蛇へび

蛇へび U+86C7, 蛇 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-86C7 ← 蛆うじ [U+86C6] CJK Unified Ideographs 蛈 → [U+86C8]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

蛇へび (Kangxi radical 142, 虫むし+5, 11 strokes, cangjie input 中ちゅう戈ほこ十じゅう心しん (LIJP), four-corner 5311₁, composition ⿰虫むし它)

Derived characters

• 㵃, 𨫯, 𬠶, 𰣿

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1080, character 20
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 32964
• Dae Jaweon: page 1548, character 36
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2845, character 8
• Unihan data for U+86C7

Chinese

simp. and trad.		蛇へび
alternative forms		它 虵 𢕷 𣙛 𤜣 它 虵 𢕷 𣙛 𤜣 𥝀 𧉮

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 蛇へび
Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Qin slip script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
佗	*l̥ʰaːl, *l'aːl
拕	*l̥ʰaːl, *l'aːlʔ
它	*l̥ʰaːl
蛇へび	*l̥ʰaːl, *ɦljaːl, *lal
袉	*l̥ʰaːlʔ, *l'aːl, *l'aːlʔ
鴕	*l'aːl
駝	*l'aːl
紽	*l'aːl
鮀	*l'aːl
陀	*l'aːl
沱	*l'aːl, *l'aːlʔ
跎	*l'aːl
詑	*l'aːl, *l'aːlʔ, *hlel, *lal, *l̥ʰoːl
酡	*l'aːl
迱	*l'aːl
舵かじ	*l'aːlʔ
柁かじ	*l'aːlʔ
鉈	*ɦljaːl, *hljal

Phono-semantic compound (形聲けいせい／形声けいせい, OC *l̥ʰaːl, *ɦljaːl, *lal) : semantic 虫むし + phonetic 它 (OC *l̥ʰaːl). 它 was also the original pictographic form of this character.

Etymology 1

Unclear. Various theories have been proposed:

• Starostin sets up Proto-Sino-Tibetan *lăj (“snake”), comparing this with Mizo hlai-ba (“a species of snake”) and Jingpho palai (“a species of iguana”). He also compares it to Proto-Kam-Sui *dzuːi² (“snake”). Schuessler (2007) considers these Tibeto-Burman forms to be unrelated.
• Matisoff (2003) relates it to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-b/m-ruːl (“snake”), but this comparison is no longer held in STEDT.
• Sagart (2005) relates it to Proto-Loloish *lay¹/² (“python”), which STEDT derives from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g-lja(ŋ/k) (“python”), as well as Proto-Austronesian *bulay (“snake”). Comparison with the Austronesian form has been challenged by Orlandi (2018).
• Schuessler (2007) notes similarity to Proto-Hlai *ljaːɦ (“snake”) (from Pre-Hlai *Cilaːɦ) as well as to Austronesian words, such as Rade ala (“snake”), but considers the Kra-Dai forms to be possible borrowings from Chinese. (He does not seem to address the Austronesian forms directly.) In his view, a more likely relationship is with the /-lé/ in Khmer រលេ (rɔlei, “sinuously, in a twisting or wiggling manner (as a snake swimming)”). In Old Chinese, this also provides the second syllable in 委ゆだね蛇へび (OC *qrol lal, “winding; compliant; graceful”). 蛇へび (“the winding thing”) is then a euphemism for common Sino-Tibetan 虺 (OC *hŋlulʔ, “snake”) for taboo reasons.
• Zhengzhang (2011) relates it to Proto-Austronesian *SulaR (“snake”).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): shé (she²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄜˊ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): se²

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): shé

  (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): shé

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): шә (šə, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): se⁴

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): soe⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): sie³

• Gan (Wiktionary): sa⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): sà

  (Hailu, HRS): sha

  (Meixian, Guangdong): sa²

  (Changting, Changting Pinyin): sha²

• Jin (Wiktionary): se¹
• Northern Min (KCR): ṳê
• Eastern Min (BUC): siè
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): syo² / sya²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): chôa / siâ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): zua⁵

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): zua⁵ / se⁵

• Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): se⁴
• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁶zo / ²zo
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): sha² / she²

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shé
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄜˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shé
    • Wade–Giles: shê²
    • Yale: shé
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sher
    • Palladius: шэ (šɛ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɤ³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (蛇へび兒じ／蛇へび儿)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: shér
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄜˊㄦ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shér
    • Wade–Giles: shê²-ʼrh
    • Yale: shér
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sher'l
    • Palladius: шэр (šɛr)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɤɻ³⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: se²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: se
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛ²¹/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: shé
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɤ²⁴/
  • (Nanjing)
    • Nanjing Pinyin: shé
    • Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): she²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂe²⁴/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: шә (šə, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂə²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: se⁴
    • Yale: sèh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: se⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: sé⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɛː²¹/
  • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: soe⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sø²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: sie³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siɛ²²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: sa⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sa³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sà
    • Hakka Romanization System: sa^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: sa²
    • Sinological IPA: /sa¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: sha
    • Sinological IPA: /ʃa⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: sa²
    • Sinological IPA: /sa¹¹/
  • (Changting)
    • Changting Pinyin: sha²
    • Sinological IPA: /ʃa²⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: se¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /sɤ¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ṳê
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /yɛ³³/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: siè
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sie⁵³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: syo²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬyɒ¹³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: sya²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬya¹³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Jinjiang, Yongchun, Philippines, Medan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chôa
    • Tâi-lô: tsuâ
    • Phofsit Daibuun: zoaa
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sua²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sua¹³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei, Jinjiang, Yongchun, Philippines): /t͡sua²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siâ
    • Tâi-lô: siâ
    • Phofsit Daibuun: siaa
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /sia²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /sia²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /sia¹³/

Note:

• chôa - vernacular;
• siâ - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: zua⁵
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsuâ
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sua⁵⁵/
• (Leizhou)
  • Leizhou Pinyin: zua⁵ / se⁵
  • Sinological IPA: /t͡sua²²/, /sɛ²²/

Note:

• zua5 - vernacular;
• se5 - literary.

• Southern Pinghua
  • (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
    • Jyutping++: se⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /se²¹/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶zo
    • MiniDict: zo^去さ
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³zo
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zo²³/
  • (Northern: Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²zo
    • MiniDict: zo^平ひらた
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /zo²²³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: sha² / she²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ʂa̠¹³/, /ʂɤ̞¹³/
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /sa̠¹³/, /sɤ̞¹³/

Note:

• sha2 - vernacular;
• she2 - literary.

