蛇
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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Han character
蛇 (Kangxi radical 142, 虫+5, 11 strokes, cangjie input 中戈十心 (LIJP), four-corner 53111, composition ⿰虫它)
Derived characters
- 㵃, 𨫯, 𬠶, 𰣿
References
- Kangxi Dictionary: page 1080, character 20
- Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 32964
- Dae Jaweon: page 1548, character 36
- Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2845, character 8
- Unihan data for U+86C7
Glyph origin
| Historical forms of the character 蛇 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Qin slip script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
 |
 |
 |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *l̥ʰaːl, *ɦljaːl, *lal) : semantic 虫 + phonetic 它 (OC *l̥ʰaːl). 它 was also the original pictographic form of this character.
Etymology 1
Unclear. Various theories have been proposed:
- Starostin sets up Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lăj (“snake”), comparing this with Mizo hlai-ba (“a species of snake”) and Jingpho palai (“a species of iguana”). He also compares it to Proto-Kam-Sui *dzuːi² (“snake”). Schuessler (2007) considers these Tibeto-Burman forms to be unrelated.
- Matisoff (2003) relates it to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-b/m-ruːl (“snake”), but this comparison is no longer held in STEDT.
- Sagart (2005) relates it to Proto-Loloish *lay¹/² (“python”), which STEDT derives from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-lja(ŋ/k) (“python”), as well as Proto-Austronesian *bulay (“snake”). Comparison with the Austronesian form has been challenged by Orlandi (2018).
- Schuessler (2007) notes similarity to Proto-Hlai *ljaːɦ (“snake”) (from Pre-Hlai *Cilaːɦ) as well as to Austronesian words, such as Rade ala (“snake”), but considers the Kra-Dai forms to be possible borrowings from Chinese. (He does not seem to address the Austronesian forms directly.) In his view, a more likely relationship is with the /-lé/ in Khmer រលេ (rɔlei, “sinuously, in a twisting or wiggling manner (as a snake swimming)”). In Old Chinese, this also provides the second syllable in 委蛇 (OC *qrol lal, “winding; compliant; graceful”). 蛇 (“the winding thing”) is then a euphemism for common Sino-Tibetan 虺 (OC *hŋlulʔ, “snake”) for taboo reasons.
- Zhengzhang (2011) relates it to Proto-Austronesian *SulaR (“snake”).
Pronunciation 1
- Mandarin
- (Standard)
- (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): se2
- (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): shé
- (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): shé
- (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): шә (šə, I)
- Cantonese
- (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): se4
- (Dongguan, Jyutping++): soe4
- (Taishan, Wiktionary): sie3
- (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): se4
- Gan (Wiktionary): sa4
- Hakka
- Jin (Wiktionary): se1
- Northern Min (KCR): ṳê
- Eastern Min (BUC): siè
- Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): syo2 / sya2
- Southern Min
- Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): se4
- Wu (Northern, Wugniu): 6zo / 2zo / 2dzo / 2za / 2dzuei / 2zhia / 4ziau
- Xiang
- (Changsha, Wiktionary): sha2 / she2
- (Loudi, Wiktionary): xxio2
- (Hengyang, Wiktionary): xia2
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄕㄜˊ
- Tongyong Pinyin: shé
- Wade–Giles: shê2
- Yale: shé
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sher
- Palladius: шэ (šɛ)
- Sinological IPA (key): /ʂɤ³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (蛇兒 / 蛇儿)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄕㄜˊㄦ
- Tongyong Pinyin: shér
- Wade–Giles: shê2-ʼrh
- Yale: shér
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sher'l
- Palladius: шэр (šɛr)
- Sinological IPA (key): /ʂɤɻ³⁵/
- (Chengdu)
- Sichuanese Pinyin: se2
- Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: se
- Sinological IPA (key): /sɛ²¹/
- (Xi'an)
- Guanzhong Pinyin: shé
- Sinological IPA (key): /ʂɤ²⁴/
- (Nanjing)
- Nanjing Pinyin: shé
- Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): she2
- Sinological IPA (key): /ʂe²⁴/
