或

See also: 咸, 戓, 哉, and 彧

或 U+6216, 或 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6216 ← 戕 [U+6215] CJK Unified Ideographs 戗 → [U+6217]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

或 (Kangxi radical 62, 戈+4, 8 strokes, cangjie input 戈口一 (IRM), four-corner 5310₀, composition ⿹戈⿱口㇀)

Derived characters

• 㖪, 域, 惐, 掝, 淢, 䧕, 棫, 𤊨, 琙, 㽣, 䂸, 稢, 緎, 聝, 𠒬, 戫, 蜮, 䬎(𬱿), 馘, 䤋, 䮙, 魊, 䱛(𮬟), 𠜻, 㰲, 㚜, 罭, 窢, 䈅, 䍞, 閾(阈), 惑, 㳼, 𤦂, 𢨋, 䰥, 彧, 𤷇, 國(国)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 412, character 18
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 11563
• Dae Jaweon: page 754, character 17
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1402, character 8
• Unihan data for U+6216

Chinese

simp. and trad.		或
alternative forms		戓 ancient 𢈿 ancient

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 或
Shang	Western Zhou	Spring and Autumn	Warring States		Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Guwen Sishengyun (compiled in Song)	Jizhuan Guwen Yunhai (compiled in Song)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts	Transcribed ancient scripts	Transcribed ancient scripts

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

	Old Chinese
幗	*kʷɯːɡs, *kʷrɯːɡ
慖	*kʷɯːɡs, *kʷrɯːɡ
簂	*kʷɯːɡs
蔮	*kʷɯːɡs
國	*kʷɯːɡ
或	*ɡʷɯːɡ
惑	*ɡʷɯːɡ
蜮	*ɡʷɯːɡ, *ɢʷrɯɡ
閾	*qʰʷrɯɡ
緎	*qʰʷrɯɡ, *ɡʷrɯɡ
淢	*qʰʷrɯɡ, *ɡʷrɯɡ
域	*ɢʷrɯɡ
罭	*ɢʷrɯɡ
棫	*ɡʷrɯɡ
琙	*ɡʷrɯɡ
魊	*ɡʷrɯɡ
馘	*kʷrɯːɡ
聝	*kʷrɯːɡ
膕	*kʷrɯːɡ
摑	*kʷrɯːɡ
漍	*kʷrɯːɡ
嘓	*kʷrɯːɡ
蟈	*kʷrɯːɡ
掝	*qʰʷrɯːɡ
彧	*qʷrɯɡ
稶	*qʷɯɡ

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 戈 (“dagger-axe (used to defend the territory)”) + 囗 (“city wall”) + 一, “territory”. The most ancient version is 戓, then modified into 或; the stroke was added perhaps when the pronounciation of the character evolved.

Borrowed for abstract meanings. The derivative 國 (OC *kʷɯːɡ), 域 (OC *ɢʷrɯɡ), and perhaps 淢 refer to the original word. The last character can be seen in the ancient name of the Han river, 㵄.

Etymology

或 (OC *ɡʷɯːɡ, “someone; some”) is the result of the distributive suffix *-k being added to 有 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ, “there is”).

Cognate with 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “again”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): huò (huo⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄏㄨㄛˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): hue²

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): хуэй (huey, III)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): waak⁶

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): vak⁵

• Gan (Wiktionary): fet⁶
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): fe̍t

  (Meixian, Guangdong): fêd⁶

• Jin (Wiktionary): hueh⁴
• Northern Min (KCR): hŏ
• Eastern Min (BUC): hĕ̤k
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): hia̍k / he̍k

  (Teochew, Peng'im): hog⁸

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁸ghoq; ⁸weq
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): ho⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: huò
    • Zhuyin: ㄏㄨㄛˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: huò
    • Wade–Giles: huo⁴
    • Yale: hwò
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: huoh
    • Palladius: хо (xo)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xu̯ɔ⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: hue²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xue
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xuɛ²¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: хуэй (huey, III)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xuɛi⁴⁴/

