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Historical forms of the character歲
Shang	Western Zhou	Spring and Autumn	Warring States		Shuowen Jiezi (compiled inHan)	Liushutong (compiled inMing)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the samephonetic series (歲)(Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
噦	qʰʷaːds, qʷrad, *qʷad
翽	*qʰʷaːds
鐬	*qʰʷaːds
濊	qʰʷaːds, qʷaːds, qʷads, qʰʷaːd
歲	sqʰʷads, sqʰʷad
劌	*kʷrads
顪	*qʰʷads
穢	*qʷads
薉	*qʷads
獩	*qʷads
饖	*qʷads
奯	*qʰʷaːd

Uncommon instance of歲 /岁(suì) in theoracle bone script showing the two止 components.

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 /形声,OC*sqʰʷads, *sqʰʷad): semantic 步 + phonetic 戉(OC*ɢʷad) to indicate the passing of time as "movement". Hence, the original version was close to𢧁. In addition to戉, various components such as月 (“moon; month”) used to be present, sometimes as simple as two dots.

The current form derives from theQin-style handwriting of the lateWarring States (with a full-width止 on the top and a bottom-left撇 stroke extending outward as in戊 or戌 instead of bending inward as in戉), which was also inherited by theclerical script.

Etymology

[edit]

A derivative of越 (OC*ɢʷad, “to pass over”) (Mei, 1979, 1992). Ultimately probably fromProto-Sino-Tibetan*ɢʷrat(“to travel; to go through”); compareTibetanསྐྱོད(skyod,“to go”) (Mei, 1979, 1992;Gong Hwang-cherng, 2002; STEDT).

The functions of the*s- prefix and the*-s suffix are not clear. Possible explanations include:

*s- as adirective prefix and*-s as anominalizer (Mei, 1992);
*s- is aniterative prefix, literally "to pass on again" (Schuessler, 2007);
*s- (possibly with*-s) as anominalizer (Smith, 2012).

Alternatively, it may be derived from a word like圓 (OC*ɢon, “round; circle”) (<Proto-Sino-Tibetan*wal(“round; circular”)), literally "to start the circle/cycle again" (Schuessler, 2007).

Outside of Sino-Tibetan, this word has been compared toThaiขวบ(kùuap,“year”), whichBodman (1980) considers to be a loan from Chinese, as well asProto-Austronesian*kawaS(“year; season; sky”) (Sagart, 2005).

Also seeSchuessler (2007) andSmith (2012) for a discussion on the semantic development of this word, especially the connection between "Jupiter" and "year".

Pronunciation

[edit]

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin):suì (sui⁴)
(Zhuyin):ㄙㄨㄟˋ
(Chengdu,Sichuanese Pinyin):sui⁴
(Xi'an,Guanzhong Pinyin):suǐ
(Nanjing,Nanjing Pinyin):suī
(Dungan,Cyrillic andWiktionary):суй (suy, III)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong,Jyutping):seoi³
(Taishan,Wiktionary):lhui¹
Gan(Wiktionary):sui⁴
Hakka
(Sixian,PFS):se / soi / sui
(Meixian,Guangdong):sê⁴ / sui⁴
Jin(Wiktionary):sui³
Northern Min(KCR):hṳe̿ / sṳ̿
Eastern Min(BUC):huói / suói
Puxian Min(Pouseng Ping'ing):huei⁴ / huai⁴ / hoi⁴ / suei⁴ / suai⁴ / soi⁴
Southern Min
(Hokkien,POJ):hè /hèr /hòe /sòe
(Teochew,Peng'im):huê³ / suê³
Wu(Shanghai,Wugniu):⁵soe
Xiang(Changsha,Wiktionary):sei⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin:suì
  - Zhuyin:ㄙㄨㄟˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin:suèi
  - Wade–Giles:sui⁴
  - Yale:swèi
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh:suey
  - Palladius:суй(suj)
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/su̯eɪ̯⁵¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin:sui⁴
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz:sui
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/suei²¹³/
- (Xi'an)
  - Guanzhong Pinyin:suǐ
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/suei²¹/
- (Nanjing)
  - Nanjing Pinyin:suī
  - Nanjing Pinyin (numbered):sui⁴
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/suəi⁴⁴/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic andWiktionary:суй (suy, III)
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/suei⁴⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese,Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping:seoi³
  - Yale:seui
  - Cantonese Pinyin:soey³
  - Guangdong Romanization:sêu³
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/sɵy̯³³/
- (Taishanese,Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary:lhui¹
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬui³³/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary:sui⁴
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/sui³⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl.Miaoli andNeipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ:se / soi / sui
  - Hakka Romanization System:se / soi / sui
  - Hagfa Pinyim:se⁴ / soi⁴ / sui⁴
  - SinologicalIPA:/se⁵⁵/, /soi̯⁵⁵/, /su̯i⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong:sê⁴ / sui⁴
  - SinologicalIPA:/se⁵³/, /suɪ⁵³/