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 蛇へび
Mandarin	Beijing	/ʂɤ³⁵/
	Harbin	/ʂɤ²⁴/
	Tianjin	/ʂɑ⁴⁵/ /sɑ⁴⁵/ /ʂɤ⁴⁵/ /sɤ⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/ʂa⁴²/
	Qingdao	/ʃə⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/ʂʐ̩ɛ⁴²/
	Xi'an	/ʂɤ²⁴/
	Xining	/ʂɛ²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ʂə⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/ʂə⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/ʂɤ⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/sɤ²¹³/
	Chengdu	/se³¹/
	Guiyang	/se²¹/
	Kunming	/ʂə³¹/
	Nanjing	/ʂe²⁴/
	Hefei	/ʂe⁵⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/sɤ¹¹/
	Pingyao	/ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩e̞¹³/
	Hohhot	/sɤ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/zo²³/
	Suzhou	/zo¹³/
	Hangzhou	/d͡zz̩ʷei²¹³/
	Wenzhou	/ze³¹/
Hui	Shexian	/ɕie⁴⁴/ /ɕia⁴⁴/
	Tunxi	/ɕia⁴⁴/
Xiang	Changsha	/ʂə¹³/ /ʂa¹³/
	Xiangtan	/ʂɒ¹²/
Gan	Nanchang	/sɑ⁴⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/sa¹¹/
	Taoyuan	/ʃɑ¹¹/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/sɛ²¹/
	Nanning	/sɛ²¹/
	Hong Kong	/sɛ²¹/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/sia³⁵/ /t͡sua³⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/sie⁵³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/yɛ³³/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/t͡sua⁵⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/tua³¹/

---

• Middle Chinese: zyae, tha

Rime
Character	蛇へび	蛇へび
Reading #	3/3	2/3
Initial (聲こえ)	船ふね (27)	透とおる (6)
Final (韻いん)	麻あさ (100)	歌うた (94)
Tone (調しらべ)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開ひらき合あい)	Open	Open
Division (等ひとし)	III	I
Fanqie	食しょく遮さえぎ切きり	託たく何なに切きり
Baxter	zyae	tha
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʑia/	/tʰɑ/
Pan Wuyun	/ʑia/	/tʰɑ/
Shao Rongfen	/ʑia/	/tʰɑ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʑia/	/tʰa/
Li Rong	/d͡ʑia/	/tʰɑ/
Wang Li	/d͡ʑĭa/	/tʰɑ/
Bernard Karlgren	/d͡ʑʰi̯a/	/tʰɑ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	shé	tuō
Expected Cantonese Reflex	se4	to1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*Cə.lAj/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɦljaːl/, /*l̥ʰaːl/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	蛇へび
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	shé
Middle Chinese	‹ zyæ ›
Old Chinese	/*Cə.lAj/
English	snake
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	蛇へび	蛇へび
Reading #	2/3	1/3
No.	12232	12211
Phonetic component	它	它
Rime group	歌うた	歌うた
Rime subdivision	1	1
Corresponding MC rime	蛇へび	佗
Old Chinese	/*ɦljaːl/	/*l̥ʰaːl/
Notes		注ちゅう説せつ文ぶん同どう它

Definitions

蛇へび

1. snake; serpent (Classifier: 條じょう／条じょう m c; 尾お m mn)

   • 耶和華はな神かみ對たい女人にょにん說せつ：「你做的てき是これ甚麼いんも事こと呢？」女人にょにん說せつ：「那な蛇へび引誘我わが，我わが就吃ども了りょう。」 [MSC, trad.]
     耶和华神かみ对女人にょにん说：「你做的てき是これ什么事こと呢？」女人にょにん说：「那な蛇へび引诱我わが，我わが就吃ども了りょう。」 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 新しん標しるべ點てん和合本わごうほん (Chinese Union Version with New Punctuation), 創世そうせい記き (Genesis) 3:13

     Yēhéhuá Shén duì nǚrén shuō: “Nǐ zuò de shì shènme shì ne?” Nǚrén shuō: “Nà shé yǐnyòu wǒ, wǒ jiù chī le.” [Pinyin]

     And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

   • c. 3rd century BCE, 荀子 [Xunzi], 荀子 [Xunzi]:

     蟹かに六ろく跪而二に螯，非ひ蛇へび蟺之これ穴あな無む可か寄よせ託たく者もの，用よう心しん躁也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     蟹かに六ろく跪而二に螯，非ひ蛇へび蟺之これ穴あな无可か寄よせ托たく者もの，用よう心しん躁也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     Xiè liù guì ér èr áo, fēi shé shàn zhī xué wú kě jì tuō zhě, yòng xīn zào yě. [Pinyin]

     A crab has six feet and two pincers, but it cannot live without the holes of snakes and eels, it is because it has an uncalm heart.

2. illegal immigrant

   人ひと蛇へび  ―  rénshé  ―  illegal immigrant

   蛇へび頭あたま／蛇へび头  ―  shétóu  ―  people smuggler

3. (Cantonese) to shirk one's duty; to be lazy on the job
4. (Cantonese, poker) straight
5. (regional, pathology) herpes zoster; shingles

   生せい蛇へび [Cantonese]  ―  saang¹ se⁴ [Jyutping]  ―  to have shingles

   蛇へび針はり／蛇へび针 [Cantonese]  ―  se⁴ zam¹ [Jyutping]  ―  shingles vaccine

6. a surname

Synonyms

• (snake):

