuanling (Shaojiwan)	烏龜
Wu	Shanghai	烏龜, 王八
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	烏龜, 十三塊六角
	Shanghai (Jiading)	烏龜
	Shanghai (Chongming)	烏龜
	Suzhou	烏龜
	Wuxi	烏龜
	Danyang	烏龜, 王八八, 王八
	Hangzhou	烏龜
	Ningbo	烏龜, 王八
	Wenzhou	烏龜
	Jinhua	烏龜
Xiang	Changsha	烏龜, 王八
	Loudi	烏龜
	Shuangfeng	烏龜
	Quanzhou	烏龜

Compounds

• 不待蓍龜 / 不待蓍龟 (bùdàishīguī)
• 九尾龜 / 九尾龟
• 兔角龜毛 / 兔角龟毛
• 六龜 / 六龟 (Liùguī, “Liouguei”)
• 六龜茶 / 六龟茶
• 冊府元龜 / 册府元龟
• 厾龜 / 厾龟 (tuh-ku) (Min Nan)
• 地圖龜 / 地图龟 (dìtúguī)
• 援鱉失龜 / 援鳖失龟
• 撥龜 / 拨龟
• 攝龜 / 摄龟
• 槓龜 / 杠龟 (gàngguī)
• 毛寶放龜 / 毛宝放龟
• 海龜 / 海龟 (hǎiguī)
• 灼龜 / 灼龟
• 烏龜 / 乌龟 (wūguī)
• 烏龜亡八 / 乌龟亡八
• 爛板烏龜 / 烂板乌龟
• 瓦影龜魚 / 瓦影龟鱼
• 白龜年 / 白龟年
• 紅龜 / 红龟 (âng-ku) (Min Nan)
• 縮頭烏龜 / 缩头乌龟 (suōtóu wūguī)
• 蓍龜 / 蓍龟 (shīguī)
• 蝸步龜移 / 蜗步龟移 (wōbùguīyí)
• 蟬腹龜腸 / 蝉腹龟肠
• 蠵龜 / 蠵龟 (xīguī)
• 解龜 / 解龟
• 象龜 / 象龟
• 金龜 / 金龟 (jīnguī)
• 金龜婿 / 金龟婿 (jīnguīxù)
• 金龜子 / 金龟子 (jīnguīzǐ)
• 金龜車 / 金龟车 (Jīnguīchē)
• 釣金龜 / 钓金龟
• 鐵雲藏龜 / 铁云藏龟
• 鴦龜 / 鸯龟
• 鶴算龜齡 / 鹤算龟龄
• 麟鳳龜龍 / 麟凤龟龙
• 龜兆 / 龟兆 (guīzhào)
• 龜兒子 / 龟儿子 (guī'érzi)
• 龜兔賽跑 / 龟兔赛跑
• 龜卜 / 龟卜 (guībǔ)
• 龜卦 / 龟卦
• 龜吼 / 龟吼 (Guīhǒu)
• 龜坼 / 龟坼
• 龜奴 / 龟奴
• 龜婆 / 龟婆 (guīpó)
• 龜子 / 龟子 (guīzǐ)
• 龜山 / 龟山 (Guīshān)
• 龜年 / 龟年
• 龜年鶴壽 / 龟年鹤寿
• 龜文 / 龟文
• 龜文鳥跡 / 龟文鸟迹
• 龜殼花 / 龟壳花 (guīkéhuā)
• 龜毛 / 龟毛 (guīmáo)
• 龜毛兔角 / 龟毛兔角 (guīmáotùjiǎo)
• 龜灼 / 龟灼
• 龜版 / 龟版
• 龜玉 / 龟玉
• 龜甲 / 龟甲 (guījiǎ)
• 龜策 / 龟策
• 龜筴 / 龟策
• 龜筮 / 龟筮
• 龜紐 / 龟纽
• 龜紋 / 龟纹
• 龜綬 / 龟绶
• 龜縮 / 龟缩 (guīsuō)
• 龜背芋 / 龟背芋
• 龜苓膏 / 龟苓膏 (guīlínggāo)
• 龜蛇二將 / 龟蛇二将
• 龜行 / 龟行
• 龜貝 / 龟贝
• 龜趺 / 龟趺 (guīfū)
• 龜速 / 龟速 (guīsù)
• 龜鑑 / 龟鉴 (guījiàn)
• 龜頭 / 龟头 (guītóu)
• 龜鱉目 / 龟鳖目
• 龜鶴 / 龟鹤
• 龜鶴同春 / 龟鹤同春
• 龜鼎 / 龟鼎
• 龜齡 / 龟龄
• 龜齡鶴算 / 龟龄鹤算
• 龜龍麟鳳 / 龟龙麟凤

Descendants

• → Zhuang: gvi

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): qiū (qiu¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄡ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): kau¹ / gau¹
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): giu¹ / kiu¹
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹chieu

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: qiū
    • Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄡ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ciou
    • Wade–Giles: chʻiu¹
    • Yale: chyōu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chiou
    • Palladius: цю (cju)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: kau¹ / gau¹
    • Yale: kāu / gāu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: kau¹ / gau¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: keo¹ / geo¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɐu̯⁵⁵/, /kɐu̯⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: giu¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: giu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: giu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu⁵⁴⁴/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: kiu¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: kiu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰiu⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: kiu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰiu⁵⁴⁴/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹chieu
    • MiniDict: chieu^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹qieu
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡ɕʰiɤ⁵³/