Note:

Meixian:
- sê4 - vernacular;
- sui4 - literary.

Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary:sui³
  - SinologicalIPA (old-style):/suei⁴⁵/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized:hṳe̿ / sṳ̿
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/xyɛ³³/, /sy³³/

Note:

hṳe̿ - vernacular;
sṳ̿ - literary.

Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê:huói / suói
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/hui²¹³/, /sui²¹³/

Note:

huói - vernacular;
suói - literary.

Puxian Min
- (Putian,Nanri,Xianyou,Fengting)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:huei⁴
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍:ho̍i
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/huei⁴²/
- (Jiangkou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:huai⁴
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/huɐi⁴²/
- (Youyang)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:hoi⁴
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/hoi⁴²/
- (Putian,Nanri,Xianyou,Fengting)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:suei⁴
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍:so̍i
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬuei⁴²/
- (Jiangkou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:suai⁴
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/ɬuɐi⁴²/
- (Youyang)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing:soi⁴
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/θoi⁴²/

Note:

huei4/huai4/hoi4 - vernacular;
suei4/suai4/soi4 - literary.

Southern Min
- (Hokkien:Xiamen,Taipei,Magong,Hsinchu,Taichung,Philippines)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī:hè
  - Tâi-lô:hè
  - Phofsit Daibuun:hex
  - SinologicalIPA (Xiamen):/he²¹/
  - SinologicalIPA (Taipei):/he¹¹/
  - SinologicalIPA (Philippines):/he⁴¹/
- (Hokkien:Quanzhou,Lukang,Sanxia,Kinmen,Hsinchu)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī:hèr
  - Tâi-lô:hèr
  - SinologicalIPA (Quanzhou):/hə⁴¹/
  - SinologicalIPA (Lukang):/hə³¹/
  - SinologicalIPA (Kinmen):/hə¹²/
- (Hokkien:Zhangzhou,Kaohsiung,Tainan,Yilan,Medan)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī:hòe
  - Tâi-lô:huè
  - Phofsit Daibuun:hoex
  - SinologicalIPA (Zhangzhou,Kaohsiung,Tainan,Yilan):/hue²¹/
- (Hokkien:Xiamen,Quanzhou,Zhangzhou,GeneralTaiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī:sòe
  - Tâi-lô:suè
  - Phofsit Daibuun:soex
  - SinologicalIPA (Quanzhou):/sue⁴¹/
  - SinologicalIPA (Xiamen,Zhangzhou,Kaohsiung):/sue²¹/
  - SinologicalIPA (Taipei):/sue¹¹/

Note:

hè/hèr/hòe - vernacular;
sòe - literary.

(Teochew)
- Peng'im:huê³ / suê³
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like:huè / suè
- SinologicalIPA^(key):/hue²¹³/, /sue²¹³/

Note:

huê3 - vernacular;
suê3 - literary.

