久

See also: 乆 and 欠

久	U+4E45, 久 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4E45

← 乄
[U+4E44]

CJK Unified Ideographs

乆 →
[U+4E46]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

久 (Kangxi radical 4, 丿+2, 3 strokes, cangjie input 弓人 (NO) or 難弓人 (XNO), four-corner 2780₀, composition ⿸𠂊㇏)

Derived characters

𠮻, 𡉌, 𠖮, 奺, 汣, 杦, 玖, 畂, 镹, 畝, 㝌, 㡱, 疚, 羑, 灸, 粂, 匛

Descendants

く (Hiragana character derived from man'yōgana)
ク (Katakana character derived from man'yōgana)
𛀫 (Hentaigana)
𛀬 (Hentaigana)

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 81, character 19
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 118
Dae Jaweon: page 165, character 6
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 33, character 3
Unihan data for U+4E45

Chinese

simp. and trad.		久
alternative forms		乆𫝄

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 久

**Small seal script**
s03941

**Transcribed ancient scripts**
L35395	L35396	L35397	L35398	L35399	L18239	L18240	L18241
L18242	L18243	L18244	L18245	L18246	L18247	L18248	L18249

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 (久) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
畂	*ɡʷ·rɯs
久	*kʷlɯʔ
灸	kʷlɯʔ, kʷlɯs
玖	*kʷlɯʔ
疚	*kʷlɯs
柩	*ɡʷlɯs
羑	*ɡʷ·lɯʔ

Pictogram (象形) - a man receiving moxibustion. The derivative 灸 (OC *kʷlɯʔ, *kʷlɯs) refers to the original word.

Etymology

Possibly Sino-Tibetan. Compare Bantawa [script needed] (kʰokpa, “old man”) (Sagart, 2017d), which STEDT derives from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kwak (“old”).

舊 (OC *N-kʷəʔ-s) may be a derivative (Baxter and Sagart, 2014). See there for more.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): jiǔ (jiu³)

(Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄡˇ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): jiu³
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): gau²

(Taishan, Wiktionary): giu²
Gan (Wiktionary): jiu³
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): kiú

(Meixian, Guangdong): giu³
Jin (Wiktionary): jiou²
Northern Min (KCR): giǔ
Eastern Min (BUC): gū / giēu
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): kú / kiú

(Teochew, Peng'im): gu²
Wu (Wugniu)
- (Northern): ⁵cieu
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): jiou³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: jiǔ
  - Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄡˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: jiǒu
  - Wade–Giles: chiu³
  - Yale: jyǒu
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jeou
  - Palladius: цзю (czju)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: jiu³
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: giu
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiəu⁵³/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: gau²
  - Yale: gáu
  - Cantonese Pinyin: gau²
  - Guangdong Romanization: geo²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɐu̯³⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: giu²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu⁵⁵/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: jiu³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiu²¹³/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kiú
  - Hakka Romanization System: giu`
  - Hagfa Pinyim: giu³
  - Sinological IPA: /ki̯u³¹/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: giu³
  - Sinological IPA: /kiu³¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: jiou²
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡ɕiəu⁵³/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: giǔ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu²¹/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: gū / giēu
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku³³/, /kieu³³/

Note:

gū - vernacular;
giēu - literary.

Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kú / kiú
  - Tâi-lô: kú / kiú
  - Phofsit Daibuun: kuo, kiuo
  - IPA (Xiamen): /ku⁵³/, /kiu⁵³/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /ku⁵⁵⁴/, /kiu⁵⁵⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /ku⁵³/, /kiu⁵³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /ku⁵³/, /kiu⁵³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /ku⁴¹/, /kiu⁴¹/

Note:

kú - vernacular;
kiú - literary.

- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: gu²
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kú
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁵²/
Wu
- (Shanghai):
  - Wugniu: ⁵cieu
  - MiniDict: cieu^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²jieu
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡ɕiɤ³⁴/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: jiou³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

Middle Chinese: kjuwX

Rime
Character	久
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	舉有切
Baxter	kjuwX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɨu^X/
Pan Wuyun	/kiu^X/
Shao Rongfen	/kiəu^X/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kuw^X/
Li Rong	/kiu^X/
Wang Li	/kĭəu^X/
Bernard Karlgren	/ki̯ə̯u^X/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	jiǔ
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gau²

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*[k]ʷəʔ/

(Zhengzhang): /*kʷlɯʔ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	久
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	jiǔ
Middle Chinese	‹ kjuw^X ›
Old Chinese	/*[k]ʷəʔ/
English	a long time
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	久
Reading #	1/1
No.	6969
Phonetic component	久
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	久
Old Chinese	/*kʷlɯʔ/

Definitions

久

(of time) long
你待了多久？ ― Nǐ dāi le duōjiǔ? ― How long did you stay?