Dialectal synonyms of 蛇へび (“snake”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		蛇へび
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		蛇へび
Taxonomic name		蛇へび
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Taiwan	蛇へび
	Chengde	長蟲ながむし
	Ulanhot	長蟲ながむし
	Tongliao	長蟲ながむし
	Chifeng	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし, 大蟲おおむし
	Heihe	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Qiqihar	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Harbin	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Jiamusi	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Baicheng	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Changchun	長蟲ながむし
	Tonghua	長蟲ながむし
	Shenyang	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Jinzhou	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Malaysia	蛇へび
	Singapore	蛇へび
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	長蟲ながむし
	Tangshan	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Cangzhou	長蟲ながむし
	Baoding	長蟲ながむし
	Shijiazhuang	長蟲ながむし
	Lijin	長蟲ながむし
	Jinan	長蟲ながむし, 蛇へび
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	長蟲ながむし
	Dandong	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Yantai	長蟲ながむし
	Yantai (Muping)	長蟲ながむし
	Qingdao	長蟲ながむし
	Zhucheng	長蟲ながむし
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	長蟲ながむし
	Lingbao	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Jining	長蟲ながむし
	Wanrong	蛇へび
	Linfen	蛇へび
	Shangqiu	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Yuanyang	蛇へび
	Zhengzhou	長蟲ながむし
	Xinyang	長蟲ながむし
	Baihe	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Xi'an	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Baoji	長蟲ながむし
	Tianshui	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Xining	蛇へび
	Xuzhou	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Fuyang	蛇へび
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	蛇へび
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Bayanhot	蛇へび
	Lanzhou	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Dunhuang	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Hami	長蟲ながむし
	Ürümqi	長蟲ながむし, 蛇へび
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	蛇へび, 梭老二に, 長蟲ながむし
	Nanchong	蛇へび
	Dazhou	長蟲ながむし
	Hanyuan	蛇へび
	Xichang	蛇へび
	Zigong	蛇へび
	Chongqing	蛇へび, 螂雞兒じ
	Wuhan	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Yichang	蛇へび
	Xiangyang	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Tianmen	蛇へび
	Guiyang	老ろう蛇へび
	Zunyi	蛇へび
	Bijie	老ろう蛇へび
	Liping	蛇へび
	Zhaotong	老ろう梭
	Dali	蛇へび
	Kunming	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Mengzi	蛇へび
	Guilin	蛇へび
	Liuzhou	蛇へび, 溜ため子こ dated
	Jishou	蛇へび
	Changde	蛇へび
	Hanzhong	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	蛇へび兒じ, 蛇へび
	Yangzhou	蛇へび
	Lianyungang	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Lianshui	蛇へび
	Nantong	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Anqing	蛇へび
	Wuhu	蛇へび
	Hefei	蛇へび
	Hong'an	蛇へび
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蛇へび
	Hong Kong	蛇へび
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	蛇へび
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	蛇へび
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	蛇へび
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	蛇へび
	Macau	蛇へび
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	蛇へび
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	蛇へび
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	蛇へび
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	蛇へび
	Foshan	蛇へび
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	蛇へび
	Foshan (Shunde)	蛇へび
	Foshan (Sanshui)	蛇へび
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	蛇へび
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	蛇へび
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	蛇へび
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	蛇へび
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	蛇へび
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	蛇へび
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	蛇へび
	Taishan	蛇へび
	Kaiping (Chikan)	蛇へび
	Enping (Niujiang)	蛇へび
	Heshan (Yayao)	蛇へび
	Dongguan	蛇へび
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	蛇へび
	Shenzhen (Dapeng)	蛇へび
	Qingyuan	蛇へび
	Fogang	蛇へび
	Yingde (Hanguang)	蛇へび
	Yangshan	蛇へび
	Lianshan (Butian)	蛇へび
	Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui)	蛇へび
	Shaoguan	蛇へび
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	蛇へび
	Renhua	蛇へび
	Lechang	蛇へび
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	蛇へび
	Sihui	蛇へび
	Guangning	蛇へび
	Deqing	蛇へび
	Huaiji	蛇へび
