劣

劣	U+52A3, 劣 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-52A3

劣	U+F99D, 劣 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F99D

← 列
[U+F99C]

CJK Compatibility Ideographs

咽 →
[U+F99E]

Translingual

Alternative forms

A CJK compatibility ideograph exists at U+F99D with no change in composition.
Note that in Japanese Kanji, Korean Hanja and Vietnamese Nom, the middle stroke of the top component 小 is written 亅 with a hook whereas in modern Chinese scripts the middle stroke is written 丨 with no downward hook.

Han character

劣 (Kangxi radical 19, 力+4, 6 strokes, cangjie input 火竹大尸 (FHKS), four-corner 9042₇, composition ⿱少力)

Derived characters

挘, 㭞, 𨦒, 𨾻, 𩷈, 𠢣, 𠣇, 𬏩

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 146, character 17
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 2302
Dae Jaweon: page 330, character 6
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 367, character 5
Unihan data for U+52A3

Unihan data for U+F99D

Chinese

simp. and trad.		劣

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 劣
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 少 (“little, less”) + 力 (“strength”). 少 (OC *hmjewʔ, *hmjews) also functions as phonetic.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): liè, lüè (lie⁴, lüe⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄌㄧㄝˋ, ㄌㄩㄝˋ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): nie² / ne²

(Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): lüě

(Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): lie̊q
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): lyut³ / lyut⁶

(Taishan, Wiktionary): lut²
Gan (Wiktionary): liet⁶
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): lot

(Meixian, Guangdong): lod⁵
Jin (Wiktionary): lyeh⁴
Northern Min (KCR): lṳĕ
Eastern Min (BUC): luók
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): loa̍t / loat / lia̍t

(Teochew, Peng'im): luag⁴ / luêg⁴

(Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): luag⁴
Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁸liq / ⁸laq
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): lie⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: liè
  - Zhuyin: ㄌㄧㄝˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: liè
  - Wade–Giles: lieh⁴
  - Yale: lyè
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: lieh
  - Palladius: ле (le)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /li̯ɛ⁵¹/
- (Beijing dialect, colloquial)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: lüè
  - Zhuyin: ㄌㄩㄝˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: lyuè
  - Wade–Giles: lüeh⁴
  - Yale: lywè
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: liueh
  - Palladius: люэ (ljue)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ly̯ɛ⁵¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: nie² / ne²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: lie / le
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /niɛ²¹/, /nɛ²¹/
- (Xi'an)
  - Guanzhong Pinyin: lüě
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lyɛ²¹/
- (Nanjing)
  - Nanjing Pinyin: lie̊q
  - Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): lieq⁵
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lieʔ⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: lyut³ / lyut⁶
  - Yale: lyut / lyuht
  - Cantonese Pinyin: lyt⁸ / lyt⁹
  - Guangdong Romanization: lüd³ / lüd⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lyːt̚³/, /lyːt̚²/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: lut²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lut̚⁵⁵/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: liet⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /liɛt̚⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: lot
  - Hakka Romanization System: lod^ˋ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: lod⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /lot̚²/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: lod⁵
  - Sinological IPA: /lɔt̚¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: lyeh⁴
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /lyəʔ²/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: lṳĕ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /lyɛ²⁴/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: luók
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /l̃uɔʔ²⁴/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: loa̍t
  - Tâi-lô: lua̍t
  - Phofsit Daibuun: loat
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /luat̚¹²¹/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /luat̚⁴/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: loat
  - Tâi-lô: luat
  - Phofsit Daibuun: load
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /luat̚⁵/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, variant in Taiwan)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lia̍t
  - Tâi-lô: lia̍t
  - Phofsit Daibuun: liat
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /liɛt̚¹²¹/
  - IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /liɛt̚⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: luag⁴ / luêg⁴
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: luak / luek
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /luak̚²/, /luek̚²/

Note:

luag4 - Shantou;
luêg4 - Chaozhou.

(Leizhou)
- Leizhou Pinyin: luag⁴
- Sinological IPA: /luak̚⁵/

Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai, Suzhou)
  - Wugniu: ⁸liq
  - MiniDict: lih^入
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁵liq
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /liɪʔ¹²/
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /liɪʔ²³/
- (Northern: Hangzhou)
  - Wugniu: ⁸laq
  - MiniDict: leh^入
  - Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /lɑʔ²³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: lie⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /li̯e̞²⁴/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 劣
Mandarin	Beijing	/lyɛ⁵¹/ /liɛ⁵¹/
	Harbin	/liɛ²¹³/
	Tianjin	/lie⁵³/
	Jinan	/liə²¹/
	Qingdao	/liə⁵⁵/
	Zhengzhou	/lyo²⁴/
	Xi'an	/lyɛ²¹/
	Xining	/lɨ⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/lie¹³/
	Lanzhou	/lyə¹³/
	Ürümqi	/lyɤ²¹³/
	Wuhan	/nie²¹³/
	Chengdu	/nie³¹/ /ne³¹/
	Guiyang	/nie²¹/
	Kunming	/liɛ³¹/
	Nanjing	/lieʔ⁵/
	Hefei	/liɐʔ⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/lyəʔ²/
	Pingyao	/liʌʔ⁵³/
	Hohhot	/liaʔ⁴³/
Wu	Shanghai	/liɪʔ¹/
	Suzhou	/liəʔ³/
	Hangzhou	/lɑʔ²/
	Wenzhou	/le²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/le²²/
Hui	Tunxi	/liɛ¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/lie²⁴/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/nie²⁴/
Gan	Nanchang	/liɛʔ⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/lot̚¹/
Hakka	Taoyuan
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/lyt̚³/
	Nanning	/lyt̚³³/
	Hong Kong	/lyt̚³/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/luat̚⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/luɔʔ²³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/lyɛ²⁴/ /liɛ²⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/luak̚²/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/luak̚⁵/