- (Dungan)
- Cyrillic and Wiktionary: шә (šə, I)
- Sinological IPA (key): /ʂə²⁴/
- (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
- Jyutping: se4
- Yale: sèh
- Cantonese Pinyin: se4
- Guangdong Romanization: sé4
- Sinological IPA (key): /sɛː²¹/
- (Dongguan, Guancheng)
- Jyutping++: soe4
- Sinological IPA (key): /sø²¹/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
- Wiktionary: sie3
- Sinological IPA (key): /siɛ²²/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
- Gan
- (Nanchang)
- Wiktionary: sa4
- Sinological IPA (key): /sa³⁵/
- (Nanchang)
- Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
- Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sà
- Hakka Romanization System: saˇ
- Hagfa Pinyim: sa2
- Sinological IPA: /sa¹¹/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
- Hakka Romanization System: sha
- Sinological IPA: /ʃa⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
- (Changting)
- Changting Pinyin: sha2
- Sinological IPA: /ʃa²⁴/
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
- Jin
- (Taiyuan)+
- Wiktionary: se1
- Sinological IPA (old-style): /sɤ¹¹/
- (Taiyuan)+
- Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
- Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ṳê
- Sinological IPA (key): /yɛ³³/
- (Jian'ou)
- Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
- Bàng-uâ-cê: siè
- Sinological IPA (key): /sie⁵³/
- (Fuzhou)
- Puxian Min
- (Putian)
- Pouseng Ping'ing: syo2
- Sinological IPA (key): /ɬyɒ¹³/
- (Xianyou)
- Pouseng Ping'ing: sya2
- Sinological IPA (key): /ɬya¹³/
- (Putian)
- Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Jinjiang, Yongchun, Philippines, Medan)
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chôa
- Tâi-lô: tsuâ
- Phofsit Daibuun: zoaa
- IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sua²³/
- IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sua¹³/
- IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei, Jinjiang, Yongchun, Philippines): /t͡sua²⁴/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Jinjiang, Yongchun, Philippines, Medan)
Note:
- chôa - vernacular;
- siâ - literary.
- zua5 - vernacular;
- se5 - literary.
- Southern Pinghua
- (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
- Jyutping++: se4
- Sinological IPA (key): /se²¹/
- (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
- Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
- Wugniu: 6zo
- MiniDict: zo去
- Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): 3zo
- Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zo²³/
- (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Suzhou, Kunshan, Yixing, Jiaxing, Tongxiang, Haining, Haiyan, Xiaoshan, Shaoxing)
- Wugniu: 2zo
- MiniDict: zo平
- Sinological IPA (Jiading): /zo³¹/
- Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /zo³¹/
- Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /zo²²³/
- Sinological IPA (Kunshan): /zo¹³/
- Sinological IPA (Yixing): /zo²²⁴/
- Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /zo³¹/
- Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /zo²²/
- Sinological IPA (Haining): /zo¹¹³/
- Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /zo³¹/
- Sinological IPA (Xiaoshan): /zo¹³/
- Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /zo²³¹/
- (Northern: Chongming, Cixi, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
- (Northern: Changzhou)
- (Northern: Hangzhou)
- (Northern: Jingjiang)
- (Northern: Chuansha)
- (Northern: Shanghai)
- Xiang
- sha2 - vernacular;
- she2 - literary.
- (Loudi)
- Wiktionary: xxio2
- Sinological IPA (key): /ʑi̯ɔ¹³/
- (Hengyang)
- Wiktionary: xia2
- Sinological IPA (key): /ʑ̊i̯ä¹¹/
- (Loudi)
Note:
Note:
- Dialectal data
- Middle Chinese: zyae, tha
- Old Chinese
- (Baxter–Sagart): /*Cə.lAj/
- (Zhengzhang): /*ɦljaːl/, /*l̥ʰaːl/
Definitions
蛇
- snake; serpent (Classifier: 條／条 m c; 尾 m mn)
-
- 蟹六跪而二螯，非蛇蟺之穴無可寄託者，用心躁也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- Xiè liù guì ér èr áo, fēi shé shàn zhī xué wú kě jì tuō zhě, yòng xīn zào yě. [Pinyin]
- A crab has six feet and two pincers, but it cannot live without the holes of snakes and eels, it is because it has an uncalm heart.