Wu
- (Northern:Shanghai)
  - Wugniu:⁵soe
  - MiniDict:soe^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai):²soe
  - SinologicalIPA (Shanghai):/sø³⁴/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary:sei⁴
  - SinologicalIPA^(key):/se̞i̯⁴⁵/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 歲
Mandarin	Beijing	/suei⁵¹/
	Harbin	/suei⁵³/
	Tianjin	/suei⁵³/
	Jinan	/suei²¹/
	Qingdao	/sue⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/suei³¹²/
	Xi'an	/suei²¹/
	Xining	/suɨ²¹³/
	Yinchuan	/suei¹³/
	Lanzhou	/suei¹³/
	Ürümqi	/suei²¹³/
	Wuhan	/sei³⁵/
	Chengdu	/suei¹³/
	Guiyang	/suei²¹³/
	Kunming	/sei²²/ /suei²¹²/
	Nanjing	/suəi⁴⁴/
	Hefei	/se⁵³/
Jin	Taiyuan	/suei⁴⁵/
	Pingyao	/suei³⁵/
	Hohhot	/suei⁵⁵/
Wu	Shanghai	/sø³⁵/
	Suzhou	/se̞⁵¹³/
	Hangzhou	/sz̩ʷei⁴⁴⁵/
	Wenzhou	/sz̩⁴²/
Hui	Shexian	/ɕye³²⁴/ /ɕy³²⁴/
Hui	Tunxi	/se⁴²/
Xiang	Changsha	/sei⁵⁵/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/səi⁵⁵/
Gan	Nanchang	/sui⁴⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/sui⁵³/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/se⁵⁵/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/søy³³/
	Nanning	/ɬui³³/
	Hong Kong	/søy³³/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/sue²¹/ /he²¹/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/huɔi²¹²/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/xuɛ³³/ /sy³³/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/sue²¹³/ /hue²¹³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/sui³⁵/ /hue³⁵/

Middle Chinese:sjwejH

Rime
Character	歲
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	心 (16)
Final (韻)	祭 (36)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	相銳切
Baxter	sjwejH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/siuᴇi^H/
Pan Wuyun	/sʷiɛi^H/
Shao Rongfen	/siuæi^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/swiaj^H/
Li Rong	/siuɛi^H/
Wang Li	/sĭwɛi^H/
Bernhard Karlgren	/si̯wɛi^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	suì
Expected Cantonese Reflex	seoi³

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart):/*s-qʷʰat-s/
(Zhengzhang):/*sqʰʷads/, /*sqʰʷad/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	歲
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	suì
Middle Chinese	‹ sjwej^H ›
Old Chinese	/*s-qʷʰat-s/
English	year
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	歲	歲
Reading #	1/2	2/2
No.	12165	12175
Phonetic component	歲	歲
Rime group	祭	月
Rime subdivision	1	1
Corresponding MC rime		雪
Old Chinese	/*sqʰʷads/	/*sqʰʷad/
Notes	甲金文戉分化字，說文戌聲非

Definitions

[edit]

