必

See also: 心

必 U+5FC5, 必 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5FC5 ← 忄 [U+5FC4] CJK Unified Ideographs 忆 → [U+5FC6]

Translingual

Stroke order (Japan)

Stroke order (Taiwan)

Stroke order (alternative)

Stroke order (Japan)

Stroke order (Taiwan)

Stroke order (Chinese)

Han character

必 (Kangxi radical 61, 心+1, 5 strokes, cangjie input 心竹 (PH), four-corner 3300₀, composition ⿻心丿)

Derived characters

• 佖 咇 𪣊 妼 𢁽 怭 㧙 泌 𨸼 柲 珌 䏟 祕 䀣 𥑖 秘 袐 䎵 䖩 䛑 䟤 鉍 (铋) 䩛 䪐 飶 (𫗣) 馝 駜 𩨲 𪬤 𰀜 鮅 (𫚑)
• 𢖮 𨒜 𣭈 䫾 (𫠈) 𠛡 𠨘 邲 覕 鴓 宓 苾 毖 瑟 𫵘 𤵘 虙 𠚊 𠰣 𡊭 𡶇 𢗺 𤽣 𥁑 閟 (𮤲) 㘠 𱈶

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 375, character 2
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 10299
• Dae Jaweon: page 701, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2267, character 2
• Unihan data for U+5FC5

Chinese

simp. and trad.		必

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 必
Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
泌	*mpriɡs, *priɡ, *bliɡ
秘	*mpriɡs
毖	*priɡs
閟	*priɡs
柲	*priɡs, *bliːɡ, *priɡ, *bliɡ
鉍	*priɡs, *priɡ
邲	*priɡs, *bliɡ, *briɡ
覕	*pliŋs, *mbliːɡ
咇	*bliːɡ, *priɡ, *bliɡ
苾	*bliːɡ, *bliɡ
馝	*bliːɡ, *bliɡ
飶	*bliːɡ, *bliɡ
鴓	*mbliːɡ
鮅	*pliɡ, *bliɡ
必	*pliɡ
珌	*pliɡ
佖	*bliɡ, *briɡ
駜	*bliɡ, *briɡ
怭	*bliɡ
妼	*bliɡ
宓	*mriɡ, *mliɡ
樒	*mriɡ
密	*mriɡ
蔤	*mriɡ
滵	*mriɡ
蜜	*mliɡ
謐	*mliɡ
榓	*mliɡ
淧	*mliɡ
瑟	*smriɡ, *smriɡ
璱	*sriɡ
飋	*sriɡ
虙	*blɯɡ

Likely a pictogram (象形) – weapon handle made of bamboo strips; the original character for 柲 (OC *priɡs, *bliːɡ, *priɡ, *bliɡ). The character was phonetically borrowed for the senses of "certainly" and "must".

Unrelated to 心, as bronze script makes clear, but in current form very similar.

Etymology

Unclear (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): bì (bi⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄧˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): bi²

• Cantonese (Jyutping): bit¹
• Gan (Wiktionary): bit⁶
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): pit

  (Hailu, HRS): bid

  (Meixian, Guangdong): bid⁵

• Jin (Wiktionary): bieh⁴
• Northern Min (KCR): bĭ
• Eastern Min (BUC): bék
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): bih⁶
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): pit

  (Teochew, Peng'im): big⁴ / bêg⁴

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): bieg⁴

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁷piq
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): bi⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: bì
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄧˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: bì
    • Wade–Giles: pi⁴
    • Yale: bì
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bih
    • Palladius: би (bi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: bi²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: bi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi²¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: bit¹
    • Yale: bīt
    • Cantonese Pinyin: bit⁷
    • Guangdong Romanization: bid¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /piːt̚⁵/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: bit⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pit̚⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: pit
    • Hakka Romanization System: bid^ˋ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: bid⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /pit̚²/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: bid
    • Sinological IPA: /pit⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: bid⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /pit̚¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: bieh⁴
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /piəʔ²/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: bĭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi²⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: bék
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɛiʔ²⁴/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: bih⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /piʔ¹/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: bih⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /piʔ²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pit
    • Tâi-lô: pit
    • Phofsit Daibuun: pid
    • IPA (Xiamen): /pit̚³²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /pit̚⁵/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /pit̚³²/
    • IPA (Taipei): /pit̚³²/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /pit̚³²/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: big⁴ / bêg⁴
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: pik / pek
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pik̚²/, /pek̚²/

Note: bêg4 - Jieyang.

• • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: bieg⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /piek̚⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁷piq
    • MiniDict: pih^入
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁴piq
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /piɪʔ⁵⁵/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: bi⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pi²⁴/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 必
Mandarin	Beijing	/pi⁵¹/
	Harbin	/pi⁵³/
	Tianjin	/pi⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/pi⁵⁵/
	Qingdao	/pi⁵⁵/
	Zhengzhou	/pi⁴²/
	Xi'an	/pi²¹/
	Xining	/pji⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/pi¹³/
	Lanzhou	/pi¹³/
	Ürümqi	/pi²¹³/
	Wuhan	/pi²¹³/
	Chengdu	/pi³¹/
	Guiyang	/pi²¹/
	Kunming	/pi³¹/
	Nanjing	/piʔ⁵/
	Hefei	/piəʔ⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/piəʔ²/
	Pingyao	/piʌʔ¹³/
	Hohhot	/piəʔ⁴³/
Wu	Shanghai	/piɪʔ⁵/
	Suzhou	/piəʔ⁵/
	Hangzhou	/piəʔ⁵/
	Wenzhou	/pi²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/piʔ²¹/
	Tunxi	/pi⁵/
Xiang	Changsha	/pi²⁴/
	Xiangtan	/pi²⁴/
Gan	Nanchang	/piʔ⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/pit̚¹/
	Taoyuan	/pit̚²²/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/pit̚⁵/
	Nanning	/pit̚⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/pit̚⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/pit̚³²/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/pɛiʔ²³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/pi²⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/pik̚²/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/ʔbit̚⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: pjit

Rime
Character	必
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	幫 (1)
Final (韻)	質 (48)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	卑吉切
Baxter	pjit
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/piɪt̚/
Pan Wuyun	/pit̚/
Shao Rongfen	/pjet̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/pit̚/
Li Rong	/piĕt̚/
Wang Li	/pĭĕt̚/
Bernhard Karlgren	/pi̯ĕt̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	bi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	bat1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*pi[t]/

  (Zhengzhang): /*pliɡ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	必
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	bì
Middle Chinese	‹ pjit ›
Old Chinese	/*pi[t]/
English	necessarily
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	必
Reading #	1/1
No.	568
Phonetic component	必
Rime group	質
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	必
Old Chinese	/*pliɡ/

Definitions

必

1. surely; most certainly; always; invariably

   • 小大之獄，雖不能察，必以情。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     小大之狱，虽不能察，必以情。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Xiǎodà zhī yù, suī bù néng chá, bì yǐ qíng. [Pinyin]

     As for legal trials petty or serious, even if I could not judge with perfect justice, I always decide according to the facts.

2. must; have to; shall

   • 王曰：「雖然，必告不穀。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     王曰：「虽然，必告不谷。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Wáng yuē: “Suīrán, bì gào bùgǔ.” [Pinyin]

     "Nevertheless, you have to tell me," said the king.

   • 耶和華神對蛇說，你既作了這事，就必受咒詛，比一切的牲畜野獸更甚。你必用肚子行走，終身吃土。 [MSC, trad.]
     耶和华神对蛇说，你既作了这事，就必受咒诅，比一切的牲畜野兽更甚。你必用肚子行走，终身吃土。 [MSC, simp.]

     Yēhéhuá shén duì shé shuō, nǐ jì zuò le zhè shì, jiù bì shòu zhòuzǔ, bǐ yīqiè de shēngchù yěshòu gèng shèn. Nǐ bì yòng dùzi xíngzǒu, zhōngshēn chī tǔ. [Pinyin]

     And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed [must receive a curse] above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go [you must use your belly to go], and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.

