仁

See also: 忈

仁 U+4EC1, 仁 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4EC1 ← 什 [U+4EC0] CJK Unified Ideographs 仂 → [U+4EC2]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

仁 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+2, 4 strokes, cangjie input 人一一 (OMM), four-corner 2121₀, composition ⿰亻二)

Derived characters

• 𣲚, 𣏴, 𭸹, 𥄰, 𫴮, 𠣒, 芢, 𬿎, 𦓍, 𡛉, 佞

Descendants

• に (Hiragana character derived from Man'yōgana)
• ニ (Katakana character derived from Man'yōgana)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 91, character 7
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 349
• Dae Jaweon: page 193, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 107, character 1
• Unihan data for U+4EC1

Chinese

simp. and trad.		仁
alternative forms		𡰥 忎 忈

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 仁
Warring States			Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)		Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Ancient script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts
Bronze inscriptions b12242 Small seal script s05656 Transcribed ancient scripts L31211 L31212 L31213 L31214 L31215 L31216 L31217 L31218 L04651 L04652 L04653 L04654 L04655
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

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

	Old Chinese
千	*sn̥ʰiːn
仟	*sn̥ʰiːn
芊	*sn̥ʰiːn, *sn̥ʰiːns
阡	*sn̥ʰiːn
汘	*sn̥ʰiːn
迁	*sn̥ʰiːn
杄	*sn̥ʰiːn
人	*njin
仁	*njin
朲	*njin
佞	*neːŋs

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *njin) : phonetic 人 (OC *njin) + semantic 二.

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s/k-niŋ (“heart; brain; mind”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT). Cognate with Tangkhul Naga ning (“mind”), Manipuri ꯄꯨꯛꯅꯤꯡ (pookneeng, “heart; mind”), Kinnauri [script needed] (stiŋ, “heart”), Garo taning (“brain”), Ngochang Achang nhaiqlom (“heart”), Bisu นืงบา (nɨŋba, “heart”), Burmese အနှစ် (a.hnac, “kernel”). Possibly related to Tibetan ཉིང (nying, “pith, essence”) (Schuessler, 2007).

For a parallel semantic development, compare Tibetan སྙིང་རྗེ (snying rje, “compassion; kindness; mercy”), from Tibetan སྙིང (snying, “heart; mind”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): rén (ren²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄖㄣˊ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ren²

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): rén

  (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): rén

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jan⁴ / ngan⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): yìn

  (Meixian, Guangdong): yin²

• Eastern Min (BUC): ìng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): lîn / jîn

  (Teochew, Peng'im): ring⁵

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): yieng⁵

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁶gnin / ²gnin / ⁶zen / ²zen / ²zeen / ²zyun
  • (Jinhua): ²gnin; ²zhin

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: rén
    • Zhuyin: ㄖㄣˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: rén
    • Wade–Giles: jên²
    • Yale: rén
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ren
    • Palladius: жэнь (žɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐən³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (仁兒／仁儿)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: rénr
    • Zhuyin: ㄖㄣˊㄦ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: rénr
    • Wade–Giles: jên²-ʼrh
    • Yale: rénr
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: rel
    • Palladius: жэньр (žɛnʹr)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐəɻ³⁵/

Note: Erhuayin for the kernel sense only.

• • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: ren²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: rhen
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /zən²¹/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: rén
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐẽ²⁴/
  • (Nanjing)
    • Nanjing Pinyin: rén
    • Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): ren²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐə̃²⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jan⁴ / ngan⁴
    • Yale: yàhn / ngàhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jan⁴ / ngan⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: yen⁴ / ngen⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɐn²¹/, /ŋɐn²¹/

Note: ngan4 - alternative pronunciation for "kernel".

• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yìn
    • Hakka Romanization System: in^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yin²
    • Sinological IPA: /in¹¹/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yìn
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)in^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yin²
    • Sinological IPA: /(j)in¹¹/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: yin²
    • Sinological IPA: /in¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: ìng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iŋ⁵³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Taipei)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lîn
    • Tâi-lô: lîn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: liin
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Taipei): /lin²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: jîn
    • Tâi-lô: jîn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: jiin
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /zin²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /d͡zin¹³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: ring⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: jîng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /d͡ziŋ⁵⁵/
  • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: yieng⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /zieŋ²²/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶gnin
    • MiniDict: nyin^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³nyin
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /n̠ʲin²³/
  • (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Tongxiang, Haining, Ningbo)
    • Wugniu: ²gnin
    • MiniDict: nyin^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /n̠ʲiŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /n̠ʲiŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦn̠ʲin²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /n̠ʲin²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /n̠ʲin²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Haining): /n̠ʲin¹¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /n̠ʲiŋ³¹³/
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶zen
    • MiniDict: zen^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³zen
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zən²³/
  • (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Changzhou, Tongxiang, Haining, Haiyan, Hangzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²zen
    • MiniDict: zen^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /zəŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /zəŋ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /szən²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /zən²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /zəŋ¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /zən²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Haining): /zən¹¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /zən³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /zen²³/
  • (Northern: Shaoxing)
    • Wugniu: ²zeen
    • MiniDict: zen^平
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /zẽ²³¹/
  • (Northern: Ningbo)
    • Wugniu: ²zyun
    • MiniDict: zoen^平
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /zz̩ʷøŋ³¹³/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ²gnin; ²zhin
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /n̠ʲiŋ³¹³/, /ʑiŋ³¹³/

Note:

• zen - literary;
• gnin - vernacular.