Middle Chinese: ljwet

Rime
Character	劣
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	來 (37)
Final (韻)	薛 (82)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	力輟切
Baxter	ljwet
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/liuᴇt̚/
Pan Wuyun	/lʷiɛt̚/
Shao Rongfen	/ljuæt̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/lwiat̚/
Li Rong	/liuɛt̚/
Wang Li	/lĭuɛt̚/
Bernhard Karlgren	/li̯wɛt̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	lüè
Expected Cantonese Reflex	lyut⁶

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*rod/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	劣
Reading #	1/1
No.	8142
Phonetic component	劣
Rime group	月
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	劣
Old Chinese	/*rod/
Notes	力少會意，說文少聲非

Definitions

劣

(literary, or in compounds) small and weak; puny
(literary, or in compounds) bad; poor; inferior
(literary, or in compounds) slightly

Synonyms

(small and weak): 弱小 (ruòxiǎo)
(bad):

edit

不善 (bùshàn)
不好
不妙 (bùmiào)
不怎麼樣／不怎么样 (bùzěnmeyàng)
不濟／不济 (bùjì)
不腆 (bùtiǎn) (Classical Chinese, self-deprecatory)
了丁 (Min Nan)
低下 (dīxià)
低劣 (dīliè)
低路 (Min Nan)
垃圾 (lājī) (colloquial)
屎 (Cantonese)
差 (chà)
差勁／差劲 (chàjìn) (colloquial)
差氣／差气 (Hokkien)
拙劣 (zhuōliè)
推扳 (¹the-pe) (Shanghainese)
梢跤 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
梢跤軟蹄／梢跤软蹄 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
梢蹬 (Zhangzhou Hokkien)
欠佳 (qiànjiā)
水皮 (seoi² pei⁴) (Cantonese)
潮 (cháo) (colloquial, of quality or technique)
無良／无良 (wúliáng) (formal)
破 (pò) (colloquial)
跤梢 (Xiamen Hokkien)
蹩腳／蹩脚 (biéjiǎo)
鄙劣 (bǐliè) (literary)

Antonyms

(antonym(s) of “bad”): 優／优 (yōu)

Compounds

Japanese

Kanji

劣

(Jōyō kanji)

bad, poor, inferior

Readings

Compounds

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 劣 (MC ljwet).

Historical readings

Recorded as Middle Korean ᄅᆑᇙ〮 (Yale: lyuyelq) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
Recorded as Middle Korean 렬 (lyel) (Yale: lyel) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.
Recorded as Middle Korean 녈 (nyel) (Yale: nyel) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɾjʌ̹ɭ] ~ [jʌ̹ɭ]
Phonetic hangul: [렬/열]

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

劣

Wikisource

劣 (eumhun 못할 렬 (mothal ryeol), word-initial (South Korea) 못할 열 (mothal yeol))

hanja form^? of 렬/열 (“bad; poor”)
hanja form^? of 렬/열 (“inferior”)
- 1929, 신채호 [Han: 申采浩, Sin Chaeho], 조선사 연구 초 [Joseonsayeon-gucho, Han: 朝鮮史硏究草, Exploratory Studies in Korean History]:
  이 는 彼等피등 諸史제사의 價値가치가 모두 《三國史記》삼국사기보다 劣열한 明證명증이 아닌 가?
  Ineun pideung jesaui gachiga modu Samguksagiboda yeolhan myeongjeung-i anin-ga?
  Wouldn't it be clear evidence that the value of all those historical records is inferior to the Samguk sagi?

Compounds

비열 (卑劣, biyeol)
열등 (劣等, yeoldeung)
열성 (劣性, yeolseong)
열세 (劣勢, yeolse)
열악 (劣惡, yeorak)
용렬 (庸劣, yongnyeol)
우열 (優劣, uyeol)
졸렬 (拙劣, jollyeol)
저열 (低劣, jeoyeol)
열위 (劣位, yeorwi)
승렬 (勝劣, seungnyeol)
악렬 (惡劣, angnyeol)
열종 (劣種, yeoljong)
열후 (劣後, yeolhu)
열등감 (劣等感, yeoldeunggam)

References

국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [1]

Vietnamese

Han character

劣: Hán Nôm readings: liệt, lẹt

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

References

Nom Foundation