View source for 妹

{{also|妺}}
{{character info}}
==Translingual==

===Han character===
{{Han char|rn=38|rad=女|as=05|sn=8|four=45490|canj=VJD|ids=⿰女未}}
{{stroke order}}

====Derived characters====
* {{l|mul|𠵈}}, {{l|mul|𱧁}}, {{l|mul|𨨓}}, {{l|mul|𦳀}}, {{l|mul|𦾇}}

===References===
* {{Han ref|kx=0257.280|dkj=06138|dj=0522.230|hdz=21034.060|uh=59B9}}

==Chinese==
{{zh-forms}}

===Glyph origin===
{{Han etym}}
{{Han compound|女|未|c1=s|c2=p|t1=female, woman|ls=psc}}.

===Etymology===
Probably {{der|zh|sit}}. Proposed etymologies:
* STEDT relates it to {{cog|sit-pro|*mi||girl; female; feminine suffix}}, whence {{cog|apt|nyimii||girl; woman; female}}, {{cog|tbq-lol-pro|*C-mi²||woman}}, {{cog|kar-pro|*hmɨᴮ||female; woman}}.
* {{zh-ref|Schuessler (2007)}} compares it to {{cog|my|မ||sister}} (whence {{m|my|အစ်မ||elder sister}}, {{m|my|ညီမ||younger sister}}), {{cog|mxj|ku-mai-||woman}}, {{cog|bo|བུད་མེད||woman}}, and also {{cog|lus|hmei||concubine}} (> {{cog|lus|hmei-chhia||woman; wife}}), which STEDT relates to {{cog|sit-pro|*s-maj||widow, widower}} instead.

===Pronunciation===
{{zh-pron
|m=mèi
|m-s=mei4
|c=mui6,mui6-1,mui6-2
|c-t=moi2
|g=mi5
|h=pfs=moi;hrs=h:moiˇ;gd=moi4
|j=mei3
|mb=mṳē/mṳē>mā̤
|md=muói
|mn=xm,tp,mg,hc,sg:bē/qz,sx,km,hc,sg:bēr/zz:māi/kh,tn,yl,tc:mōe/lk:běr/xm:bōe/qz:mūi/zz:moāi
|mn_note=Xiamen: bē - vernacular; bōe - literary
Quanzhou: bēr - vernacular; mūi - literary
Zhangzhou: māi - vernacular; moāi - literary
|mn-t=muê6/muê7
|mn-t_note=muê6 - literary; muê7 - vernacular
|w=sh:6me
|x=mei5/mei4
|x_note=mei5 - vernacular; mei4 - literary
|mc=y
|oc=y
|cat=n,pn
}}

===Definitions===
{{head|zh|hanzi}}

# [[younger sister]]
# [[girl]]; [[young]] [[female]]
# {{lb|zh|Hakka}} [[daughter]]
# {{surname|zh}}

====Synonyms====
{{zh-dial|妹妹}}
{{zh-dial|女孩子}}
{{zh-dial|女兒}}

===Compounds===
{{col3|zh|妹妹<t:younger sister>|姐妹<t:sisters>|姊妹<t:sisters>|小妹<t:{{qualifier|Min Nan}} younger sister>|你妹<t:{{qualifier|Mandarin}} my arse>|細妹<t:{{qualifier|dialectal}} younger sister>|伊妹|伊妹兒<t:{{qualifier|humorous|obsolete}} email>|表妹|妹夫|堂妹|妹紙|妹仔|妹子|鬼妹<t:{{qualifier|Cantonese}} a Caucasian girl>|歸妹|辣妹<t:hot babe>|阿妹<t:{{qualifier|Wu}} younger sister>|兄弟姐妹<t:brothers and sisters>|架妹|姊妹市|姊妹盟|姐妹花|兄妹|妹丈|弟妹|妻姊妹婚|內妹|妹婿|乾妹妹|堂姊妹|令妹|姨妹|姊妹行|姊妹校|大陸妹|太妹|師妹|嘉麗妹妹|十姊妹|女妹|手帕姊妹|祭妹文|花小妹|胞姊妹|鹹水妹|胞妹|酷妹|鍾馗嫁妹|老姐妹兒|蜆妹|蘇小妹|香火姊妹|表姐妹|把妹|恐龍妹|學生妹|賓妹}}

===Descendants===
* {{desc|km|មួយ|t=you|bor=1}} {{q|used with people of Chinese ethnicity}}
* {{desc|th|หมวย|t=younger sister|bor=1}} {{q|said by Chinese ethnicity}}

