參

參 U+53C3, 參 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-53C3 ← 参 [U+53C2] CJK Unified Ideographs 叄 → [U+53C4]

參 U+F96B, 參 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F96B ← 索 [U+F96A] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 塞 → [U+F96C]

Traditional	參
Simplified	参
Japanese	参
Korean	參

參 (Kangxi radical 28, 厶+9, 11 strokes, cangjie input 戈戈戈竹 (IIIH), four-corner 2320₂, composition ⿱厽㐱)

• 傪, 嘇, 墋, 㜗, 㠁, 幓, 慘, 摻, 槮, 滲, 㺑, 犙, 㽩, 磣, 穇, 襂, 糝, 縿, 謲, 贂, 醦, 鏒, 驂, 鰺, 黲, 䟃, 遪, 剼, 毿, 䫩, 㓄, 瘮, 嵾, 篸, 蔘, 鬖
• 𠔭, 𠗿, 𢕕, 𤍜, 𤗲, 𤨵, 𥊀, 𬛓, 𧑁, 𧗋, 𮜒, 𩈼, 𬯘, 𩌰, 𩞀, 𩫦, 𣯶, 𩴑, 𢿈, 𣪶, 𨝐, 𪅩, 𠬙, 𦌀, 𩅙, 𰿕

• 参 (Japanese shinjitai and simplified Chinese)

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 164, character 28
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3098
• Dae Jaweon: page 372, character 28
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 387, character 23
• Unihan data for U+53C3

• Unihan data for U+F96B

Simplified from 曑 (晶 → 厽).

The bronze script form is an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 晶 (“stars”) + 光 (“light; brightness”) + 彡 (“light rays”) – Three Stars mansion. 彡 (OC *sroːm, *slom) also acts as a phonetic component. Ignoring the lines connecting the three stars, 光 may be interpreted as 卩 (“kneeling person”), representing someone looking at the shining stars above him.

Alternatively, it may be the original character of 簪 (OC *ʔsɯːm, *ʔsrɯm, “hairpin”), since the bronze script forms resemble a person wearing a hat with three stars.

Based on the seal script form, Shuowen interprets the character as a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sʰluːm, *sʰluːms, *sloːm, *sʰrum, *srum) : semantic 晶 (“stars”) + phonetic 㐱 ().

trad.		參
simp.		参
alternative forms		曑 叄 㕘 叅

From 三 (OC *suːm, *suːms, “three”) + other element (Schuessler, 2007).

參

1. (～宿) (Chinese astronomy) Three Stars mansion (one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions)
2. a surname

trad.		參/蔘*
simp.		参
alternative forms		蓡 薓 葠 叄 㕘 蓡 薓 葠 叄 㕘 叅

Related to Japhug tɤzrɤm (“root”), Yakkha साम (“root”) (Jacques, 2015b).

參

1. ginseng or any other similar plant
2. Short for 海參／海参 (hǎishēn, “sea cucumber”).

• (ginseng):

trad.		參
simp.		参
alternative forms		叄 㕘 叅 𠫵

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “derived from 三? related to 審?”)

參

1. to join; to take part

   參軍／参军  ―  cānjūn  ―  to join the army

2. to consult

   參閱／参阅  ―  cānyuè  ―  to refer to

   參照／参照  ―  cānzhào  ―  to consult and follow

3. (literary) to examine; to inspect

   • 君子博學而日參省乎己，則知明而行無過矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     君子博学而日参省乎己，则知明而行无过矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Jūnzǐ bóxué ér rì cān xǐng hū jǐ, zé zhī míng ér xíng wú guò yǐ. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 察其好惡，以參忠佞，考其往行，驗之於今。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     察其好恶，以参忠佞，考其往行，验之于今。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals

     Chá qí hàowù, yǐ cān zhōng nìng, kǎo qí wǎngxíng, yàn zhī yú jīn. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

4. (literary) to investigate and understand

   參透／参透  ―  cāntòu  ―  to thoroughly understand

   • 此乃禪機隱語，汝宜自參，不可明說。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     此乃禅机隐语，汝宜自参，不可明说。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Shi Nai'an, Water Margin, circa 14^th century CE

     Cǐ nǎi chánjī yǐnyǔ, rǔ yí zì cān, bùkě míng shuō. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

5. to pay visit to a superior

   參拜／参拜  ―  cānbài  ―  to make a formal visit to

6. (historical) to impeach an official before the emperor
7. (literary) to form a trio with two other things