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	蛇へび
	Yunfu	蛇へび
	Xinxing	蛇へび
	Luoding	蛇へび
	Yunan (Pingtai)	蛇へび
	Yangjiang	蛇へび
	Xinyi	蛇へび
	Lianjiang	蛇へび
	Nanning	蛇へび
	Wuzhou	蛇へび
	Yulin	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	蛇へび
	Danzhou	蛇へび
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	蛇へび
	Singapore (Guangfu)	蛇へび
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	蛇へび
Gan	Nanchang	蛇へび
	Lichuan	蛇へび
	Pingxiang	蛇へび
Hakka	Meixian	蛇へび哥
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	蛇へび, 蛇へび哥
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	蛇へび
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	蛇へび
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	蛇へび
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	蛇へび
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	蛇へび
	Wuhua (Changbu)	蛇へび
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	蛇へび
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	蛇へび
	Jiexi	蛇へび
	Luhe	蛇へび
	Yudu	蛇へび
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	蛇へび哥
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	蛇へび哥
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	蛇へび, 蛇へび哥
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	蛇へび, 蛇へび哥
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	蛇へび
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	蛇へび
	Hong Kong	蛇へび哥
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	蛇へび
	Sabah (Longchuan)	蛇へび哥, 蛇へび
	Senai (Huiyang)	蛇へび
	Singkawang	蛇へび
Huizhou	Jixi	蛇へび
	Shexian	蛇へび
	Huangshan (Tunxi)	蛇へび
	Xiuning	蛇へび
	Yixian	蛇へび
	Qimen	蛇へび
	Wuyuan	蛇へび
	Fuliang	蛇へび
	Dexing	蛇へび
Jin	Taiyuan	蛇へび
	Pingyao	蛇へび
	Yangyuan	蛇へび
	Datong	蛇へび, 皮かわ條じょう
	Xinzhou	蛇へび
	Lüliang (Lishi)	蛇へび
	Changzhi	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Taibus (Baochang)	蛇へび
	Linhe	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Jining	蛇へび
	Hohhot	蛇へび
	Baotou	蛇へび
	Dongsheng	蛇へび
	Haibowan	蛇へび
	Erenhot	蛇へび
	Pingshan	長蟲ながむし
	Zhangjiakou	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Handan	蛇へび, 長蟲ながむし
	Linzhou	蛇へび
	Suide	蛇へび
Northern Min	Jian'ou	蛇へび
	Jian'ou (Dikou)	蛇へび
	Zhenghe (Zhenqian)	蛇へび
	Pucheng (Shibei)	蛇へび
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	老ろう蛇へび, 蛇へび
	Fuzhou (Changle)	老ろう蛇へび
	Fuqing	老ろう蛇へび
	Yongtai	老ろう蛇へび
	Gutian	老ろう蛇へび
	Fu'an	老ろう蛇へび
	Ningde	老ろう蛇へび
	Shouning	老ろう蛇へび
	Zhouning	老ろう蛇へび
	Fuding	老ろう蛇へび
	Matsu	老ろう蛇へび
Southern Min	Xiamen	蛇へび
	Quanzhou	蛇へび
	Jinjiang	蛇へび
	Yongchun	蛇へび
	Zhangzhou	蛇へび
	Dongshan	蛇へび
	Taipei	蛇へび
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	蛇へび
	Kaohsiung	蛇へび
	Yilan	蛇へび
	Changhua (Lukang)	蛇へび
	Taichung	蛇へび
	Taichung (Wuqi)	蛇へび
	Tainan	蛇へび
	Taitung	蛇へび
	Hsinchu	蛇へび
	Kinmen	蛇へび
	Penghu (Magong)	蛇へび
	Penang (Hokkien)	蛇へび
	Singapore (Hokkien)	蛇へび
	Manila (Hokkien)	蛇へび
	Medan (Hokkien)	蛇へび
	Zhangping	蛇へび
	Zhangping (Yongfu)	蛇へび
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	蛇へび
	Chaozhou	蛇へび
	Raoping	蛇へび
	Shantou	蛇へび
	Bangkok (Teochew)	蛇へび
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	蛇へび
	Singapore (Teochew)	蛇へび
	Leizhou	蛇へび
	Wenchang	蛇へび
	Haikou	蛇へび
Puxian Min	Putian	大蛇おろち, 蛇へび
	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	大蛇おろち, 蛇へび
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	老ろう蛇へび
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	老ろう蛇へび
	Xianyou	大蛇おろち, 老ろう蛇へび
	Xianyou (Fengting)	大蛇おろち
	Xianyou (Youyang)	大蛇おろち, 老ろう蛇へび
Central Min	Yong'an	蛇へび
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	蛇へび
	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	蛇へび
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	蛇へび
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	蛇へび
Shehua	Fu'an	老ろう蛇へび
	Fuding	蛇へび
	Luoyuan	蛇へび
	Sanming	蛇へび
	Shunchang	蛇へび
	Hua'an	蛇へび
	Guixi (Zhangping)	蛇へび
	Cangnan	蛇へび
	Jingning (Hexi)	蛇へび
	Lishui	蛇へび
	Longyou	蛇へび
	Chaozhou	蛇へび
	Fengshun	蛇へび
Waxiang	Guzhang (Gaofeng)	虺
	Yuanling (Shaojiwan)	虺
	Luxi (Baisha)	虺
Wu	Shanghai	蛇へび, 水みず蛇へび
	Shanghai (Chongming)	蛇へび
	Suzhou	蛇へび
	Wuxi	蛇へび
	Danyang	蛇へび
	Hangzhou	蛇へび
	Ningbo	蛇へび
	Wenzhou	蛇へび
	Jinhua	蛇へび
Xiang	Changsha	蛇へび, 溜ため子こ, 臭におい溜ため子こ
	Xiangtan	蛇へび
	Loudi	蛇へび
	Shuangfeng	蛇へび, 溜ため子こ
	Quanzhou	蛇へび
Xiangnan Tuhua	Jiangyong	蛇へび
	Dong'an	蛇へび
Yuebei Tuhua	Shaoguan (Dacun, Baitu, Qujiang)	蛇へび
	Shaoguan (Xiangyang, Xihe, Wujiang)	蛇へび
	Shaoguan (Shibei, Xinshao, Zhenjiang)	蛇へび
	Renhua (Zhoutian)	蛇へび
	Renhua (Shitang)	蛇へび
	Ruyuan (Songwei, Guitou)	蛇へび
	Lechang (Changlai)	蛇へび
	Lechang (Beixiang)	蛇へび
	Lechang (Huangpu)	蛇へび
	Lechang (Guitang, Pingshi)	蛇へび
	Lechang (Sanxi)	蛇へび呱

