柯

柯 U+67EF, 柯 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-67EF ← 柮 [U+67EE] CJK Unified Ideographs 柰 → [U+67F0]

Translingual

Han character

柯 (Kangxi radical 75, 木+5, 9 strokes, cangjie input 木一弓口 (DMNR), four-corner 4192₀, composition ⿰木可)

Derived characters

• 𫈥, 樖

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 520, character 22
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 14658
• Dae Jaweon: page 908, character 17
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1178, character 6
• Unihan data for U+67EF

Chinese

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
砢	*ɡ·raːlʔ
柯	*kaːl
菏	*kaːl, *ɡaːl
牁	*kaːl
滒	*kaːl
哥	*kaːl
歌	*kaːl
謌	*kaːl
鴚	*kaːl
哿	*kaːlʔ
舸	*kaːlʔ
笴	*kaːlʔ, *kaːnʔ
軻	*kʰaːl, *kʰaːlʔ, *kʰaːls
珂	*kʰaːl
可	*kʰaːlʔ
岢	*kʰaːlʔ
坷	*kʰaːlʔ, *kʰaːls
蚵	*kʰaːls, *ɡaːl
呵	*qʰaːl, *qʰaːls
訶	*qʰaːl
抲	*qʰaːl
荷	*qʰaːls, *ɡaːl, *ɡaːlʔ
何	*ɡaːl, *ɡaːlʔ
河	*ɡaːl
苛	*ɡaːl
魺	*ɡaːl
袔	*ɡaːls
阿	*qaːl
妸	*qaːl, *qaːlʔ
疴	*qaːl, *kʰraːls
鈳	*qaːl
娿	*qaːl, *qaːlʔ
痾	*qaːl
跒	*kʰraːlʔ
閜	*qʰraːlʔ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kaːl) : semantic 木 (“tree”) + phonetic 可 (OC *kʰaːlʔ).

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.		柯
alternative forms		牁 ancient

Same word as 牁 (OC *kaːl, “mooring post for a boat”) and related to 軻 (OC *kʰaːl, *kʰaːlʔ, *kʰaːls, “a pair of wheels upon an axle tree”); perhaps related to 幹 (OC *kaːns, “stem, support”) but distinct from 竿 (OC *kaːn, “pole”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): kē (ke¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄎㄜ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): o¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): khô

  (Hailu, HRS): ko^ˋ

  (Meixian, Guangdong): ko¹

• Eastern Min (BUC): kŏ̤
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gua¹ / ko¹ / kor¹
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): koa / kho

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gua¹ / ko¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹khu

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kē
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄜ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ke
    • Wade–Giles: kʻo¹
    • Yale: kē
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ke
    • Palladius: кэ (kɛ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɤ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: o¹
    • Yale: ō
    • Cantonese Pinyin: o¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: o¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɔː⁵⁵/

Note: The zero initial /∅-/ is commonly pronounced with a ng-initial /ŋ-/ in some varieties of Cantonese, including Hong Kong Cantonese.

• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: khô
    • Hakka Romanization System: ko^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: ko¹
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰo²⁴/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: ko^ˋ
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰo⁵³/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: ko¹
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰo⁴⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: kŏ̤
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰo⁵⁵/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gua¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kua⁵³³/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ko¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰo⁵³³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ko¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɵ⁵³³/
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: kor¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɒ⁵³³/

Note:

• gua1 - vernacular (incl. surname);
• ko1 - vernacular;
• kor1 - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: koa / kho
    • Tâi-lô: kua / kho
    • Phofsit Daibuun: koaf, qoy
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kua⁴⁴/, /kʰo⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kua³³/, /kʰo³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kua⁴⁴/, /kʰo⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kua⁴⁴/, /kʰo⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kua⁴⁴/, /kʰɤ⁴⁴/

Note:

• koa - vernacular (surname);
• kho - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: gua¹ / ko¹
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kua / kho
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kua³³/, /kʰo³³/