---

• Middle Chinese: kjuw

Rime
Character	龜
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	居求切
Baxter	kjuw
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɨu/
Pan Wuyun	/kiu/
Shao Rongfen	/kiəu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kuw/
Li Rong	/kiu/
Wang Li	/kĭəu/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ki̯ə̯u/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	jiū
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gau1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[k]ʷə/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kʷɯ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	龜
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	guī
Middle Chinese	‹ kjuw ›
Old Chinese	/*[k]ʷə/
English	tortoise
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	龜
Reading #	1/2
No.	4614
Phonetic component	龜
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	鳩
Old Chinese	/*kʷɯ/

Definitions

龜

1. only used in 龜茲／龟兹 (Qiūcí)

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): jūn (jun¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄐㄩㄣ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): gwan¹
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gong¹ / guong¹
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): kun
• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹ciun

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jūn
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄩㄣ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jyun
    • Wade–Giles: chün¹
    • Yale: jyūn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jiun
    • Palladius: цзюнь (czjunʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕyn⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: gwan¹
    • Yale: gwān
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gwan¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: guen¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʷɐn⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gong¹
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: geong
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔŋ⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: guong¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kuoŋ⁵⁴⁴/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kun
    • Tâi-lô: kun
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kwn
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kun⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kun³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kun⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kun⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kun⁴⁴/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹ciun
    • MiniDict: ciuin^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹jyn
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡ɕyn⁵³/

Definitions

龜

1. (of skin) to crack; to become chapped

   • 宋人有善為不龜手之藥者，世世以洴澼絖為事。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     宋人有善为不龟手之药者，世世以洴澼𬘢为事。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Sòng rén yǒu shàn wéi bù jūnshǒu zhī yào zhě, shìshì yǐ píngpìkuàng wéi shì. [Pinyin]

     There was a man of Song who was skilful at making a salve for chapped hands; and (his family) for generations had made the bleaching of cocoon-silk their business.

Compounds

• 不龜手藥 / 不龟手药 (bùjūnshǒuyào)
• 不龜藥 / 不龟药
• 龜手 / 龟手
• 龜裂 / 龟裂 (jūnliè)

References

• “龜”, 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–
• 莆田市荔城区档案馆 [Putian City Licheng District Archives], editor (2022), “龟”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 [Puxian Dialect Literary Reading Dictionary] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 81.

Japanese

Shinjitai	亀
Kyūjitai	龜

Kanji

See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 龜

龜

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 亀)

1. Kyūjitai form of 亀

Readings

• Go-on: き (ki)^{←き (ki, historical)}
• Kan-on: き (ki)^{←き (ki, historical)}
• Kun: かめ (kame, 龜)

From Middle Chinese 龜 (MC kjuw), as in 龜茲 (Kyūji)

• Go-on: く (ku)
• Kan-on: きゅう (kyū)^{←きう (kiu, historical)}

Definitions

Kanji in this term
龜
かめ Hyōgai
kun'yomi

Kanji in this term
龜
き Hyōgai
on'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 龜 – see the following entry.

【亀】S [kanji] jōyō kanji Kanji reading: こん, きん

(This term, 龜, is the kyūjitai of the above term.)

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 龜 (MC kwij).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean 귀 (kwuy)^訓 (Yale: kwuy) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [kɥi] ~ [ky]
• Phonetic hangul: [귀]

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

龜

龜 (eumhun 거북 귀 (geobuk gwi))

1. hanja form^? of 귀 (“tortoise; turtle”)

Compounds

• 귀각 (龜殼, gwigak)
• 귀감 (龜鑑, gwigam, “warning; self-criticism”)
• 귀갑 (龜甲, gwigap)
• 귀두 (龜頭, gwidu)
• 귀모 (龜毛, gwimo)
• 귀배 (龜背, gwibae)
• 귀별 (龜鼈, gwibyeol)
• 귀복 (龜卜, gwibok)
• 귀선 (龜船, gwiseon, “Turtle ship”)
• 귀옥 (龜玉, gwiok)
• 귀점 (龜占, gwijeom)
• 귀판 (龜板, gwipan)
• 귀패 (龜貝, gwipae)
• 맹귀 (盲龜, maenggwi)
• 수귀 (水龜, sugwi)
• 신귀 (神龜, sin'gwi)
• 영귀 (靈龜, yeonggwi)
• 장귀 (長龜, janggwi)
• 진귀 (秦龜, jin'gwi)
• 해귀 (海龜, haegwi)
• 휴귀 (蠵龜, hyugwi)

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 龜 (MC kjuw).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean 쿠ᇢ (Yale: khwuw) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
• Recorded as Early Modern Korean 구^韻 (Yale: kwu) in Samun Seonghwi (三韻聲彙 / 삼운성휘), 1751.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ku]
• Phonetic hangul: [구]

Hanja

龜 (eumhun 땅 이름 구 (ttang ireum gu))

1. hanja form^? of 구 (“used in placenames”)

Compounds

• 구미 (龜尾, Gumi, “Gumi”)
• 구성 (龜城, Guseong)
• 구자 (龜茲, Guja)
• 구지봉 (龜旨峯, Gujibong)
• 구포 (龜浦, Gupo)
• 학구 (鶴龜, hakgu)

Etymology 3

From Middle Chinese 龜.

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean 균 (Yale: kyun) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [kjun]
• Phonetic hangul: [균]

Hanja

龜 (eumhun 터질 균 (teojil gyun))

1. hanja form^? of 균 (“crack”)

Compounds

• 균수 (龜手, gyunsu, “rough; cracked hands”)
• 균열 (龜裂, gyunyeol, “crack; break”)
• 균탁 (龜坼, gyuntak, “crack”)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.