• (straight): 順子じゅんこ／顺子 (shùnzi)
• (shingles):

Dialectal synonyms of 帶狀おびじょう皰疹 (“herpes zoster; shingles”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		帶狀おびじょう皰疹
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	皮かわ蛇へび
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蛇へび
	Hong Kong	蛇へび
Hakka	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	蛇へび
Jin	Xinzhou	纏まとい腰こし龍りゅう
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	緊腰蛇へび, 纏まとい腰こし蛇へび
Southern Min	Xiamen	蛇へび
	Quanzhou	蛇へび
	Zhangzhou	蛇へび

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (蛇へび):

• → Japanese: 蛇へび(じゃ) (ja); 蛇へび(だ) (da)
• → Okinawan: 蛇へび(じゃー) (jā)
• → Korean: 사(蛇へび) (sa)
• → Vietnamese: xà (蛇へび)

Wutunhua: shai

Compounds

• 一いち蛇へび二に首しゅ
• 一いち龍りゅう一いち蛇へび／一いち龙一蛇へび
• 丈たけ八はち蛇へび矛ほこ (Zhàng bā shémáo)
• 五ご步ほ蛇へび
• 人ひと蛇へび (rénshé)
• 佛ふつ口こう蛇へび心こころ (fókǒushéxīn)
• 倒たおせ拔蛇
• 兩頭りょうとう蛇へび／两头蛇へび (liǎngtóushé)
• 四よん腳蛇／四よん脚きゃく蛇へび (sìjiǎoshé)
• 土ど錦蛇にしきへび／土ど锦蛇
• 地ち土ど蛇へび
• 地頭じとう蛇へび／地ち头蛇 (dìtóushé)
• 夢ゆめ蛇へび／梦蛇
• 封ふう豕いのこ長蛇ちょうだ／封ふう豕いのこ长蛇
• 屈こごめ蛇へび
• 巨きょ蛇へび座ざ (Jùshézuò)
• 巴ともえ蛇へび (bāshé)
• 巴ともえ蛇へび吞象
• 巴ともえ蛇へび食しょく象ぞう
• 常山つねやま蛇へび
• 常山つねやま蛇へび勢ぜい／常山つねやま蛇へび势
• 弓ゆみ影かげ杯はい蛇へび
• 弓ゆみ蛇へび
• 影かげ中ちゅう蛇へび
• 打だ草くさ驚おどろき蛇へび／打だ草くさ惊蛇 (dǎcǎojīngshé)
• 拿死蛇へび
• 捕と蛇へび去さ齒は／捕と蛇へび去さ齿
• 握にぎ蛇へび騎虎きこ／握にぎ蛇へび骑虎
• 撥ばち草くさ尋ひろ蛇へび／拨草寻蛇
• 斬き蛇へび／斩蛇
• 斬き蛇へび逐鹿ちくろく／斩蛇逐鹿ちくろく
• 春はる蚓秋蛇へび
• 杯はい弓ゆみ蛇へび影かげ (bēigōng-shéyǐng)
• 松まつ蛇へび (sōngshé)
• 杯はい蛇へび鬼おに車しゃ／杯はい蛇へび鬼おに车
• 枳からたち首くび蛇へび
• 歲とし在ざい龍りゅう蛇へび／岁在龙蛇
• 毒蛇どくへび (dúshé)
• 毒蛇どくへび猛獸もうじゅう／毒蛇どくへび猛もう兽 (dúshéměngshòu)
• 水みず蛇へび (shuǐshé)
• 水みず蛇へび腰こし (shuǐshéyāo)
• 海蛇うみへび (hǎishé)
• 海蛇うみへび水母くらげ
• 為ため蛇へび添足／为蛇添足
• 為ため蛇へび畫が足あし／为蛇画が足あし
• 牛うし鬼おに蛇へび神しん (niúguǐshéshén)
• 畫が蛇へび添足／画が蛇へび添足 (huàshétiānzú)
• 畫が蛇へび著ちょ足あし／画が蛇へび著ちょ足あし
• 白しろ花はな蛇へび (báihuāshé)
• 白蛇しろへび
• 白蛇しろへび傳でん／白蛇しろへび传 (Báishézhuàn)
• 百ひゃく步ほ蛇へび (bǎibùshé)
• 百ひゃく節せつ蛇へび／百ひゃく节蛇
• 盤ばん蛇へび／盘蛇
• 盲めくら蛇へび (mángshé)
• 眼鏡蛇めがねへび／眼め镜蛇 (yǎnjìngshé)
• 窟くつ裡うら拔蛇／窟くつ里さと拔蛇
• 筆ふで走はし龍りゅう蛇へび／笔走龙蛇 (bǐzǒulóngshé)
• 簷蛇／檐蛇
• 茅かや蛇へび (máoshé)
• 草花くさばな蛇へび
• 蘄蛇／蕲蛇
• 虎とら頭あたま蛇尾だび／虎とら头蛇尾だび (hǔtóushéwěi)
• 虺蛇入にゅう夢ゆめ／虺蛇入にゅう梦
• 蛇へび信しん
• 蛇へび匪
• 蛇口じゃぐち蜂はち針はり／蛇口じゃぐち蜂はち针
• 蛇へび吞象
• 蛇へび心こころ佛ふつ口こう
• 蛇へび拳けん
• 蛇へび木き
• 蛇へび皮がわ松まつ
• 蛇へび神しん
• 蛇へび符ふ
• 蛇紋じゃもん石せき／蛇へび纹石 (shéwénshí)
• 蛇へび羹あつもの (shégēng)
• 蛇へび船せん
• 蛇苺へびいちご
• 蛇へび蛻もぬけ／蛇へび蜕 (shétuì)
• 蛇へび蠍さそり／蛇蝎だかつ (shéxiē)
• 蛇へび蠍さそり心こころ腸ちょう／蛇蝎だかつ心こころ肠 (shéxiēxīncháng)
• 蛇へび蠍さそり美人びじん／蛇蝎だかつ美人びじん (shéxiē měirén)
• 蛇行だこう (shéxíng)
• 蛇足だそく (shézú)
• 蛇へび頭あたま／蛇へび头 (shétóu)
• 蛇へび頭あたま鼠ねずみ眼め／蛇へび头鼠眼め (shétóushǔyǎn)
• 蛇へび麻あさ
• 蛇へび鼠ねずみ一いち窩／蛇へび鼠ねずみ一いち窝 (shéshǔyīwō)
• 蛇へび龍りゅう尖とんが／蛇へび龙尖 (Shélóngjiān)
• 螣蛇 (téngshé)
• 蟒蛇うわばみ (mǎngshé)
• 行あるき行ゆき蛇へび蚓
• 赤あか練ねり蛇へび／赤あか练蛇
• 軹首蛇へび／轵首蛇へび
• 金蛇かなへび
• 銀ぎん環たまき蛇へび／银环蛇へび (yínhuánshé)
• 錦蛇にしきへび／锦蛇 (jǐnshé)
• 靈れい蛇へび之の珠たま／灵蛇之の珠たま
• 靈れい蛇へび髻たぶさ／灵蛇髻たぶさ
• 青あお蛇へび (qīngshé)
• 響ひびき尾お蛇へび／响尾蛇へび (xiǎngwěishé)
• 飛ひ蛇へび／飞蛇
• 養やしなえ虺成蛇へび／养虺成なり蛇へび
• 騰あが蛇へび／腾蛇
• 驚おどろき蛇へび入にゅう草くさ／惊蛇入にゅう草くさ
• 魔術まじゅつ蛇へび／魔ま术蛇
• 龍りゅう蛇へび／龙蛇 (lóngshé)
• 龍りゅう蛇へび之の章あきら／龙蛇之の章あきら
• 龍りゅう蛇へび字じ／龙蛇字じ
• 龍りゅう蛇へび混雜こんざつ／龙蛇混こん杂 (lóngshéhùnzá)
• 龍りゅう蛇へび渾雜／龙蛇浑杂
• 龍りゅう蛇へび陣じん／龙蛇阵
• 龍りゅう蛇へび雜ざつ處しょ／龙蛇杂处
• 龍りゅう蛇へび飛ひ動どう／龙蛇飞动
• 龍頭蛇尾りゅうとうだび／龙头蛇尾だび
• 龜かめ蛇へび二に將しょう／龟蛇二に将しょう

 

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yí (yi²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧˊ

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ji⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): yi³

• Hakka (Meixian, Guangdong): yi²
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): i²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): î

  (Teochew, Peng'im): i⁵

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yí
    • Zhuyin: ㄧˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yí
    • Wade–Giles: i²
    • Yale: yí
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yi
    • Palladius: и (i)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ji⁴
    • Yale: yìh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ji⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: yi⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiː²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: yi³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ji²²/
• Hakka
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: yi²
    • Sinological IPA: /i¹¹/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: i²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i¹³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: î
    • Tâi-lô: î
    • Phofsit Daibuun: ii
    • IPA (Xiamen): /i²⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /i²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /i¹³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /i²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /i²³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: i⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: î
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i⁵⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: ye