我們走路走了很久。 [MSC, trad.]
我们走路走了很久。 [MSC, simp.]
Wǒmen zǒulù zǒu le hěn jiǔ. [Pinyin]
We walked for a long time.
a surname

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 久 (“long (time)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		久
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		久
Mandarin	Taiwan	久
	Malaysia	久
	Singapore	久
Cantonese	Guangzhou	耐
	Hong Kong	耐
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	耐
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	久
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	久
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	耐
	Taishan	久
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	耐
	Singapore (Guangfu)	耐
Gan	Nanchang	久
Hakka	Meixian	久
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	久
	Boluo (Bendihua)	久
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	久
	Longchuan (Tuocheng Bendihua)	久
	Heping (Linzhai Bendihua)	久
	Lianping (Longjie Bendihua)	久
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	久
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	久
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	久
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	久
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	久
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	久
	Hong Kong	久
	Senai (Huiyang)	久
	Kuching (Hepo)	久
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	𣆯
	Changle	𣆯
	Fuqing	𣆯
	Yongtai	𣆯
	Gutian	長久
	Fu'an	𣆯
	Ningde	𣆯
	Shouning	長遠
	Zhouning	長遠
	Fuding	久
	Singapore (Fuqing)	𣆯
Southern Min	Xiamen	久
	Quanzhou	久
	Jinjiang	久
	Dongshan	久
	Taipei	久 GT
	Penang (Hokkien)	久
	Singapore (Hokkien)	久
	Manila (Hokkien)	久
	Chaozhou	久
	Raoping	久
	Shantou	久
	Haifeng	久
	Bangkok (Teochew)	久
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	久
	Singapore (Teochew)	久
	Wenchang	久
	Qionghai	久
	Singapore (Hainanese)	久
Zhongshan Min	Shaxi (Longdu)	久長
Note	GT - General Taiwanese (no particular region identified)

Compounds

一勞久逸／一劳久逸
不久 (bùjiǔ)
不多久
久久 (jiǔjiǔ)
久之 (jiǔzhī)
久仰 (jiǔyǎng)
久仰大名 (jiǔyǎngdàmíng)
久仰山斗
久候
久假不歸／久假不归 (jiǔjiǎbùguī)
久停久住
久別／久别 (jiǔbié)
久別相逢／久别相逢
久別重逢／久别重逢
久合垸 (Jiǔhéyuàn)
久坐 (jiǔzuò)
久夢初醒／久梦初醒
久安長治／久安长治 (jiǔ'ānchángzhì)
久客
久居 (jiǔjū)
久待 (jiǔdài)
久慣牢成／久惯牢成
久慣老成／久惯老成
久戀／久恋 (jiǔliàn)
久旱不雨 (jiǔhànbùyǔ)
久有存心
久留 (jiǔliú)
久病成醫／久病成医 (jiǔbìngchéngyī)
久矣
久視／久视
久立 (jiǔlì)
久等 (jiǔděng)
久而久之 (jiǔ'érjiǔzhī)
久聞大名／久闻大名 (jiǔwéndàmíng)
久要 (jiǔyāo)
久見／久见 (kiú-kian)
久違／久违 (jiǔwéi)
久違顏範／久违颜范
久遠／久远 (jiǔyuǎn)
久錮／久锢
久長／久长 (jiǔcháng)
久闊／久阔 (jiǔkuò)
久音
保久乳
偌久 (gōa-kú)
地久天長／地久天长 (dìjiǔtiāncháng)
壙久／圹久
多久 (duōjiǔ)
天長地久／天长地久 (tiānchángdìjiǔ)
天長日久／天长日久 (tiānchángrìjiǔ)
好久 (hǎojiǔ)
常久 (chángjiǔ)
年久失修 (niánjiǔshīxiū)
年深日久
年深月久
恆久／恒久 (héngjiǔ)
恆久不渝／恒久不渝
悠久 (yōujiǔ)
持久 (chíjiǔ)
持久之計／持久之计
持久戰／持久战 (chíjiǔzhàn)
日久天長／日久天长
日久年深
日久彌新／日久弥新
日久月深
日久歲深／日久岁深
日久玩生
日久生情 (rìjiǔshēngqíng)
日長歲久／日长岁久
曠久／旷久
曠日引久／旷日引久
曠日彌久／旷日弥久
曠日持久／旷日持久 (kuàngrìchíjiǔ)
曠日經久／旷日经久
曠日長久／旷日长久
歷久／历久 (lìjiǔ)
歷久不衰／历久不衰 (lìjiǔbùshuāi)
歷久彌新／历久弥新 (lìjiǔmíxīn)
歷日曠久／历日旷久
永久 (yǒngjiǔ)
永久磁鐵／永久磁铁
永久齒／永久齿
牢成久慣／牢成久惯
積久／积久
積久弊生／积久弊生
終久／终久 (zhōngjiǔ)
經久／经久 (jīngjiǔ)
經久不息／经久不息 (jīngjiǔbùxī)
耐久 (nàijiǔ)
耐久品
耐久朋
耐久財／耐久财
良久 (liángjiǔ)
訂久要／订久要 (dìngjiǔyāo)
許久／许久 (xǔjiǔ)
迂久
長久／长久 (chángjiǔ)
長久之計／长久之计
長治久安／长治久安 (chángzhìjiǔ'ān)
長生久視／长生久视
雨久花
頃久／顷久

Japanese

Kanji

久

(grade 5 “Kyōiku” kanji)

long time

Korean

Hanja

久 (eumhun 오랠 구 (orael gu))

Hanja form^? of 구 (“to be long”).

Vietnamese