長

長 U+9577, 長 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-9577 ← 镶 [U+9576] CJK Unified Ideographs 镸 → [U+9578]

⾧ U+2FA7, ⾧ KANGXI RADICAL LONG ← ⾦ [U+2FA6] Kangxi Radicals ⾨ → [U+2FA8]

⻑ U+2ED1, ⻑ CJK RADICAL LONG ONE ← ⻐ [U+2ED0] CJK Radicals Supplement ⻒ → [U+2ED2]

Stroke order

Stroke order

• 镸 (when used as a radical)

長 (Kangxi radical 168, 長+0, 8 strokes, cangjie input 尸一女 (SMV), four-corner 7173₂, composition ⿱⿺丄三⿰𠄌⿺乀丿(GJKV) or ⿸⿱⿺丄三𠄌⿺乀丿(HT) or ⿱⿰丨三⿸𰀀⿺乀丿(HT))

1. Kangxi radical #168, ⾧.

• Appendix:Chinese radical/長
• 倀, 𫪛, 㙊, 𪥽, 帳, 張, 悵, 掁, 涱, 𤟔, 𪯹, 棖, 𤊞, 𪺑, 脹, 𭀫, 𤬅, 𤲘, 𥇔, 䂻, 𬔡, 𧛇, 粻, 𦁢, 䗅, 𢐘, 䛫, 賬(𧹔), 䠆, 躼, 𮝙, 𮡙, 鋹, 𬼓, 䩨, 韔, 餦, 𮪉, 𩳤, 𩸕, 𮦳
• 𬪆, 𡘷, 萇, 㷃, 𥮲, 𩭨, 鼚, 𪠍, 痮, 𦹥

• 𤭖, 髟, 瓺, 肆, 套
• 蕻, 隂, 𨼲

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1328, character 7
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 41100
• Dae Jaweon: page 1829, character 11
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 4050, character 1
• Unihan data for U+9577

trad.		長
simp.		长
alternative forms		镸 仧 𠑿 𡕣 𠇬

Pictogram (象形) – an old man with long hair; an ancient variant still used is 镸. Compare 彡. The original character on oracle bones is similar to 老 and 考.

Three pronunciations below are cognate, all derived from the original root of 張 (*traŋ, “to make long; to stretch; to string a bow”).

Pronunciation 1 ("long") is the endopassive derivative ("be extended, be stretched"), with intransitive voicing. The lack of Tibeto-Burman cognates with the same meaning indicate that this is a Chinese innovation. Pronunciation 2 ("to grow") is the endoactive derivative. The different pronunciations are one of the few instances of contemporary grammatical tone in Mandarin.

See 張 for more.

長

1. long (of distance)

   長征／长征  ―  chángzhēng  ―  Long March

2. length

   全長／全长  ―  quáncháng  ―  full length (of a river)

3. long (in space); far; distant
4. long (of time); lasting
5. (Northern Wu, of a person) tall

   我比伊長三十厘米。 [Shanghainese, trad.]
   我比伊长三十厘米。 [Shanghainese, simp.]

   ⁶ngu ⁵pi ⁶yi ⁶zan ¹se-zeq₈ ⁶li-mi₆ [Wugniu]

   I'm taller than him by thirty centimeters.

6. everlasting; permanent
7. constantly; frequently

   See also: 常

8. straight; perfectly straight
9. upright; right; good; fine
10. strength; advantage; merit
11. skill; specialism
12. to excel in
13. (Mainland China Hokkien) to take advantage of someone
14. (Quanzhou and Xiamen Hokkien) segment of time or object

    分做兩長 [Hokkien, trad.]
    分做两长 [Hokkien, simp.]

    hun chòe nn̄g tn̂g [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

    to divide into two segments

15. (Quanzhou and Xiamen Hokkien) regularly; often; frequently
16. a surname

(tall):

長

1. to begin to grow; to grow; to develop

   長大／长大  ―  zhǎngdà  ―  to grow old

   我家的樹長得很健康。 [MSC, trad.]
   我家的树长得很健康。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ jiā de shù zhǎng dé hěn jiànkāng. [Pinyin]

   The tree in my house is growing healthily.

2. (transitive, with 得 (de), of a person's appearance) to look; to appear

   他長得很像他爸爸。 [MSC, trad.]
   他长得很像他爸爸。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā zhǎng de hěn xiàng tā bàbà. [Pinyin]

   He looks a lot like his dad.