Note:

• gua1 - vernacular (surname);
• ko1 - literary.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹khu
    • MiniDict: khu^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹khu
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /kʰu⁵³/

---

• Middle Chinese: ka

Rime
Character	柯
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	歌 (94)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	古俄切
Baxter	ka
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɑ/
Pan Wuyun	/kɑ/
Shao Rongfen	/kɑ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ka/
Li Rong	/kɑ/
Wang Li	/kɑ/
Bernhard Karlgren	/kɑ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	gē
Expected Cantonese Reflex	go1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[k]ˤar/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kaːl/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	柯
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	kē
Middle Chinese	‹ ka ›
Old Chinese	/*[k]ˁar/
English	axe-handle
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	柯
Reading #	1/1
No.	7433
Phonetic component	可
Rime group	歌
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	歌
Old Chinese	/*kaːl/

Definitions

柯

1. (literary) axe handle
2. (literary) stalk; branch
3. a surname

   柯文哲  ―  Kē Wénzhé  ―  Ko Wen-je (Taiwanese politician)

4. Short for 柯爾克孜／柯尔克孜 (kē'ěrkèzī, “Kyrgyz (the people, language, etc.)”).
5. Lithocarpus; stone oak

Descendants

• → English: Ke, Ko, Ker, Or, O, Quah, Qua, Kuah, Kua, Kwa
• → Tagalog: Cua (via Hokkien)

Compounds

• 南柯 (nánkē)
• 南柯一夢／南柯一梦 (nánkēyīmèng)
• 古柯 (gǔkē)
• 尼柯西亞／尼柯西亚 (Níkēxīyà)
• 柯克亞／柯克亚 (Kēkèyà)
• 柯則／柯则
• 柯化
• 柯南 (Kēnán)
• 柯坪 (Kēpíng)
• 柯子 (kēzǐ)
• 柯打
• 柯欽／柯钦
• 柯爾克孜／柯尔克孜 (kē'ěrkèzī)
• 柯駕／柯驾
• 牂柯

 

Etymology 2

simp. and trad.		柯
alternative forms		枯 過／过

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): koa

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gua¹

---

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: koa
    • Tâi-lô: kua
    • Phofsit Daibuun: koaf
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kua⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kua³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /kua⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /kua⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kua⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: gua¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kua
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kua³³/

Definitions

柯

1. (Hokkien, of fruits, vegetable, etc.) fibrous; stringy; tough; withered
2. (Teochew) dry; dried up; unmoist
3. (Hokkien) lost one's youthfulness; old

Etymology 3

simp. and trad.		柯

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): koa

---

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: koa
    • Tâi-lô: kua
    • Phofsit Daibuun: koaf
    • IPA (Xiamen): /kua⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kua³³/

Definitions

柯

1. (Xiamen and Quanzhou Hokkien) copper coin
2. (Xiamen and Quanzhou Hokkien) yuan (unit of currency)