Rime
Character	蛇へび
Reading #	1/3
Initial (聲こえ)	以 (36)
Final (韻いん)	支ささえ (11)
Tone (調しらべ)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開ひらき合あい)	Open
Division (等ひとし)	III
Fanqie	弋支ささえ切きり
Baxter	ye
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/jiᴇ/
Pan Wuyun	/jiɛ/
Shao Rongfen	/jɛ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/jiə̆/
Li Rong	/ie/
Wang Li	/jǐe/
Bernard Karlgren	/ie̯/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yí
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ji4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*laj/

  (Zhengzhang): /*lal/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	蛇へび
Reading #	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yí
Middle Chinese	‹ ye ›
Old Chinese	/*laj/
English	委ゆだね蛇へび compliant, complacent
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	蛇へび
Reading #	3/3
No.	12236
Phonetic component	它
Rime group	歌うた
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	移うつり
Old Chinese	/*lal/

Definitions

蛇へび

1. Used in 蛇へび蛇へび (“facile (of words); calmly; leisurely”).
2. Used in 委ゆだね蛇へび (wēiyí, “winding; meandering; pretending interest and sympathy”).

Compounds

• 委ゆだね蛇へび (wēiyí)
• 虛むなし與あずか委い蛇へび／虚むなし与あずか委い蛇へび (xūyǔwēiyí)
• 蛇へび委い
• 蛇へび蛇へび
• 蜲蛇 (wēiyí)
• 逶蛇 (wēiyí)
• 遺のこ蛇へび／遗蛇

 

Etymology 2

From English sir.

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Jyutping): soe⁴ / se⁴

---

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: soe⁴ / se⁴
    • Yale: sèuh / sèh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soe⁴ / se⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: sê⁴ / sé⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sœː²¹/, /sɛː²¹/

Definitions

蛇へび

1. (Cantonese) sir (used when addressing policemen or male schoolteachers)

Compounds

• 阿おもね蛇へび

 

See also

• (Chinese zodiac signs) (~年とし) 鼠ねずみ (shǔ), 牛うし (niú), 虎とら (hǔ), 兔うさぎ (tù), 龍りゅう／龙 (lóng), 蛇へび (shé), 馬うま／马 (mǎ), 羊ひつじ (yáng), 猴 (hóu), 雞／鸡 (jī), 狗いぬ (gǒu), 豬／猪いのしし (zhū) ^{(Category: zh:Chinese zodiac signs)}

References

• “蛇へび”, in 漢語かんご多功たこう能のう字じ庫こ (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港ほんこん中ちゅう文ぶん大學だいがく (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育きょういく部ぶ異體いたい字じ字典じてん), A03624
• “Entry #7843”, in 教育きょういく部ぶ臺灣たいわん台たい語ご常用じょうよう詞し辭典じてん [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

Japanese

Kanji

蛇へび

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: じゃ (ja, Jōyō)^{←じや (zya, historical)}、た (ta)、い (i)
• Kan-on: しゃ (sha)^{←しや (sya, historical)}、た (ta)、い (i)
• Kan’yō-on: だ (da, Jōyō)
• Kun: へび (hebi, 蛇へび, Jōyō)、くちなわ (kuchinawa, 蛇へび)^{←くちなは (kutinafa, 蛇へび, historical)}

Compounds

Compounds

• 委ゆだね蛇へび(いい) (ii), 委ゆだね蛇へび(いだ) (ida)
• 蟒蛇うわばみ(うわばみ) (uwabami)
• 大蛇おろち(おろち) (orochi)
• 蟒蛇うわばみ(やまかがち) (yamakagachi)
• 熇尾蛇へび(ヒバカリ), 竹たけ根ね蛇へび(ヒバカリ) (hibakari)
• 赤楝蛇やまかがし(ヤマカガシ), 山やま(ヤマ)楝おうち蛇へび(カガシ) (yamakagashi)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
蛇へび
へび Grade: S
kun'yomi

/pemi/ → /ɸemi/ → /ɸebi/ → /hebi/

Shift from older hemi (see below). The medial /m/ lost its nasal quality to become a plosive.

Appears in texts from the 1300s.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) へび [héꜜbì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [he̞bʲi]

Noun

蛇へび(へび) or 蛇へび(ヘビ) • (hebi) 

1. a snake, serpent
   • 1999 March 6, “デビル・スネーク [Devil Snake]”, in Starter(スターター) Box(ボックス), Konami:

     目め(め)が一いち(ひと)つしかないヘビ。冷ひや(れい)気き(き)をはき出で(だ)し、相そう(あい)手て(て)を氷こおり(こおり)づけにする。

     Me ga hitotsu shikanai hebi. Reiki o hakidashi, aite o kōrizuke ni suru.

     A single-eyed snake that breathes out frigid air to freeze its opponents.

   • 1999 May 27, “生せい(い)き血ち(ち)をすするもの [Lifeblood-Slurping One]”, in Vol.3, Konami:

     暗くら(くら)闇やみ(やみ)の中なか(なか)、道みち(みち)行くだり(ゆ)く人ひと(ひと)々(びと)を襲かさね(おそ)う人ひと(ひと)型かた(がた)の吸(きゅう)血ち(けつ)ヘビ。

     Kurayami no naka, michiyuku hitobito o osou hitogata no kyūketsu hebi.

     A humanoid blood-sucking serpent who assaults passerby from the dark.

   • 2000 May 1, “グラップラー [Grappler]”, in BOOSTER 7, Konami:

     ずるがしこいヘビ。太ふとし(ふと)くて長なが(なが)い身み(しん)体からだ(たい)で締しめ(し)め付づけ(つ)ける攻おさむ(こう)撃げき(げき)に注ちゅう(ちゅう)意い(い)！

     Zurugashikoi hebi. Futokute nagai shintai de shimetsukeru kōgeki ni chūi!

     Watch out! This devious serpent will grapple you tight with its long and thick body!

2. a snake (treacherous person)

Usage notes

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as ヘビ.