===References===
* {{R:yue:Hanzi}}

{{C|zh|Family|Female}}

==Japanese==

===Kanji===
{{ja-kanji|grade=2|rs=女05}}

====Readings====
{{ja-readings
|goon=まい, め
|kanon=ばい
|kun=いもうと-, いも-, いもと-
|nanori=せ
}}

====Compounds====
{{der-top3|Compounds}}
* {{ja-r|貴%妹|き%まい}}
* {{ja-r|愚%妹|ぐ%まい}}
* {{ja-r|兄%妹|けい%まい}}
* {{ja-r|実%妹|じつ%まい}}
* {{ja-r|姉%妹|し%まい}}, {{ja-r|姉%妹|きょう%だい}}
* {{ja-r|従%妹|じゅう%まい}}
* {{ja-r|叔%妹|しゅく%まい}}
* {{ja-r|小%妹|しょう%まい|rom=-}}, {{ja-r|少%妹|しょう%まい}}
* {{ja-r|弟%妹|てい%まい}}
* {{ja-r|亡妹|ぼうまい}}
* {{ja-r|末%妹|まつ%まい}}
* {{ja-r|令妹|れいまい}}
* {{ja-r|十%姉妹|ジュウ%シマツ}}
* {{ja-r|妹%尾|^せの%お}}
{{der-bottom}}

===Etymology 1===
{{ja-kanjitab|いも|yomi=k}}

{{IPAfont|⟨imo<sub>1</sub>⟩}} → *{{IPAchar|/imʷo/}} → {{IPAchar|/imo/}}

From {{inh|ja|ojp|妹|tr=imo<sub>1</sub>|sort=いも}}.  First cited in the ''{{w|Kojiki}}'' of 712.<ref name="KDJ2">{{R:Nihon Kokugo Daijiten 2}}</ref>

Speculatively, may be related to terms such as {{m|ja|女|tr=me<sub>1</sub>, womi<sub>1</sub>na||[[woman]]}}, {{m|ja|嫗|tr=omi<sub>1</sub>na||[[elderly]] woman}}, and {{m|ja|母|tr=omo||[[mother]]}}, wherein the medial {{IPAchar|/-m-/}} appears to signify {{m|en|[[woman]], [[female]]}}.<ref name="KDJ2"/>  However, the difference in vowel values presents a difficulty.

====Pronunciation====
{{ja-pron|いも|acc=1|acc_ref=SMK5}}

====Noun====
{{ja-noun|いも}}

# {{lb|ja|archaic|said from a male speaker|sort=いも}} a [[close]] [[female]] [[companion]]
## one's [[sister]] regardless of [[age]] [[difference]]
## one's [[lover]] or [[sweetheart]] who is the subject of [[marriage]] or is already [[marry|married]]
##* {{RQ:Kokinshu|11|485}}
##*: {{ja-usex|[[刈り菰の|かりごもの]]思ひ乱れて我%恋ふと'''いも'''知るらめや人し告げずは|かりごも の おもひみだれて われ% こふ と '''いも''' しるらめ や ひと し つげず は|rom=karigomo no omoimidarete ware kou to '''imo''' shirurame ya hito shi tsugezu wa}}
# {{lb|ja|archaic|said from a female speaker|sort=いも}} a close female companion

=====Antonyms=====
* {{ja-r|兄|せ|close [[male]] companion, [[man]]}}

=====Derived terms=====
{{top6}}
* {{ja-r|妹|いもうと|one's younger sister}}
* {{ja-r|妹が績む|いも が うむ|pos=[[pillow word]]}}
* {{ja-r|妹%姑|いも%-しゅうとめ}}
* {{ja-r|妹%兄|いも%せ|rom=-}}, {{ja-r|妹%背|いも%せ}}
* {{ja-r|妹山|いもやま}}
{{bottom}}

===Etymology 2===
{{ja-kanjitab|いもうと|yomi=k}}

{{IPAchar|/imo ɸito/}} → {{IPAchar|/imowito/}} → *{{IPAchar|/imowuto/}} → {{IPAchar|/imoːto/}}

Originally a compound of {{com|ja|sort=いもうと||alt1=妹|tr1=imo|t1=[[sister]], [[close]] [[female]] [[companion]]|人|tr2=hito|t2=[[person]]}}.<ref name="KDJ2"/><ref name="SMK5"/><ref name="DJR">{{R:Daijirin}}</ref><ref name="DDJS">{{R:Digital-Daijisen}}</ref>  First cited in ''{{w|The Tales of Ise}}'' of the early 900s.<ref name="KDJ2"/>