3. (literary) conjunction indicating the condition of a concession or exception, especially a hypothetical or implied one

   • 子曰：「君子無所爭，必也射乎！揖讓而升，下而飲，其爭也君子。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子曰：「君子无所争，必也射乎！揖让而升，下而饮，其争也君子。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Zǐyuē: “Jūnzǐ wú suǒ zhēng, bì yě shè hū! Yīràng ér shēng, xià ér yìn, qí zhēng yě jūnzǐ.” [Pinyin]

     The Master said, "The student of virtue has no contentions. If it be said he cannot avoid them, shall this be in archery? But he bows complaisantly to his competitors; thus he ascends the hall, descends, and exacts the forfeit of drinking. In his contention, he is still the Junzi."

   • 必不得已而去，於斯三者何先？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     必不得已而去，于斯三者何先？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

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

     Bì bùdéyǐ ér qù, yú sī sānzhě hé xiān? [Pinyin]

     If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first?

4. (Hakka, Southern Min) to crack
5. (Southern Min) to chap (of skin)
6. (Teochew) crowded; packed; congested

Compounds

• 不必 (bùbì)
• 事在必行
• 事必躬親 / 事必躬亲 (shìbìgōngqīn)
• 令出必行
• 何必 (hébì)
• 信賞必罰 / 信赏必罚
• 分秒必爭 / 分秒必争 (fēnmiǎobìzhēng)
• 剝極必復 / 剥极必复
• 務必 / 务必 (wùbì)
• 勢在必行 / 势在必行 (shìzàibìxíng)
• 勢必 / 势必 (shìbì)
• 勢所必然 / 势所必然
• 否極必泰 / 否极必泰
• 哀兵必勝 / 哀兵必胜 (āibīngbìshèng)
• 多行不義必自斃 / 多行不义必自毙 (duō xíng bùyì bì zìbì)
• 大可不必 (dàkěbùbì)
• 安必思危
• 必不得已
• 必修 (bìxiū)
• 必修科
• 必備 / 必备 (bìbèi)
• 必剝 / 必剥
• 必定 (bìdìng)
• 必律律
• 必得
• 必必剝剝 / 必必剥剥
• 必然 (bìrán)
• 必爭之地 / 必争之地 (bìzhēngzhīdì)
• 必經之路 / 必经之路 (bìjīngzhīlù)
• 必若
• 必要 (bìyào)
• 必要條件 / 必要条件 (bìyào tiáojiàn)
• 必需 (bìxū)
• 必需品 (bìxūpǐn)
• 必須 / 必须 (bìxū)
• 志在必得 (zhìzàibìdé)
• 忘戰必危 / 忘战必危
• 想必 (xiǎngbì)
• 操刀必割
• 日中必彗
• 早名必折
• 是必 (shìbì)
• 有其父必有其子 (yǒu qí fù bì yǒu qí zǐ)
• 有求必應 / 有求必应 (yǒuqiúbìyìng)
• 末大必折
• 未必 (wèibì)
• 未必盡然 / 未必尽然
• 每戰必勝 / 每战必胜
• 物極必反 / 物极必反 (wùjíbìfǎn)
• 理所必然
• 甘泉必竭
• 盈則必虧 / 盈则必亏
• 盛必慮衰 / 盛必虑衰
• 盛極必衰 / 盛极必衰
• 盛筵必散
• 直木必伐
• 睚眥必報 / 睚眦必报 (yázìbìbào)
• 知過必改 / 知过必改
• 積善之家，必有餘慶 / 积善之家，必有余庆 (jīshàn zhī jiā, bì yǒu yúqìng)
• 若必
• 蘇必略湖 / 苏必略湖 (Sūbìlüè Hú)
• 言出必行 (yánchūbìxíng)
• 言多必失 (yánduōbìshī)
• 言必有中 (yánbìyǒuzhòng)
• 言必有據 / 言必有据
• 諒必 / 谅必
• 遊必有方 / 游必有方
• 過盛必衰 / 过盛必衰
• 錙銖必較 / 锱铢必较 (zīzhūbìjiào)
• 阿必尚
• 飛必沖天 / 飞必冲天
• 驕兵必敗 / 骄兵必败 (jiāobīngbìbài)
• 驕者必敗 / 骄者必败