Derived terms

• 蛇へび(ヘビ)苺いちご(イチゴ) (hebīchigo)
• 蛇へび(ヘビ)貝かい(ガイ) (hebigai)
• 蛇へび(へび)神かみ(がみ) (hebigami)
• 蛇へび(ヘビ)食しょく(クイ)鷲わし(ワシ) (hebikui washi)
• 蛇へび(へび)座ざ(ざ) (Hebiza, “Serpens”)
• 蛇へび(へび)責せめ(ぜ)め (hebizeme)
• 蛇へび(へび)遣や(つか)い (hebitsukai)
• 蛇へび(へび)毒どく(どく) (hebidoku)
• 蛇へび(ヘビ)蜻(トン)蛉(ボ) (hebitonbo)
• 蛇へび(ヘビノ)寝ね(ネ)御お(ゴ)座ざ(ザ) (hebinonegoza)
• 蛇へび(ヘビ)不ふ登とう(ノボラズ) (hebinoborazu)
• 蛇へび(へび)の殻から(から) (hebi no kara)
• 蛇へび(へび)の衣ころも(きぬ) (hebi no kinu)
• 蛇へび(へび)婿むこ(むこ)入いれ(い)り (hebi muko iri)
• 雨あめ(アマ)傘かさ(ガサ)蛇へび(ヘビ) (amagasa hebi)
• 海うみ(ウミ)蛇へび(ヘビ) (umihebi)
• がらがら蛇へび(へび) (garagarahebi)
• 烏がらす(からす)蛇へび(へび) (karasuhebi)
• 金きむ(カナ)蛇へび(ヘビ), 蛇舅母かなへび(カナヘビ) (kanahebi)
• 川かわ(かわ)蛇へび(へび) (kawahebi)
• 鎖くさり(クサリ)蛇へび(ヘビ) (kusarihebi)
• 縞しま(シマ)蛇へび(ヘビ) (shimahebi)
• 白しろ(シロ)蛇へび(ヘビ) (shirohebi)
• 毒どく(どく)蛇へび(へび) (dokuhebi)
• 錦にしき(ニシキ)蛇へび(ヘビ) (nishikihebi)
• 裸はだか(はだか)蛇へび(へび) (hadakahebi)
• 水みず(みず)蛇へび(へび)座ざ(ざ) (Mizuhebiza)
• 眼め(メ)鏡かがみ(ガネ)蛇へび(ヘビ) (meganehebi)
• 盲めくら(メクラ)蛇へび(ヘビ) (mekurahebi)
• 藪やぶ(やぶ)蛇へび(へび) (yabuhebi)

Idioms

• 蛇へび(へび)穴あな(あな)に入いれ(い)る (hebi ana ni iru)
• 蛇へび(へび)穴あな(あな)を出で(い)ず (hebi ana o izu)
• 蛇へび(へび)の生なま殺ころせ(なまごろ)し (hebi no namagoroshi)
• 蛙かえる(かえる)は口くち(くち)ゆえ蛇へび(へび)に吞(の)まるる (kaeru wa kuchi yue hebi ni nomaruru)
• 草くさ(くさ)を打だ(う)って蛇へび(へび)を驚おどろき(おどろ)かす (kusa o utte hebi o odorokasu)
• 藪やぶ(やぶ)をつついて蛇へび(へび)を出で(だ)す (yabu o tsutsuite hebi o dasu)

Proverbs

• 蛇へび(へび)に嚙(か)まれて朽くち(く)ち縄なわ(なわ)に怖こわ(お)じる (hebi ni kamarete kuchinawa ni ojiru)
• 蛇へび(へび)に見み(み)込こみ(こ)まれた蛙かえる(かえる) (hebi ni mikomareta kaeru)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)の道みち(みち)は蛇へび(へび) (ja no michi wa hebi)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
蛇へび
へみ Grade: S
irregular

⟨pe₂mi₁⟩ → */pəɨmʲi/ → /pemi/ → /ɸemi/ → /hemi/

From Old Japanese.

Derivation theories include:

• Possibly cognate with Korean 뱀 (baem, “snake”).
• Possibly related to, or influenced by, Old Japanese-derived verb 食はむ (hamu, “to bite”).
• Possibly also related to 波布はぶ (habu, “a kind of poisonous pit viper native to Okinawa”).

Noun

蛇へび(へみ) • (hemi) 

1. (obsolete) a snake, serpent

Derived terms

• 巳み(み) (mi, the “snake” in astrology)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
蛇へび
くちなわ Grade: S
kun'yomi

Extension of 朽くち縄なわ (kuchinawa, literally “rotten rope”), as such a rope resembles the appearance of a snake.

朽くち縄なわ (kuchinawa) itself is from くち (kuchi, 連れん(れん)用よう(よう)形かたち(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb くちる (“to rot”).) + 縄なわ(なわ) (nawa, “rope”)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) くちなわ [kùchínáwá] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟̊t͡ɕina̠βべーた̞a̠]

Noun

蛇へび(くちなわ) • (kuchinawa) ^{←くちなは (kutinafa)?}

1. (obsolete) a snake, serpent

Derived terms

• 蛇へび(くちなわ)苺いちご(いちご) (kuchinawa ichigo)
• 烏がらす(からす)蛇へび(くちなわ) (karasu kuchinawa)
• 黒くろ(くろ)蛇へび(くちなわ) (kurokuchinawa)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
蛇へび
じゃ Grade: S
goon

From Middle Chinese 蛇へび (MC zyae).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) じゃ [jáꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑa̠]

Noun

蛇へび(じゃ) • (ja) 

1. a snake, serpent
2. Short for 蛇へび之の助すけ (janosuke): a heavy drinker

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 蛇へび(じゃ)踊おどり(おどり) (jaodori)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)貝かい(がい) (jagai)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)籠かご(かご) (jakago)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)口くち(ぐち) (jaguchi)
• 蛇へび(ジャ)結ゆい(ケツ)茨いばら(イバラ) (jaketsu ibara)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)籠かご(こ) (jako)
• 蛇へび(ジャ)苔こけ(ゴケ) (jagoke)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)卵たまご(だま) (jadama)
• 蛇へび人参にんじん(ジャニンジン) (ja ninjin)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)之これ(の)助すけ(すけ) (janosuke)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)の鮨ずし(すし) (ja no sushi)
• 蛇へび(ジャ)の髭ひげ(ヒゲ) (ja no hige)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)の目め(め) (ja no me)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)腹はら(ばら) (jabara)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)皮かわ(び) (jabi)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)柳やなぎ(やなぎ) (Jayanagi)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)虫むし(むし) (jamushi)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)紋もん(もん) (jamon)