   他長得又高又帥。 [MSC, trad.]
   他长得又高又帅。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā zhǎng de yòu gāo yòu shuài. [Pinyin]

   He is tall and handsome.

3. (transitive) to increase; to enhance
4. (intransitive) to increase; to go up

   See also: 漲

5. to nourish
6. old (of age)

   年長／年长  ―  niánzhǎng  ―  senior

7. senior; elder

   兄長／兄长  ―  xiōngzhǎng  ―  elder brother

8. leader; master; chief; head
9. eldest; oldest
10. to exalt; to honor

    • 乃惟四方之多罪逋逃，是崇是長，是信是使，是以為大夫卿士。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
      乃惟四方之多罪逋逃，是崇是长，是信是使，是以为大夫卿士。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

      From: The Book of Documents, circa 4^th – 3^rd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

      Nǎi wéi sìfāng zhī duōzuì būtáo, shì chóng shì zhǎng, shì xìn shì shǐ, shì yǐwéi dàfū qīngshì. [Pinyin]

      They are only the fugitives from all quarters, loaded with crimes, whom he honours and exalts, whom he employs and trusts, making them great officers and high nobles.

11. to wield; to be in control of

長

1. (archaic) length; measure of length

   See also: 丈

2. (archaic, Min) to be left over; surplus, residue

   今旦飯長野儕。 [Eastern Min, trad.]
   今旦饭长野侪。 [Eastern Min, simp.]

   gĭng-dáng buông diông iā sâ̤ / [kiŋ⁵⁵⁻⁵³ ^(t-)nɑŋ²¹³ puɔŋ²⁴² tuɔŋ²⁴² ia³³ sɑ²⁴²] [Bàng-uâ-cê / IPA]

   There is a lot of leftover food today.

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

1. long, lengthy
2. long time
3. growing, increasing
4. excellent, great
5. comfortable, relaxing
6. elder, old, senior
7. chief, head, leader
8. Short for 長門国 (Nagato no kuni): Nagato Province

• Go-on: ちょう (chō, Jōyō)、じょう (jō)^{←ぢやう (dyau, historical)}
• Kan-on: ちょう (chō, Jōyō)^{←ちやう (tyau, historical)}
• Kun: ながい (nagai, 長い, Jōyō)、おさ (osa, 長)^{←をさ (wosa, 長, historical)}、たける (takeru, 長ける)、つかさ (tsukasa, 長)
• Nanori: いえ (ie)、すすむ (susumu)、たけ (take)、たけし (takeshi)、つね (tsune)、ながし (nagashi)、のぶ (nobu)、ひさ (hisa)、ひさし (hisashi)、まさ (masa)、まさる (masaru)、ます (masu)、みち (michi)

Kanji in this term
長
ちょう Grade: 2
on'yomi

/tjau/ → /t͡ɕjau/ → /t͡ɕɔː/ → /t͡ɕoː/

From Middle Chinese 長 (MC trjangX) in the sense of “chief, head, leader” and 長 (MC drjang) (literally meaning “long”) for other senses. The two Middle Chinese readings were distinct but etymologically connected.

• (Tokyo) ちょー [chóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1][2]
• IPA^(key): [t͡ɕo̞ː]

長(ちょう) • (chō) ^{←ちやう (tyau)?}

1. chief, head, leader

   班(はん)長(ちょう)

   han chō

   the group leader

2. strong point

   Antonym: 短 (tan)

   長(ちょう　)を伸(　の)ばす

   chō o nobasu

   enrich a strong point

3. (music) major

   Antonym: 短 (tan)

長(ちょう) • (Chō) ^{←ちやう (Tyau)?}

1. a surname

Kanji in this term
長
おさ Grade: 2
kun'yomi

/wosa/ → /osa/

From Old Japanese. First attested in the Nihon Shoki of 720.^[3]

Considering the derivation of 幼い (osanai, “early childhood, infancy”) as 長 (osa) + 無い (nai, “not, without, lacking”), this osa might have originally included overtones of "senior, elder". Compare English seniority, elderdom for a similar intersection of age and authority.

