輕

Han character

輕 (Kangxi radical 159, 車+7, 14 strokes, cangjie input 十十一女一 (JJMVM), four-corner 5101₁, composition ⿰車巠)

Glyph origin

More information Historical forms of the character 輕, Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) ...

Historical forms of the character 輕
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script

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Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *kʰeŋ, *kʰeŋs) : semantic 車 (“carriage”) + phonetic 巠 (OC *keːŋ). Explanation of semantic component: light carriage.

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-jaːŋ (“light (weight); lightweight”) (STEDT). Cognate with Tibetan ཡང་མོ (yang mo, “light”), Jingpho tsang (tsa̱ŋ³³, “light (of weight)”), Mizo zâng (“light”).

Pronunciation

Definitions

輕

1. light (of low weight)

   Antonym: 重

2. small; little; slight; minor; insignificant
3. lightweight; portable; convenient to carry or manoeuvre
4. rash; rattlebrained
5. ^† frivolous; skittish; giddy

   • 呂布有虓虎之勇，而無英奇之略，輕狡反覆，唯利是視。自古及今，未有若此不夷滅也。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     吕布有虓虎之勇，而无英奇之略，轻狡反覆，唯利是视。自古及今，未有若此不夷灭也。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms, circa 3^rd century CE

     Lǚ Bù yǒu xiāohǔ zhī yǒng, ér wú yīngqí zhī lüè, qīng jiǎo fǎnfù, wéilìshìshì. Zìgǔ jíjīn, wèiyǒu ruòcǐ bù yímiè yě. [Pinyin]

     Lü Bu possessed a roaring tiger's valor, yet no strategy of talented and extraordinary people's; he was frivolous, impetuous, and shifty, only looking out for his own gain. From antiquity till now, there was none like this who was not destroyed.

6. easy; simple; relaxed
7. humble; meagre; inexpensive
8. gentle; light; soft
9. ^† to belittle; to make light of

   • 商人重利輕別離 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     商人重利轻别离 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 816, Bai Juyi, Ballad of the Pipa Player 《琵琶行》

     shāngrén zhòng lì qīng biélí [Pinyin]

     A merchant treasures his profits but takes the pain of separation lightly.

10. ^† to lighten; to reduce
11. ^† to forgive; to pardon
12. ^† light carriage

    駕輕就熟／驾轻就熟  ―  jiàqīngjiùshú  ―  a walk in the park; a piece of cake (literally, "to drive a light carriage on a familiar route")

13. Short for 輕工業／轻工业 (qīnggōngyè, “light industry”).
14. (obsolete, chemistry) Alternative name for 氫／氢 (qīng, “hydrogen”).

Compounds

References

• “輕”, 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–

Kanji

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 軽)

1. light
2. easy
3. simple
4. gentle

Hanja

輕 (eumhun 가벼울 경 (gabyeoul gyeong))

1. hanja form^? of 경 (“light”)
2. hanja form^? of 경 (“easy, simple”)
3. hanja form^? of 경 (“gentle”)

Han character

輕: Hán Nôm readings: khinh, khỉnh

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