蟹六跪而二螯，非蛇蟺之穴无可寄托者，用心躁也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
- 1919, 《新舊約全書：官話和合譯本》 [Mandarin Bible, Union Version], Shanghai: American Bible Society, 創世記 [Genesis] 3:13:
- 耶和華上帝對女人說、你作的是甚麽事呢。女人說、那蛇引誘我、我就喫了。 [MSC, trad.]
- Yēhéhuá Shàngdì duì nǚrén shuō, nǐ zuò de shì shènme shì ne. Nǚrén shuō, nà shé yǐnyòu wǒ, wǒ jiù chī le. [Pinyin]
- And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
耶和华上帝对女人说、你作的是什么事呢。女人说、那蛇引诱我、我就吃了。 [MSC, simp.]
-
- illegal immigrant
- (Cantonese) to shirk one's duty; to be lazy on the job
- (Cantonese, poker) straight
- (regional, pathology) herpes zoster; shingles
- a surname
Synonyms
- (snake):
Descendants
Sino-Xenic (蛇):
- Wutunhua: shai
Compounds
- 一蛇二首
- 一龍一蛇 / 一龙一蛇
- 丈八蛇矛 (Zhàng bā shémáo)
- 五步蛇
- 人蛇 (rénshé)
- 佛口蛇心 (fókǒushéxīn)
- 倒拔蛇
- 兩頭蛇 / 两头蛇 (liǎngtóushé)
- 四腳蛇 / 四脚蛇 (sìjiǎoshé)
- 土錦蛇 / 土锦蛇
- 地土蛇
- 地頭蛇 / 地头蛇 (dìtóushé)
- 夢蛇 / 梦蛇
- 封豕長蛇 / 封豕长蛇
- 屈蛇
- 巨蛇座 (Jùshézuò)
- 巴蛇 (bāshé)
- 巴蛇吞象
- 巴蛇食象
- 常山蛇
- 常山蛇勢 / 常山蛇势
- 弓影杯蛇
- 弓蛇
- 影中蛇
- 打草驚蛇 / 打草惊蛇 (dǎcǎojīngshé)
- 拿死蛇
- 捕蛇去齒 / 捕蛇去齿
- 握蛇騎虎 / 握蛇骑虎
- 撥草尋蛇 / 拨草寻蛇
- 斬蛇 / 斩蛇
- 斬蛇逐鹿 / 斩蛇逐鹿
- 春蚓秋蛇
- 杯弓蛇影 (bēigōng-shéyǐng)
- 松蛇 (sōngshé)
- 杯蛇鬼車 / 杯蛇鬼车
- 枳首蛇
- 歲在龍蛇 / 岁在龙蛇
- 毒蛇 (dúshé)
- 毒蛇猛獸 / 毒蛇猛兽 (dúshéměngshòu)
- 水蛇 (shuǐshé)
- 水蛇腰 (shuǐshéyāo)
- 海蛇 (hǎishé)
- 海蛇水母
- 為蛇添足 / 为蛇添足
- 為蛇畫足 / 为蛇画足
- 牛鬼蛇神 (niúguǐshéshén)
- 畫蛇添足 / 画蛇添足 (huàshétiānzú)
- 畫蛇著足 / 画蛇着足
- 白花蛇 (báihuāshé)
- 白蛇
- 白蛇傳 / 白蛇传 (Báishézhuàn)
- 百步蛇 (bǎibùshé)
- 百節蛇 / 百节蛇
- 盤蛇 / 盘蛇
- 盲蛇 (mángshé)
- 眼鏡蛇 / 眼镜蛇 (yǎnjìngshé)
- 窟裡拔蛇 / 窟里拔蛇
- 筆走龍蛇 / 笔走龙蛇 (bǐzǒulóngshé)
- 簷蛇 / 檐蛇
- 茅蛇 (máoshé)
- 草花蛇
- 蘄蛇 / 蕲蛇
- 虎頭蛇尾 / 虎头蛇尾 (hǔtóushéwěi)
- 虺蛇入夢 / 虺蛇入梦
- 蛇信
- 蛇匪
- 蛇口蜂針 / 蛇口蜂针
- 蛇吞象
- 蛇心佛口
- 蛇拳
- 蛇木
- 蛇皮松
- 蛇神
- 蛇符
- 蛇紋石 / 蛇纹石 (shéwénshí)
- 蛇羹 (shégēng)
- 蛇船
- 蛇苺
- 蛇蛻 / 蛇蜕 (shétuì)
- 蛇蠍 / 蛇蝎 (shéxiē)
- 蛇蠍心腸 / 蛇蝎心肠 (shéxiēxīncháng)
- 蛇蠍美人 / 蛇蝎美人 (shéxiē měirén)
- 蛇行 (shéxíng)
- 蛇足 (shézú)
- 蛇頭 / 蛇头 (shétóu)
- 蛇頭鼠眼 / 蛇头鼠眼 (shétóushǔyǎn)
- 蛇麻
- 蛇鼠一窩 / 蛇鼠一窝 (shéshǔyīwō)
- 蛇龍尖 / 蛇龙尖 (Shélóngjiān)
- 螣蛇 (téngshé)
- 蟒蛇 (mǎngshé)
- 行行蛇蚓
- 赤練蛇 / 赤练蛇
- 軹首蛇 / 轵首蛇
- 金蛇
- 銀環蛇 / 银环蛇 (yínhuánshé)
- 錦蛇 / 锦蛇 (jǐnshé)
- 靈蛇之珠 / 灵蛇之珠
- 靈蛇髻 / 灵蛇髻