---

• Middle Chinese: nyin

Rime
Character	仁
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	日 (38)
Final (韻)	眞 (43)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	如鄰切
Baxter	nyin
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ȵiɪn/
Pan Wuyun	/ȵin/
Shao Rongfen	/ȵʑjen/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ȵin/
Li Rong	/ȵiĕn/
Wang Li	/ȵʑĭĕn/
Bernard Karlgren	/ȵʑi̯ĕn/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	rén
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jan4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*niŋ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*njin/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	仁
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	rén
Middle Chinese	‹ nyin ›
Old Chinese	/*niŋ/
English	kind
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	仁
Reading #	1/1
No.	10801
Phonetic component	人
Rime group	眞
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	仁
Old Chinese	/*njin/

Definitions

仁

1. compassionate; humane

   仁慈  ―  réncí  ―  benevolent

   • 子曰：「唯仁者能好人，能惡人。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子曰：「唯仁者能好人，能恶人。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zǐyuē: “Wéi rénzhě néng hào rén, néng wù rén.” [Pinyin]

     The Master said, "It is only the (truly) virtuous man, who can love, or who can hate, others."

   • 無傷也，是乃仁術也，見牛未見羊也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     无伤也，是乃仁术也，见牛未见羊也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Wúshāng yě, shì nǎi rénshù yě, jiàn niú wèi jiàn yáng yě. [Pinyin]

     'There is no harm in their saying so,' said Mencius. 'Your conduct was an artifice of benevolence. You saw the ox, and had not seen the sheep.

2. humaneness; benevolence; kindness

   殺身成仁／杀身成仁  ―  shāshēnchéngrén  ―  to die for a righteous cause

   • 樊遲問仁。子曰：「愛人。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     樊迟问仁。子曰：「爱人。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE

     Fán Chí wèn rén. Zǐyuē: “Àirén.” [Pinyin]

     Fan Chi asked about benevolence. The Master said, "It is to love all men."

3. (literary) person of virtue

   • 弟子入則孝，出則弟，謹而信，汎愛眾，而親仁。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     弟子入则孝，出则弟，谨而信，泛爱众，而亲仁。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Dìzǐ rù zé xiào, chū zé tì, jǐn ér xìn, fàn ài zhòng, ér qīn rén. [Pinyin]

     A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good.