Proverbs

Derived terms

• 蛇へび(じゃ)が蚊か(か)を吞(の)んだよう (ja ga ka o nondayou)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)の道みち(みち)は蛇へび(へび) (ja no michi wa hebi)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)は一寸ちょっと(いっすん)にして人ひと(ひと)を吞(の)む (ja wa issun ni shite hito o nomu)
• 鬼おに(おに)が住じゅう(す)むか蛇へび(じゃ)が住じゅう(す)むか (oni ga sumu ka ja ga sumu ka)
• 灰はい(はい)吹(ふ)きから蛇へび(じゃ)が出で(で)る (haifuki kara ja ga deru)

Affix

蛇へび(じゃ) • (ja) 

1. snake, serpent
2. snakelike, snaky

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 蛇へび(じゃ)灰はい(かい)岩いわ(がん) (jakaigan)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)蝎(かつ), 蛇へび(じゃ)蠍さそり(かつ) (jakatsu)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)管かん(かん) (jakan)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)行くだり(こう) (jakō)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)骨ほね(こつ) (jakotsu)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)心しん(しん) (jashin)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)身み(しん) (jashin)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)舌した(ぜつ) (jazetsu)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)足あし(そく) (jasoku)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)体からだ(たい) (jatai)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)頭あたま(とう) (jatō)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)道みち(どう) (jadō)
• 蛇へび(じゃ)毒どく(どく) (jadoku)
• 王おう(おう)蛇へび(じゃ) (ōja)
• 大だい(だい)蛇へび(じゃ) (daija)
• 長なが(ちょう)蛇へび(じゃ) (chōja)
• 毒どく(どく)蛇へび(じゃ) (dokuja)
• 白しろ(はく)蛇へび(じゃ) (hakuja)

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
蛇へび
だ Grade: S
kan'yōon

Confusion of pronunciation with 陀(だ) (da) via phonetic radical 它.

Affix

蛇へび(だ) • (da) 

1. snake, serpent

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 蛇へび(だ)蝎(かつ), 蛇へび(だ)蠍さそり(かつ) (dakatsu)
• 蛇へび(だ)管かん(かん) (dakan)
• 蛇へび(だ)行くだり(こう) (dakō)
• 蛇へび(だ)咬(こう)症しょう(しょう) (dakōshō)
• 蛇へび(だ)心しん(しん) (dashin)
• 蛇へび(だ)足あし(そく) (dasoku)
• 銀ぎん(ぎん)蛇へび(だ) (ginda)
• 春はる(しゅん)蚓(いん)秋あき(しゅう)蛇へび(だ) (shun'inshūda)
• 常つね(じょう)山やま(ざん)の蛇へび(だ)勢いきおい(せい) (Jōzan no dasei)
• 長なが(ちょう)蛇へび(だ) (chōda)
• 南みなみ(ナン)蛇へび(ダ) (nanda)
• 杯はい(はい)中なか(ちゅう)の蛇へび(だ)影かげ(えい) (haichū no daei)
• 百ひゃく(ヒャッ)歩ふ(ポ)蛇へび(ダ) (hyappoda)
• 竜りゅう(りゅう)頭あたま(とう)蛇へび(だ)尾お(び) (ryūtōdabi)

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
蛇へび
い Grade: S
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 蛇へび (MC ye).

Affix

蛇へび(い) • (i) 

1. winding, meandering

Derived terms

• 委ゆだね(い)蛇へび(い) (ii)

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 蛇へび (MC zyae).

Historical Readings
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
	Gloss (hun)	Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[2]	ᄇᆡ얌〯 (Yale: pòyyǎm)	샤 (Yale: syà)

Hanja

蛇へび (eumhun 뱀 사 (baem sa)) or 蛇へび (eumhun 긴 뱀 사 (gin baem sa))

1. snake; long snake

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 蛇へび (MC ye).

Hanja

蛇へび (eumhun 구불구불 이 (gubulgubul i))

1. winding, meandering

Okinawan

Kanji

蛇へび

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

• On (unclassified): じゃ (ja, 蛇へび)、じゃー (jā, 蛇へび)
• Kun: はぶ (habu, 蛇へび)、ふぃーばー (fībā, 蛇へび)、ふぃーぶ (fību, 蛇へび)

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 蛇へび (MC zyae).

Pronunciation

• (Shuri-Naha) じゃあ [jàá] (Heiban - [0])
• IPA^(key): [ʑaː]

Noun

蛇へび(じゃー) (jā) 

1. a snake, serpent

Derived terms

• 蛇へび(じゃ)皮かわ(ふぃ) (jafi, “snakeskin”)

Etymology 2

Cognate with Japanese 蛇へび (hebi).

Pronunciation

• (Shuri-Naha) ふぃいぶ [fìíbú] (Heiban - [0])
• IPA^(key): [ɸiːbu]

Noun

蛇へび(ふぃーぶ) (fību) 

1. (rare) a snake, serpent

Okinoerabu

Kanji

蛇へび

(Jōyō kanji)

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 蛇へび (hebi).

Noun

蛇へび(ひび) (hibi) 

1. a snake, serpent

Old Japanese

Etymology

Derivation theories include:

• Possibly cognate with modern Korean 뱀 (baem, “snake”).
• Possibly related to or influenced by the verb 食はむ (pamu, “to bite”).

Compounds

• 大蛇おろち (woroti)

Noun

蛇へび (pe₂mi₁) (kana へみ)

1. a snake, serpent
   • 711–712, Kojiki, upper volume (Ōkuninushi no mikoto):

     於是、其妻須勢理り毘賣命いのち、以蛇へび比禮ひれい_{二に字じ以音}授其夫おっと云うん「其蛇へび將はた咋以此比禮れい三さん擧きょ打だ撥ばち」。

     Now the mighty one Lady Bold gave her husband a scarf for the snakes and spoke to him, saying: “When the snakes try to bite you, wave this scarf three times to drive them off.”

Derived terms

• 四よっつの蛇へび (yo₂tu no₂ pe₂mi₁)

Descendants

• Japanese: 蛇へび (hemi → hebi)

Vietnamese

Han character

蛇へび: Hán Nôm readings: xà, thạch

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