This is an instance of {{m|ja|:w:ja:ウ音便|ウ音便|tr=u onbin|''u'' sound shift}}, found in terms with bilabial consonants ({{IPAchar|/m/}}, {{IPAchar|/b/}}, {{IPAchar|/w/}}) followed by ''i''; commonly seen in terms such as {{m|ja|玄人|tr=kurōto||[[professional]]}}, {{m|ja|素人|tr=shirōto||[[amateur]]}}, or possibly, {{m|ja|相撲|tr=sumō||[[sumo]]}}.

====Pronunciation====
{{ja-pron|いもうと|acc=4|acc_ref=SMK5,DJR,NHK}}

====Noun====
{{ja-noun|いもうと}}

# one's own [[younger sister]]
#: {{ant|ja|姉|tr=ane|t=older sister}}
#* {{quote-book
|ja
|author={{w|lang=ja|井沢ひろし|Izawa, Hiroshi}}
|title=lw:ja:ファイアーエムブレム 覇者の剣
|page=60
|coauthors={{w|lang=ja|山田孝太郎|Yamada, Kotaro}}
|chapter={{lj|[第](だい)34[話](わ)　[復](ふく)[讐](しゅう)の[槍](やり)}}
|trans-chapter=Chapter 34: The Lance of Vengeance
|trans-title=Fire Emblem: Sword of Champions
|genre=fiction
|volume=9
|location=Tokyo
|publisher=Shueisha
|date=Jan 10 2005
|isbn=4-08-873763-6}}
#*:{{ja-usex|sort=いもうと|'''妹'''の仇だ！何%万%人だろうが地%獄へ送ってやる‼|'''いもうと''' の かたき だ！なん%まん%にん だろう が じ%ごく へ おくって やる‼|This is for my '''sister'''! Keep coming, all of you! I’ll send you all straight to hell‼}}
#* {{quote-book|ja
|author=[[w:Yoshitoki Ōima|Ōima Yoshitoki]]
|title={{wj|聲の形|[聲](こえ)の[形](かたち)}}
|page=60
|chapter={{lj|[第](だい)14[話](わ)　[西](にし)[宮](みや)[結](ゆ)[絃](づる)}}
|trans-chapter=Chapter 14: Nishimiya Yuzuru
|trans-title={{w|A Silent Voice (manga)|A Silent Voice}}
|genre=fiction
|volume=2
|location=Tokyo
|publisher=Kodansha
|date=Jan 17 2014
|isbn=978-4-06-395004-5}}
#*:{{ja-usex|sort=いもうと|永%束%君　「少%年」じゃない…西%宮の'''妹'''だってよ|^なが%つか%-くん　「^しょう%ねん」じゃ ない… ^にし%みや の '''いもうと''' だ って よ|Nagatsuka-kun. That's not a "boy"… Nishimiya said that's her '''sister'''.}}
# the [[wife]] of one's younger [[brother]]; one's [[sister-in-law]]
#: {{syn|ja|義妹|tr=gimai}}
# a younger [[female]]
# {{lb|ja|archaic|said from a male speaker}} one's [[sister]] regardless of [[age]] [[difference]]
#: {{ant|ja|兄人|tr=shōto}}

{{ja-altread|hira=いもっ}}

# {{lb|ja|Kagoshima|sort=いもっ}} younger sister

=====Derived terms=====
{{der-top}}
* {{ja-r|妹%御|いもうと%-ご}}
* {{ja-r|妹 女%郎|いもうと じょ%ろう}}
* {{ja-r|妹%分|いもうと%ぶん}}
* {{ja-r|妹%婿|いもうと%-むこ|rom=-}}, {{ja-r|妹%聟|いもうと%-むこ}}
* {{ja-r|弟%妹|おと%-いもうと|rom=-}}, {{ja-r|小%妹|おと%-いもうと}}
{{der-bottom}}

===Etymology 3===
{{ja-kanjitab|いもと|yomi=k}}

Analyzed as a shortening of ''imōto'', itself a compound {{com|ja||alt1=妹|tr1=imo|t1=[[sister]], [[close]] [[female]] [[companion]]|人|tr2=hito|t2=[[person]]}}.<ref name="KDJ2"/><ref name="DJR"/><ref name="DDJS"/><ref name="K">{{R:Kojien}}</ref>