   • 功參天地，澤被生民。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     功参天地，泽被生民。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Gōng cān tiāndì, zé bèi shēngmín. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 吾與日月參光，吾與天地為常。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     吾与日月参光，吾与天地为常。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Wú yǔ rìyuè cānguāng, wú yǔ tiāndì wéi cháng. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 衛君為告儀，儀許諾，因與之參坐於衛君之前。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     卫君为告仪，仪许诺，因与之参坐于卫君之前。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

     Wèi jūn wèi gào Yí, Yí xǔnuò, yīn yǔ zhī cān zuò yú Wèi jūn zhī qián. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

trad.		參/叁
simp.		叁

參

1. (obsolete or financial) Alternative form of 三 (“three”)

   • 先王之制，大都不過參國之一。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     先王之制，大都不过参国之一。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Xiānwáng zhī zhì, dàdū bù guò sān guó zhī yī. [Pinyin]

     According to the regulations of the former kings, such a city of the first order can have its wall only a third as long as that of the capital.

   • 足下與項王有故，何不反漢與楚連和，參分天下王之？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     足下与项王有故，何不反汉与楚连和，参分天下王之？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Zúxià yǔ Xiàng wáng yǒugù, hé bù fǎn Hàn yǔ Chǔ liánhé, sān fēn tiānxià wàng zhī? [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Chinese numbers
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	102	103	104	106	108	1012
Normal (小寫／小写)	〇, 零, 空	一, 蜀	二, 兩／两	三	四	五	六	七	八	九	十	百	千	萬／万, 十千 (Malaysia, Singapore)	百萬／百万, 桶(Philippines), 面桶 (Philippines)	億／亿	兆 (Taiwan) 萬億／万亿 (Mainland China)
Financial (大寫／大写)	零	壹	貳／贰	參／叁	肆	伍	陸／陆	柒	捌	玖	拾	佰	仟

trad.		參
simp.		参
alternative forms		叄 㕘 叅

Related to 巉 (OC *zraːm, *zraːmʔ, “craggy”) (Schuessler, 2007).

參

1. Only used in 參差／参差 (cēncī) and 參錯／参错 (cēncuò).

trad.		參
simp.		参
alternative forms		慘／惨 䟃／𫎺

參

1. (Siyi Yue) clever; capable; competent; powerful

trad.		參
simp.		参

From English ransom (Cheung, 2007, page 219).

參

1. (Cantonese) hostage (Classifier: 條／条 c)

• 人質／人质 (rénzhì)

For pronunciation and definitions of 參 – see 摻 (“càn, type of drum music”). (This character is a variant form of 摻).

For pronunciation and definitions of 參 – see 糝 (“mixed; impure”). (This character is a variant form of 糝).

Shinjitai	参
Kyūjitai	參

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 参)

1. three

• Go-on: さん (san)、しん (shin)、そん (son)
• Kan-on: さん (san)、しん (shin)
• Kun: まいる (mairu, 參る)

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC tshom, “add; influence; join”).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	참 (Yale: chàm)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
	Gloss (hun)	Reading
Sinjeung Yuhap, 1576	참예 (Yale: chamyey)	참 (Yale: cham)
Early Modern Korean
Text	Final (韻)	Reading
Samun Seonghwi, 1751	覃	참 (cham)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕʰa̠m]
• Phonetic hangul: [참]

Wikisource

參 (eumhun 참여할 참 (chamyeohal cham))

1. hanja form^? of 참 (“to join; to participate”) [affix]

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC tsrhim, “jagged; uneven”).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᄎᆞᆷ (Yale: chòm)
Early Modern Korean
Text	Final (韻)	Reading
Samun Seonghwi, 1751	侵	ᄎᆞᆷ (cham)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕʰa̠m]
• Phonetic hangul: [참]

參 (eumhun 들쭉날쭉할 참 (deuljjungnaljjukhal cham))

1. (literary) hanja form^? of 참 (“jagged; uneven”)

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC srim, “Three Stars mansion”).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᄉᆞᆷ (Yale: sòm)
Early Modern Korean
Text	Final (韻)	Reading
Samun Seonghwi, 1751	侵	ᄉᆞᆷ (sam)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰa̠m]
• Phonetic hangul: [삼]

參 (eumhun 별 이름 삼 (byeol ireum sam))

1. hanja form^? of 삼 (“(Chinese astronomy) Three Stars mansion (one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions)”)

From Middle Chinese 參 (MC sam, “three”).

參 (eumhun 석 삼 (seok sam))

1. (financial) Alternative form of 三 (“hanja form^? of 삼 (“three”)”)

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

參: Hán Nôm readings: tham

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