• (Tokyo) おさ [óꜜsà] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1][2]
• IPA^(key): [o̞sa̠]

長(おさ) • (osa) ^{←をさ (wosa)?}

1. [from 720] chief, head, leader

   Synonym: 頭 (kashira)

• 幼(おさな)い (osanai, “early childhood, infancy”)
• 治(おさ)める (osameru, “to quell; to govern, to control”, transitive), 収(おさ)まる (osamaru, “to be settled down; to be in place”, intransitive)
• 村(むら)長(おさ) (mura osa, “village chief”)
• 里(さと)長(おさ) (sato osa, “hamlet leader”)

長(おさ) • (Osa) ^{←をさ (Wosa)?}

1. a place name
2. a surname

Kanji in this term
長
なが Grade: 2
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese.

Stem form of classical adjective 長し (nagashi), modern 長い (nagai, “long, lengthy”).

• 永

• (Tokyo) なが [náꜜgà] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [na̠ɡa̠]

長(なが) • (naga-) 

1. long

長(なが) • (Naga) 

1. a surname

Kanji in this term
長
つかさ Grade: 2
kun'yomi

Alternative spellings
官 司 首 宰 省

From Old Japanese.

Probably derived from 就か (tsuka, irrealis form of verb 就く (tsuku), “to take a position”) +‎ さ (-sa, “-ness”, suffix indicating state or degree). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

• (Tokyo) つかさ [tsùkásá] (Heiban – [0])^[1][2]
• (Tokyo) つかさ [tsùkáꜜsà] (Nakadaka – [2])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [t͡sɨ̥ka̠sa̠]

長(つかさ) • (tsukasa) 

1. a manager, a headman, a foreman
2. an official

   Synonym: 役人 (yakunin)

3. government service

長(つかさ) • (Tsukasa) 

1. a surname
2. a unisex given name

Kanji in this term
長
たき Grade: 2
irregular

⟨taki₁⟩ → */takʲi/ → /taki/

Possibly a variant of take below.^[4] Appears in the Ruiju Myōgishō of around 1081-1100 CE.

• 丈

• IPA^(key): [ta̠kʲi]

長(たき) • (taki) 

1. height

Kanji in this term
長
たけ Grade: 2
irregular

⟨take₂⟩ → */takəj/ → /take/

Cognate with 高 (taka, “height”), 高い (takai, “high”), and 長ける (takeru, “to be high”).

• 丈

• (Tokyo) たけ [tàkéꜜ] (Odaka – [2])^[1][2]
• IPA^(key): [ta̠ke̞]

長(たけ) • (take) 

1. height

長(たけ) • (Take) 

1. a surname

Kanji in this term
長
たける Grade: 2
irregular

Nominalization of verb 長ける (takeru, “to excel at”).

長(たける) • (Takeru) 

1. a surname
2. a male or female given name

Kanji in this term
長
ひさし Grade: 2
irregular

From Old Japanese.

Nominalization of classical adjective 久し (hisashi), modern 久しい (hisashii, “long time”).

長(ひさし) • (Hisashi) 

1. a surname
2. a male or female given name

From Middle Chinese 長 (MC drjang, “long”).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	땨ᇰ (Yale: ttyàng)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
	Gloss (hun)	Reading
Sinjeung Yuhap, 1576	긴 (Yale: kin)	댱 (Yale: tyang)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕa̠ŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [장]

Wikisource

長 (eumhun 길 장 (gil jang))

1. Hanja form^? of 장 (“long; lengthy”). [prefix]

From Middle Chinese 長 (MC trjangX, “grow; elder”).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	댜ᇰ〯 (Yale: tyǎng)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
	Gloss (hun)	Reading
Sinjeung Yuhap, 1576	길 (Yale: kil)	댱 (Yale: tyang)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕa̠(ː)ŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [장(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

長 (eumhun 어른 장 (eoreun jang))

1. Hanja form^? of 장 (“head; chief; manager”). [noun, suffix]
2. Hanja form^? of 장 (“to grow; to develop”). [affix]

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

長: Hán Việt readings: trường (直(trực)良(lương)切(thiết))^[1][2][3], trưởng (展(triển)兩(lưỡng)切(thiết))^[1][2][3], tràng^[3]
長: Nôm readings: tràng^[1][2][4], trường^[1][2][4], trưởng^[1][2][4], dài^[1], chường^[2], trành^[3], trườn^[5]

Chữ Hán form of trưởng (“head; leader; to grow”).

Chữ Hán form of trường (“long (of distance and time)”).