歲

(literary)Jupiter(planet)
- 昔武王伐殷，歲在鶉火，……歲之所在，則我有周之分野也，……[Classical Chinese,trad.]
  昔武王伐殷，岁在鹑火，……岁之所在，则我有周之分野也，……[Classical Chinese,simp.]
  From:Guoyu, circa 4^th centuryBCE
  Xī Wǔwáng fá Yīn,Suì zài Chúnhuǒ,......Suì zhī suǒzài, zé wǒ Yǒuzhōu zhī fēnyě yě,......[Pinyin]
  Formerly whenKing Wu attackedYin, theYear Star / Jupiter was in Quail Fire, [...] TheYear Star / Jupiter was in the [heavenly] region allotted to us, theYouzhou, [...]
year
- 子曰：「歲寒，然後知松柏之後彫也。」[Classical Chinese,trad.]
  子曰：「岁寒，然后知松柏之后凋也。」[Classical Chinese,simp.]
  From: TheAnalects of Confucius,c. 475 – 221BCE, translated based onJames Legge's version
  Zǐ yuē: “Suì hán, rán hòu zhī sōngbǎi zhī hòu diāo yě.”[Pinyin]
  The Master said, "When theyear becomes cold, then we know how the pine and the cypress are the last to lose their leaves."
Tai Sui, thegod representing each ofthese years
(literary)age
(literary)time;period
(literary)cropharvests of theyear
- 苟無歲，何有民？苟無民，何有君？[Classical Chinese,trad.]
  苟无岁，何有民？苟无民，何有君？[Classical Chinese,simp.]
  From:Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuriesBCE
  Gǒu wúsuì, hé yǒu mín? Gǒu wú mín, hé yǒu jūn?[Pinyin]
  Whence the people, if not forthe harvests? Whence the prince, if not for the people?
(literary)Classifier for time: year
Classifier for age (of a person or animal): year old
你現在幾歲？／你现在几岁？ ― Nǐ xiànzài jǐsuì? ― How old are you now?
我十八歲。／我十八岁。 ― Wǒ shíbāsuì. ― I am 18years old.
一個十歲的女孩／一个十岁的女孩 ― yīge shísuì de nǚhái ― a ten-year-old girl

Usage notes

[edit]

Ages in歲／岁 (suì) are traditionally reckoned using the Chinese lunar calendar, considered as 1 year old at the moment of birth and increasing not during birthdays, but at theChinese New Year.

Synonyms

[edit]

Dialectal synonyms of年 (“year”)[map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		年,歲,載
Formal(Written Standard Chinese)		年,載
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	年
Northeastern Mandarin	Singapore	年
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai(Muping)	年
Central Plains Mandarin	Xining	年
Southwestern Mandarin	Wuhan	年
Southwestern Mandarin	Guilin	年
Cantonese	Guangzhou	年
	Hong Kong	年
	Taishan	年
	Singapore(Guangfu)	年
Gan	Nanchang	年
	Lichuan	年
	Pingxiang	年
Hakka	Miaoli(N. Sixian)	年
	Miaoli(Gongguan; N. Sixian)	年
	Miaoli(Zhuolan; N. Sixian)	年
	Pingtung(Neipu; S. Sixian)	年
	Pingtung(Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian)	年
	Kaohsiung(Meinong; S. Sixian)	年
	Kaohsiung(Shanlin; S. Sixian)	年
	Miaoli(Zhuolan; Raoping)	年
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	年
Southern Min	Xiamen	冬
	Quanzhou	冬
	Zhangzhou	年,冬
	Zhao'an	年,冬
	New Taipei(Tamsui)	年,冬
	New Taipei(Pingxi)	年,冬
	Kaohsiung	年,冬
	Kaohsiung(Cijin)	年
	Kaohsiung(Dalinpu, Siaogang)	年,冬
	Yilan(Luodong)	年
	Yilan(Toucheng)	年
	Changhua(Yongjing)	年,冬
	Tainan	年,冬
	Tainan(Anping)	年,冬
	Chiayi	年,冬
	Chiayi County(Dongshi)	年
	Pingtung(Baoli, Checheng)	年
	Penghu(Xiyu)	年,冬
	Penang(Hokkien)	年
	Singapore(Hokkien)	年
	Jieyang	年
	Haifeng	年
	Singapore(Teochew)	年
	Leizhou	年
	Haikou	年
Wu	Wenzhou	年

Compounds

[edit]

Descendants

[edit]

Sino-Xenic (歲):

→ Japanese:歳(さい)(sai)
→ Korean:세(歲)(se)
→ Vietnamese:tuế(歲)

References

[edit]

“歲”, in漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1],香港中文大學 (theChinese University of Hong Kong),2014–
“歲”, 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.
李如龙[Li, Ru-long];刘福铸[Liu, Fu-zhu];吴华英[Wu, Hua-ying];黄国城[Huang, Guo-cheng] (2019), “岁”, in莆仙方言调查报告 [Investigation Report on Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min),Xiamen University Press,→ISBN, page157.