Appears in ''{{w|The Tale of Heiji}}'', written around the mid-12th century.<ref name="DJR"/>  May be much older, as this reading is also included in ''[[kun'yomi]]'' glosses for the ''{{w|Nihon Shoki}}'' of 720 (although the manuscripts with the glosses themselves are not as old).<ref name="KDJ2"/>

====Noun====
{{ja-noun|いもと}}

# {{lb|ja|sort=いもと|rare}} {{n-g|Same as {{l|ja||いもうと|tr=imōto}} above}}

====Proper noun====
{{ja-pos|proper|いもと}}

# ''a [[placename]]''

===Etymology 4===
{{ja-kanjitab|まい|yomi=goon}}

From {{der|ja|ltc|sort=まい|-}} {{ltc-l|妹}}.

====Affix====
{{ja-pos|affix|まい}}

# {{n-g|Same as {{l|ja||いもうと|tr=imōto}} above}}

====Proper noun====
{{ja-pos|proper|まい}}

# {{given name|ja|female|sort=まい}}

===References===
<references/>

{{C|ja|Family|Female people|sort=いもうと}}

==Korean==

===Hanja===
{{ko-hanja|누이|매}}

# {{hanja form of|매|[[younger]] [[sister]]}}

==Old Japanese==

===Etymology 1===
Speculatively, may be related to terms such as {{m|ja|女|tr=me<sub>1</sub>, womi<sub>1</sub>na||[[woman]]}}, {{m|ja|嫗|tr=omi<sub>1</sub>na||[[elderly]] woman}}, and {{m|ja|母|tr=omo<sub>1</sub>||[[mother]]}}, wherein the medial {{IPAchar|/-m-/}} appears to signify {{m|en|[[woman]], [[female]]}}.<ref name="KDJ2">{{R:Nihon Kokugo Daijiten 2}}</ref>  However, the difference in vowel values presents a difficulty.

====Noun====
{{head|ojp|noun|tr=imo<sub>1</sub> → imo|kana|いも|sort=いも}}

# ''said from a male speaker'':
## one's [[sister]] regardless of [[age]] [[difference]]
##* {{RQ:Manyoshu|6|1007}}, text [https://web.archive.org/web/20160306112229/http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/manyoshu/Man6Yos.html#1007 here]
##*: {{ux|ojp|言不問木尚'''妹'''與兄有云乎直獨子尓有之苦者|tr=ko<sub>2</sub>to<sub>2</sub> to<sub>1</sub>panu ki<sub>2</sub> sura '''imo''' to<sub>2</sub> se ari to<sub>2</sub> ipu wo tada pi<sub>1</sub>to<sub>2</sub>riko<sub>1</sub> ni aru ga kurusisa}}
## one's [[lover]] or [[sweetheart]] who is the subject of [[marriage]] or is already [[marry|married]]
##* {{RQ:Manyoshu|3|464}}, text [https://web.archive.org/web/20210514215330/http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/manyoshu/Man3Yos.html#464 here]
##*: {{ux|ojp|秋去者見乍思跡'''妹'''之殖之屋前乃{{ja-l|石竹}}開家流香聞|tr=aki<sub>1</sub> saraba mi<sub>1</sub>tutu sino<sub>1</sub>pe<sub>1</sub> to<sub>2</sub> '''imo''' ga uwesi nipa no<sub>2</sub> nadesiko<sub>1</sub> saki<sub>1</sub>nike<sub>1</sub>ru ka mo}}
# ''said from a female speaker'':
## a [[close]] [[female]] [[companion]]
##* {{RQ:Manyoshu|4|782}}, text [https://web.archive.org/web/20220626150734/http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/manyoshu/Man4Yos.html#782 here]
##*: {{ux|ojp|風高邊者雖吹為'''妹'''袖左倍所沾而苅流玉藻焉|tr=kaze takaku pe<sub>1</sub> ni pa pukedo<sub>2</sub>mo '''imo''' ga tame<sub>2</sub> so<sub>1</sub>de sape<sub>2</sub> nurete kareru tamamo so<sub>2</sub>}}
## one's sister regardless of age difference
# a [[daughter]]
#* {{RQ:Kojiki|poem 51|passage=...母登弊波岐美袁淤母比傅須恵幣波'''伊毛'''袁淤母比傅...|transliteration=...mo<sub>2</sub>to<sub>2</sub>pe<sub>1</sub> pa ki<sub>1</sub>mi<sub>1</sub> wo omo<sub>2</sub>pi<sub>1</sub>de suwepe<sub>1</sub> pa '''imo<sub>1</sub>''' wo omo<sub>2</sub>pi<sub>1</sub>de...}}