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (必):

• → Japanese: 必(ひつ) (hitsu)
• → Korean: 필(必) (pil)
• → Vietnamese: tất (必)

Japanese

Kanji

必

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. inevitably, certainly

Readings

• Go-on: ひち (hichi)
• Kan-on: ひつ (hitsu, Jōyō)
• Kun: かならず (kanarazu, 必ず, Jōyō)
• Nanori: さだ (sada)、さだむ (sadamu)

Compounds

• 必(かなら)ず (kanarazu, “necessarily, certainly”)
• 必(かなら)ずしも (kanarazushimo, “not always”)
• 必携(ひっけい) (hikkei, “handbook, manual”)
• 必死(ひっし) (hisshi, “frantic, desperate”)
• 必(ひつ)需(じゅ) (hitsuju, “necessary”)
• 必(ひつ)需品(しゅひん) (hitsushuhin, “necessities”)
• 必殺(ひっさつ) (hissatsu, “definite kill”)
• 必修(ひっしゅう) (hisshū, “required (subject)”)
• 必勝(ひっしょう) (hisshō, “certain victory”)
• 必須(ひっす) (hissu, “indispensable, required”)
• 必須(ひっす)条(しょう)件(けん) (hissu shōken, “essential condition”)
• 必(ひつ)然(ぜん) (hitsuzen, “inevitable, necessary”)
• 必(ひつ)然(ぜん)的(てき) (hitsuzenteki, “inevitable, necessary”)
• 必(ひっ)着(ちゃく) (hitchaku, “must arrive”)
• 必(ひつ)読(とく) (hitsutoku, “should be read by all”)
• 必(ひつ)要(よう) (hitsuyō, “necessity, need”)
• 必(ひつ)要(よう)性(せい) (hitsuyōsei, “necessity”)
• 必(ひつ)読(どく)書(しょ) (hitsudokusho, “required reading”)
• 不(ふ)必(ひつ)要(よう) (fuhitsuyō, “unnecessary”)
• 必死(ひっし)になって (hisshi ni natte, “desperately”)
• 必見(ひっけん) (hikken, “a must-see”)

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 必 (MC pjit).

Historical readings

• Recorded as Middle Korean 비ᇙ〮 (Yale: pílq) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
• Recorded as Middle Korean 필 (phil) (Yale: phil) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [pʰiɭ]
• Phonetic hangul: [필]

Hanja

Wikisource

必 (eumhun 반드시 필 (bandeusi pil))

1. hanja form^? of 필 (“surely; certainly; without fail”)

Compounds

• 기필 (期必, gipil)
• 미가필 (未可必, migapil)
• 불필 (不必, bulpil)
• 불필요 (不必要, bulpiryo)
• 생필품 (生必品, saengpilpum)
• 필독 (必讀, pildok)
• 필득 (必得, pildeuk)
• 필멸 (必滅, pilmyeol)
• 필벌 (必罰, pilbeol)
• 필사 (必死, pilsa)
• 필살 (必殺, pilsal)
• 필수 (必修, pilsu)
• 필수 (必須, pilsu)
• 필승 (必勝, pilseung)
• 필시 (必是, pilsi)
• 필연 (必然, piryeon)
• 필요 (必要, piryo)
• 필요악 (必要惡, piryoak)
• 필용 (必用, piryong)
• 필위 (必爲, pirwi)
• 필정 (必定, piljeong)
• 필중 (必中, piljung)
• 필지 (必知, pilji)
• 필지 (必至, pilji)
• 필착 (必着, pilchak)
• 필패 (必敗, pilpae)
• 하필 (何必, hapil)

References

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

Vietnamese

Han character

必: Hán Nôm readings: tất, ắt

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