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 元 (“yuan; dollar”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		圓, 元
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	塊
	Taiwan	塊
	Harbin	塊
	Malaysia	塊
	Singapore	塊
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	塊
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	塊
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	塊
	Wanrong	塊
	Xi'an	塊
	Xining	塊
	Xuzhou	塊
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	塊
	Lanzhou	塊
	Ürümqi	塊
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	塊
	Wuhan	塊
	Guiyang	塊
	Guilin	塊
	Liuzhou	塊
	Nanning (Wuming)	塊
	Shanglin (Sanli)	塊
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	塊
	Yangzhou	塊
	Hefei	塊
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蚊, 蚊雞, 雞士, 個, 銀
	Hong Kong	蚊, 蚊雞, 雞士, 個, 銀, 雞嘢
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	蚊
	Macau	蚊
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	蚊
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	蚊
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	蚊
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	蚊
	Foshan	蚊
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	文
	Foshan (Shunde)	蚊
	Foshan (Sanshui)	蚊雞
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	蚊雞
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	蚊
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	蚊
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	蚊
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	蚊
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	蚊
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	蚊
	Taishan	蚊
	Kaiping (Chikan)	蚊
	Enping (Niujiang)	蚊
	Heshan (Yayao)	蚊
	Dongguan	蚊, 蚊雞
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	蚊
	Qingyuan	蚊
	Fogang	蚊
	Yingde (Hanguang)	蚊
	Yangshan	蚊
	Lianshan (Butian)	蚊
	Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui)	蚊
	Shaoguan	蚊
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	蚊
	Renhua	蚊雞
	Lechang	蚊
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	蚊
	Sihui	蚊雞
	Deqing	蚊
	Huaiji	蚊
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	蚊
	Yunfu	蚊
	Xinxing	蚊
	Luoding	蚊
	Yunan (Pingtai)	蚊
	Yangjiang	蚊, 個
	Lianjiang	蚊
	Nanning	蚊
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	蚊
	Qinzhou	蚊
	Beihai	蚊
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	蚊
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	蚊
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	蚊
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	箍, 蚊
	Penang (Guangfu)	蚊
	Singapore (Guangfu)	蚊, 箍
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	蚊
	Móng Cái	蚊
Gan	Nanchang	塊
	Lichuan	塊
	Pingxiang	塊
Hakka	Meixian	塊
	Xingning	吊
	Yudu	塊
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	個
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	個
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	個
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	個
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	個
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	銀, 箍
	Hong Kong	塊, 蚊
	Sabah (Longchuan)	箍
	Senai (Huiyang)	箍
	Kuching (Hepo)	箍
	Singkawang	盾
	Singapore (Dabu)	箍
Huizhou	Jixi	塊
Jin	Taiyuan	塊
	Xinzhou	塊
Northern Min	Jian'ou	塊
	Pucheng (Shibei)	塊
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	塊
	Fuqing	塊
	Matsu	塊
Southern Min	Xiamen	箍
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	箍
	Quanzhou	箍
	Shishi	箍
	Zhangzhou	箍
	Zhao'an	箍
	Dongshan	箍
	Taipei	箍
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	箍
	Kaohsiung	箍
	Yilan	箍
	Changhua (Lukang)	箍
	Taichung	箍
	Tainan	箍
	Hsinchu	箍
	Kinmen	箍
	Penghu (Magong)	箍
	Penang (Hokkien)	箍
	Singapore (Hokkien)	箍
	Manila (Hokkien)	箍
	Chaozhou	銀, 箍, 個, 個銀
	Shantou	銀, 個, 箍 dated, 個銀
	Shantou (Chenghai)	銀
	Jieyang	個, 個銀
	Haifeng	個銀
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	箍
	Singapore (Teochew)	箍, 個銀
	Leizhou	個
	Wenchang	銀, 個
	Haikou	個銀, 銀
	Qionghai	銀
	Singapore (Hainanese)	箍
Puxian Min	Putian	個
	Xianyou	個
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	蚊
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	蚊, 蚊雞
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	塊
Wu	Shanghai	塊
	Shanghai (Chongming)	塊
	Suzhou	塊
	Danyang	塊
	Hangzhou	塊
	Wenzhou	個
	Jinhua	塊
Xiang	Changsha	塊
	Loudi	塊
	Shuangfeng	塊
	Quanzhou	塊

References

• (Min Nan) “Entry #5074”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

Japanese

Kanji

柯

(Hyōgai kanji)

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

Readings

• Go-on: か (ka)
• Kan-on: か (ka)
• Kun: え (e, 柯)

Korean

Hanja

柯 • (ga) (hangeul 가, revised ga, McCune–Reischauer ka, Yale ka)

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

Vietnamese

Han character

柯: Hán Nôm readings: kha

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

References

• Nom Foundation