=====Antonyms=====
* {{m|ojp|兄|tr=se}}

=====Derived terms=====
{{der-top3}}
* {{m|ojp|妹ら|tr=imora}}
* {{m|ojp|妹が家に|tr=imo ga ipe<sub>1</sub> ni|pos=[[pillow word]]}}
* {{m|ojp|妹が髪|tr=imo ga *kami|pos=pillow word}}
* {{m|ojp|妹が着る|tr=imo ga ki<sub>1</sub>ru|pos=pillow word}}
* {{m|ojp|妹が袖|tr=imo ga so<sub>1</sub>de|pos=pillow word}}
* {{m|ojp|妹が手を|tr=imo ga te wo|pos=pillow word}}
* {{m|ojp|妹が紐|tr=imo ga pi<sub>1</sub>mo|pos=pillow word}}
* {{m|ojp|妹が目を|tr=imo ga me<sub>2</sub> wo|pos=pillow word}}
* {{m|ojp|妹許|tr=imogari}}
* {{m|ojp|妹に恋ひ|tr=imo ni ko<sub>1</sub>pi<sub>2</sub>|pos=pillow word}}
* {{m|ojp|汝妹|tr=nanimo<sub>1</sub>}}
* {{m|ojp|継妹|tr=mamaimo<sub>1</sub>}}
* {{m|ojp|吾妹|tr=wagi<sub>1</sub>mo<sub>1</sub>}}
{{der-bottom}}

=====Descendants=====
* {{desc|ja|妹|tr=imo}}

===Etymology 2===
Shortening of ''imo<sub>1</sub>'',<ref name="KDJ2"/><ref name="DDJS">{{R:Digital-Daijisen}}</ref><ref name="K">{{R:Kojien}}</ref> due possibly to poetic reasons, [[haplology]], or a reduction of vowel clusters to avoid [[hiatus]], which was phonologically prohibited in Old Japanese. This hiatus avoidance is also seen in {{m|ojp|吾妹|tr=wagi<sub>1</sub>mo<sub>1</sub>}}, which would otherwise have been ''wa ga imo<sub>1</sub>''.

====Noun====
{{head|ojp|noun|tr=mo<sub>1</sub> → mo|kana|も|sort=も}}

# {{n-g|same as {{l|ojp||いも|tr=imo<sub>1</sub>}} above}}
#* {{RQ:Manyoshu|20|4388}}, text [https://web.archive.org/web/20211203002026/http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/manyoshu/Man20Yo.html#4388 here]
#*: {{ux|ojp|多妣等弊等麻多妣爾奈理奴以弊乃'''母'''加枳世之己呂母爾阿加都枳爾迦理|tr=tabi<sub>1</sub> to<sub>2</sub> pe<sub>1</sub>do<sub>2</sub> ma-tabi<sub>1</sub> ni narinu ipe<sub>1</sub> no<sub>2</sub> '''mo''' ga ki<sub>1</sub>sesi ko<sub>2</sub>ro<sub>2</sub>mo ni aka tuki<sub>1</sub>nikari}}

===Etymology 3===
Eastern dialectal variant of ''imo<sub>1</sub>''.<ref name="KDJ2"/>

====Noun====
{{head|ojp|noun|tr=imu|kana|いむ|sort=いむ}}

# {{lb|ojp|regional|Eastern Old Japanese|sort=いむ}} {{n-g|Same as {{l|ojp||いも|tr=imo<sub>1</sub>}} above}}
#* {{RQ:Manyoshu|20|4321}}, text [https://web.archive.org/web/20211203002026/http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/manyoshu/Man20Yo.html#4321 here]
#*: {{ux|ojp|可之古伎夜美許等加我布理阿須由利也加曳我牟多祢牟'''伊牟'''奈之爾志弖|tr=kasiko<sub>1</sub>ki<sub>1</sub> ya mi<sub>1</sub>-ko<sub>2</sub>to<sub>2</sub> kagapuri asu yuri ya kaye ga muta nemu '''imu''' nasi ni site}}

===References===
<references/>

{{c|ojp|Family|Female|sort=いも}}

==Vietnamese==

===Han character===
{{vi-readings|reading=muội|rs=女05}}

# {{rfdef|vi|sort=女05}}