4. kernel

   白芝麻仁  ―  bái zhīmá rén  ―  white sesame seeds

Compounds

• 一視同仁／一视同仁 (yīshìtóngrén)
• 不仁 (bùrén)
• 不仁不義／不仁不义
• 亞麻仁油／亚麻仁油
• 仁丹 (réndān)
• 仁人 (rénrén)
• 仁人君子 (rénrénjūnzǐ)
• 仁人志士 (rénrénzhìshì)
• 仁兄 (rénxiōng)
• 仁厚 (rénhòu)
• 仁君
• 仁和坪 (Rénhépíng)
• 仁塔
• 仁壽／仁寿
• 仁孝
• 仁宇
• 仁尊
• 仁弟
• 仁德 (réndé)
• 仁心 (rénxīn)
• 仁心仁術／仁心仁术 (rénxīnrénshù)
• 仁恕
• 仁惠
• 仁愛／仁爱 (rén'ài)
• 仁愛之家／仁爱之家
• 仁慈 (réncí)
• 仁政 (rénzhèng)
• 仁昭法外
• 仁智互見／仁智互见
• 仁武 (Rénwǔ)
• 仁民愛物／仁民爱物
• 仁波切 (rénbōqiè)
• 仁洽
• 仁澤／仁泽
• 仁王
• 仁瑞
• 仁祠
• 仁福 (Rénfú)
• 仁義／仁义
• 仁義之師／仁义之师 (rényìzhīshī)
• 仁義道德／仁义道德 (rényì dàodé)
• 仁者 (rénzhě)
• 仁者樂山／仁者乐山
• 仁聲／仁声
• 仁至義盡／仁至义尽 (rénzhìyìjìn)
• 仁術／仁术 (rénshù)
• 仁言利博
• 仁風／仁风
• 依仁
• 假仁假義／假仁假义 (jiǎrénjiǎyì)
• 冠道履仁
• 剛愎不仁／刚愎不仁
• 同仁 (tóngrén)
• 吉仁 (Jírén)
• 壯烈成仁／壮烈成仁
• 大仁 (dàrén)
• 大仁大義／大仁大义
• 奉揚仁風／奉扬仁风
• 婦人之仁／妇人之仁 (fùrénzhīrén)
• 安仁鬢秋／安仁鬓秋
• 宅心仁厚
• 宅心仁慈
• 宋襄之仁 (sòngxiāngzhīrén)
• 寬仁大度／宽仁大度
• 尸鳩之仁 (shījiū zhī rén)
• 居仁由義／居仁由义
• 履仁蹈義／履仁蹈义
• 巴仁 (Bārén)
• 布德施仁
• 志士仁人 (zhìshìrénrén)
• 成仁 (chéngrén)
• 成仁取義／成仁取义
• 敦仁
• 施仁布德
• 施仁布恩
• 施仁布澤／施仁布泽
• 智仁勇
• 杏仁 (xìngrén)
• 杏仁槽
• 杏仁油 (xìngrényóu)
• 杏仁粉
• 杏仁茶 (xìngrénchá)
• 杏仁豆腐
• 松仁 (sōngrén)
• 果仁 (guǒrén)
• 桃仁 (táorén)
• 核仁 (hérén)
• 欖仁樹／榄仁树
• 止戈興仁／止戈兴仁
• 歸仁／归仁 (Guīrén, “Gueiren”)
• 殘暴不仁／残暴不仁 (cánbàobùrén)
• 殷有三仁
• 殺身成仁／杀身成仁 (shāshēnchéngrén)
• 求仁得仁 (qiúréndérén)
• 法外施仁
• 為仁不富／为仁不富
• 為富不仁／为富不仁 (wéifùbùrén)
• 烏圖美仁／乌图美仁 (Wūtúměirén)
• 煦仁孑義／煦仁孑义
• 瓜仁 (guārén)
• 瓜子仁
• 當仁不讓／当仁不让 (dāngrénbùràng)
• 發政施仁／发政施仁
• 瞳仁 (tóngrén)
• 知水仁山
• 砂仁 (shārén)
• 種仁／种仁
• 積德累仁／积德累仁
• 純仁／纯仁
• 絕仁棄義／绝仁弃义
• 美仁 (Měirén)
• 義粟仁漿／义粟仁浆
• 聖手仁心／圣手仁心
• 能仁 (Néngrén)
• 至仁
• 興仁／兴仁 (Xīngrén)
• 苡仁
• 薏仁 (yìrén)
• 薏苡仁 (yìyǐrén)
• 蝦仁／虾仁 (xiārén)
• 見仁見智／见仁见智 (jiànrénjiànzhì)
• 見仁見知／见仁见知
• 見智見仁／见智见仁
• 觀過知仁／观过知仁
• 達仁／达仁 (Dárén)
• 里仁為美
• 麻仁
• 麻木不仁 (mámùbùrén)
• 麻痺不仁／麻痹不仁

 

References

• “仁”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

仁

(Sixth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. benevolence

Readings

• Go-on: に (ni, Jōyō ^†)、にん (nin)
• Kan-on: じん (jin, Jōyō)
• Nanori: きみ (kimi)、く (ku)、さと (sato)、しのぶ (shinobu)、じ (ji)、と (to)、のり (nori)、ひと (hito)、ひとし (hitoshi)、ひろ (hiro)、ひろし (hiroshi)、まこと (makoto)、まさ (masa)、まさし (masashi)、やす (yasu)、よし (yoshi)

Compounds

Compounds

• 仁(に)王(おう) (niō): the two guardian Deva kings
• 仁(じん)義(ぎ) (jingi): humanity and justice
• 仁(じん)愛(あい) (jin'ai): benevolence, charity
• 仁(じん)術(じゅつ) (jinjutsu): benevolence act
• 仁(じん)義(ぎ)礼(れい)智(ち)信(しん) (jingireichishin): the 5 Confucian virtues
• 仁(じん)徳(とく) (jintoku): benevolence, goodness

Proper noun

仁(ひとし) or 仁(じん) or 仁(まさし) • (Hitoshi or Jin or Masashi) 

1. a male given name

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 仁 (MC nyin).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᅀᅵᆫ (Yale: zìn)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
	Gloss (hun)	Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[2]	클〮 (Yale: khúl)	ᅀᅵᆫ (Yale: zìn)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [in]
• Phonetic hangul: [인]

Hanja

Wikisource

仁 (eumhun 어질 인 (eojil in))

1. hanja form^? of 인 (“benevolence”)

Compounds

Compounds

• 인덕 (仁德, indeok)
• 인자 (仁慈, inja)
• 인형 (仁兄, inhyeong)
• 인의 (仁義, inui)
• 인술 (仁術, insul)
• 인애 (仁愛, inae)
• 능인 (能仁, neung'in)
• 인천 (仁川, Incheon)
• 살신성인 (殺身成仁, salsinseong'in)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [3]

Vietnamese

Han character

仁: Hán Nôm readings: nhân, nhơn

1. benevolence

References

• Nom Foundation