- 青蛇 (qīngshé)
- 響尾蛇 / 响尾蛇 (xiǎngwěishé)
- 飛蛇 / 飞蛇
- 養虺成蛇 / 养虺成蛇
- 騰蛇 / 腾蛇
- 驚蛇入草 / 惊蛇入草
- 魔術蛇 / 魔术蛇
- 龍蛇 / 龙蛇 (lóngshé)
- 龍蛇之章 / 龙蛇之章
- 龍蛇字 / 龙蛇字
- 龍蛇混雜 / 龙蛇混杂 (lóngshéhùnzá)
- 龍蛇渾雜 / 龙蛇浑杂
- 龍蛇陣 / 龙蛇阵
- 龍蛇雜處 / 龙蛇杂处
- 龍蛇飛動 / 龙蛇飞动
- 龍頭蛇尾 / 龙头蛇尾
- 龜蛇二將 / 龟蛇二将
Pronunciation 2
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
- Hakka (Meixian, Guangdong): yi2
- Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): i2
- Southern Min
- Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Hanyu Pinyin:
- Zhuyin: ㄧˊ
- Tongyong Pinyin: yí
- Wade–Giles: i2
- Yale: yí
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yi
- Palladius: и (i)
- Sinological IPA (key): /i³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese)+
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
- Jyutping: ji4
- Yale: yìh
- Cantonese Pinyin: ji4
- Guangdong Romanization: yi4
- Sinological IPA (key): /jiː²¹/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
- Wiktionary: yi3
- Sinological IPA (key): /ji²²/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
- Hakka
- Puxian Min
- (Putian, Xianyou)
- Pouseng Ping'ing: i2
- Sinological IPA (key): /i¹³/
- (Putian, Xianyou)
- Southern Min
- Middle Chinese: ye
- Old Chinese
- (Baxter–Sagart): /*laj/
- (Zhengzhang): /*lal/
Definitions
蛇
- Used in 蛇蛇 (“facile (of words); calmly; leisurely”).
- Used in 委蛇 (wēiyí, “winding; meandering; pretending interest and sympathy”).
Compounds
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
- Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
- Jyutping: soe4 / se4
- Yale: sèuh / sèh
- Cantonese Pinyin: soe4 / se4
- Guangdong Romanization: sê4 / sé4
- Sinological IPA (key): /sœː²¹/, /sɛː²¹/
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
Definitions
蛇
- (Cantonese) sir (used when addressing policemen or male schoolteachers)
Compounds
See also
References
- “蛇”, 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–
- Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A03624
- “Entry #7843”, 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.
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