許

Translingual

Han character

許 (Kangxi radical 149, 言+4, 11 strokes, cangjie input 卜口人十 (YROJ), four-corner 0864₀, composition ⿰訁午)

Derived characters

𠼯, 𢠇, 𭢒, 滸, 𤡈, 𤾟, 𰘦, 𲇠, 䔓, 𰒊

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 1151, character 14
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 35298
Dae Jaweon: page 1618, character 3
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 3946, character 9
Unihan data for U+8A31

Chinese

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (午) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
卸	*sŋjaːs
汻	*hŋaːŋʔ
滸	*hŋaːʔ
午	*ŋaːʔ
仵	*ŋaːʔ
旿	*ŋaːʔ
忤	*ŋaːs
迕	*ŋaːs
杵	*ŋ̊ʰjaʔ
籞	*ŋaʔ
蘌	*ŋaʔ
篽	*ŋaʔ
禦	ŋaʔ, ŋas
許	*hŋaʔ
御	*ŋas

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *hŋaʔ) : semantic 言 (“speech; words”) + phonetic 午 (OC *ŋaːʔ).

Etymology 1

trad.		許
simp.		许

“place”: Related to 所 (OC *s-qʰ<r>aʔ, “place; that which”), 處 (OC *t.qʰaʔ, “to be at”), 處 (OC *t.qʰaʔ-s, “place”) (Baxter and Sagart, 2014; also cf. Pan and Tao, 1999).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): xǔ (xu³)

(Zhuyin): ㄒㄩˇ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): xu³
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): heoi²

(Taishan, Wiktionary): hui²
Gan (Wiktionary): xy³
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): hí

(Hailu, HRS): hi^ˊ

(Meixian, Guangdong): hi³
Jin (Wiktionary): xy²
Northern Min (KCR): hṳ̌
Eastern Min (BUC): hṳ̄
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): hy³
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): hú / hír / hí

(Teochew, Peng'im): he²
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁵shiu
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): xy³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: xǔ
  - Zhuyin: ㄒㄩˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: syǔ
  - Wade–Giles: hsü³
  - Yale: syǔ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sheu
  - Palladius: сюй (sjuj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕy²¹⁴/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: xu³
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xy
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕy⁵³/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: heoi²
  - Yale: héui
  - Cantonese Pinyin: hoey²
  - Guangdong Romanization: hêu²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɵy̯³⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: hui²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hui⁵⁵/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: xy³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕy²¹³/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: hí
  - Hakka Romanization System: hi^ˋ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: hi³
  - Sinological IPA: /hi³¹/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: hi^ˊ
  - Sinological IPA: /hi²⁴/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: hi³
  - Sinological IPA: /hi³¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: xy²
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕy⁵³/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: hṳ̌
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /xy²¹/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: hṳ̄
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hy³³/
Puxian Min
- (Putian)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: hy³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hy⁴⁵³/
- (Xianyou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: hy³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hy³³²/

Note: literary.

Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Taipei, Tainan, Magong)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hú
  - Tâi-lô: hú
  - Phofsit Daibuun: huo
  - IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Tainan): /hu⁵³/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang, Sanxia, Hsinchu, Kinmen)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hír
  - Tâi-lô: hír
  - IPA (Kinmen): /hɯ⁵³/
  - IPA (Lukang): /hɨ⁵⁵/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /hɯ⁵⁵⁴/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Hsinchu, Yilan, Philippines)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hí
  - Tâi-lô: hí
  - Phofsit Daibuun: hie
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /hi⁴¹/
  - IPA (Jinjiang, Philippines): /hi⁵⁵⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou, Yilan): /hi⁵³/

Note: literary.

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: he²
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hṳ́
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɯ⁵²/

Note: literary.

Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁵shiu
  - MiniDict: shiu^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²xy
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɕy³⁴/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: xy³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕy⁴¹/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 許
Mandarin	Beijing	/ɕy²¹⁴/
	Harbin	/ɕy²¹³/
	Tianjin	/ɕy¹³/
	Jinan	/ɕy⁵⁵/
	Qingdao	/ɕy⁵⁵/
	Zhengzhou	/ɕy⁵³/
	Xi'an	/ɕy⁵³/
	Xining	/ɕy⁵³/
	Yinchuan	/ɕy⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/ɕy⁴⁴²/
	Ürümqi	/ɕy⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/ɕy⁴²/
	Chengdu	/ɕy⁵³/
	Guiyang	/ɕi⁴²/
	Kunming	/ɕi⁵³/
	Nanjing	/ɕy²¹²/
	Hefei	/sz̩ʷ²⁴/
Jin	Taiyuan	/ɕy⁵³/
	Pingyao	/ɕy⁵³/
	Hohhot	/ɕy⁵³/
Wu	Shanghai	/ɕy³⁵/
	Suzhou	/ɕy⁵¹/
	Hangzhou	/sz̩ʷ⁵³/
	Wenzhou	/ɕy³⁵/
Hui	Shexian	/ɕy³⁵/
Hui	Tunxi	/ɕy³¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/ɕy⁴¹/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/ɕy⁴²/
Gan	Nanchang	/ɕy²¹³/
Hakka	Meixian	/hi³¹/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/hi³¹/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/høy³⁵/
	Nanning	/hy³⁵/
	Hong Kong	/høy³⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/hu⁵³/ /kʰɔ⁵³/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/hy³²/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/xy²¹/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/hɯ⁵³/ /kʰou⁵³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/hu²¹³/ /xɔu²¹³/

Middle Chinese: xjoX

Rime
Character	許
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	曉 (32)
Final (韻)	魚 (22)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	虚吕切
Baxter	xjoX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/hɨʌ^X/
Pan Wuyun	/hiɔ^X/
Shao Rongfen	/xiɔ^X/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/hɨə̆^X/
Li Rong	/xiɔ^X/
Wang Li	/xĭo^X/
Bernhard Karlgren	/xi̯wo^X/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xǔ
Expected Cantonese Reflex	heoi²

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*qʰ(r)aʔ/

(Zhengzhang): /*hŋaʔ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	許
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xǔ
Middle Chinese	‹ xjo^X ›
Old Chinese	/*qʰ(r)aʔ/
English	place (n.); allow
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	許
Reading #	1/1
No.	13180
Phonetic component	午
Rime group	魚
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime
Old Chinese	/*hŋaʔ/

Definitions

許

to allow; to permit
只許看，不許吃／只许看，不许吃 ― zhǐ xǔ kàn, bùxǔ chī ― it is only permitted to look at it but not to eat it
to promise
許下承諾／许下承诺 ― xǔ xià chéngnuò ― to make a promise
to betroth
我們家姑娘已經許了人家兒了。 [dialectal Mandarin, trad.]
我们家姑娘已经许了人家儿了。 [dialectal Mandarin, simp.]
Wǒmen jiā gūniang yǐjīng xǔ le rénjiar le. [Pinyin]
Our miss has already been betrothed.
to praise
稱許／称许 ― chēngxǔ ― to praise
maybe; perhaps
(literary) approximately
下午三時許／下午三时许 ― xiàwǔ sān shí xǔ ― about 3 pm
so; such
許久／许久 ― xǔjiǔ ― a long time
- 問渠哪得清如許，為有源頭活水來。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  问渠哪得清如许，为有源头活水来。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: c. 12th century, 朱熹 (Zhu Xi), 觀書有感
  Wèn qú nǎ dé qīng rú xǔ, wèi yǒu yuántóu huóshuǐ lái. [Pinyin]
  [I want to] ask it [the pond] why it can be so clear. It is because running water continuously flows in.
(literary) place
- 先生不知何許人也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  先生不知何许人也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: c. 4th century, Tao Yuanming, Life of the 'Master of Five Willows' (《五柳先生傳》)
  Xiānshēng bùzhī héxǔrén yě. [Pinyin]
  It is unknown where "The Master" hails from.

Compounds

Descendants

→ Vietnamese: hứa (“to promise”)

Etymology 2

trad.		許
simp.		许

Originally written as 鄦 (OC *hmaʔ), 𱢬 (among others) in pre-Qin texts. By the Han dynasty, it was homophonic with and written as 許, originally meaning “to allow; to promise”, due to voiceless nasals losing nasality, turning into x- (Zhang, 2022b).