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

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: waak⁶
    • Yale: waahk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: waak⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: wag⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /waːk̚²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: vak⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /vak̚³²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: fet⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /fɛt̚⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: fe̍t
    • Hakka Romanization System: fed
    • Hagfa Pinyim: fed⁶
    • Sinological IPA: /fet̚⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: fêd⁶
    • Sinological IPA: /fɛt̚⁵/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: hueh⁴
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /xuəʔ²/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: hŏ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xo²⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: hĕ̤k
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /høyʔ⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hia̍k
    • Tâi-lô: hia̍k
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hiak
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /hiak̚²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese, Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: he̍k
    • Tâi-lô: hi̍k
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hek
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung, Xiamen): /hiɪk̚⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /hiɪk̚¹²¹/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: hog⁸
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ho̍k
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hok̚⁴/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁸ghoq; ⁸weq
    • MiniDict: ghoh^入; weh^入
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁵hhoq; ⁵hhueq
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɦoʔ¹²/, /ɦuəʔ¹²/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: ho⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xo²⁴/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 或
Mandarin	Beijing	/xuo⁵¹/
	Harbin	/xuei²¹³/ /xuo⁵³/
	Tianjin	/xɤ⁵³/
	Jinan	/xuei⁴²/
	Qingdao	/xuə⁴²/ /xue⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/xuai⁴²/
	Xi'an	/xuei²⁴/
	Xining	/xuɨ²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/xuə¹³/
	Lanzhou	/xuə¹³/
	Ürümqi	/xuɤ²¹³/
	Wuhan	/xuɤ²¹³/
	Chengdu	/xue³¹/
	Guiyang	/xuɛ²¹/
	Kunming	/xo³¹/
	Nanjing	/xueʔ⁵/
	Hefei	/xuɐʔ⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/xuəʔ²/
	Pingyao	/xuʌʔ⁵³/
	Hohhot	/xuaʔ⁴³/
Wu	Shanghai	/ɦoʔ¹/
	Suzhou	/ɦuəʔ³/
	Hangzhou	/ɦoʔ²/
	Wenzhou	/va²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/xuɛʔ²¹/
	Tunxi	/xo⁵/
Xiang	Changsha	/xo²⁴/
	Xiangtan	/ho²⁴/
Gan	Nanchang	/fɛʔ⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/fet̚⁵/
	Taoyuan	/fet̚⁵⁵/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/wak̚²/
	Nanning	/wak̚²²/
	Hong Kong	/wak̚²/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/hik̚⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/høyʔ⁵/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/xo²⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/hok̚⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/hok̚³/

---

• Middle Chinese: hwok

Rime
Character	或
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	匣 (33)
Final (韻)	德 (132)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	胡國切
Baxter	hwok
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ɦwək̚/
Pan Wuyun	/ɦʷək̚/
Shao Rongfen	/ɣuək̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ɦwək̚/
Li Rong	/ɣuək̚/
Wang Li	/ɣuək̚/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ɣwək̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	huó
Expected Cantonese Reflex	wak6

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ɢ]ʷˤək/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ɡʷɯːɡ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	或
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	huò
Middle Chinese	‹ hwok ›
Old Chinese	/*[ɢ]ʷˁək/
English	some; or
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	或
Reading #	1/1
No.	5548
Phonetic component	或
Rime group	職
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	或
Old Chinese	/*ɡʷɯːɡ/

Definitions

或

1. or; either ... or ... (used to list alternatives)

   中國或日本／中国或日本  ―  Zhōngguó huò Rìběn  ―  China or Japan

   或多或少  ―  huòduōhuòshǎo  ―  more or less, some amount

   可以說兩種或兩種以上的語言 [MSC, trad.]
   可以说两种或两种以上的语言 [MSC, simp.]

   kěyǐ shuō liǎng zhǒng huò liǎng zhǒng yǐshàng de yǔyán [Pinyin]

   able to speak two or more languages

2. (literary, including in news headlines) perhaps; maybe
   • 1046 October 17, 范仲淹 [Fan Zhongyan], 岳陽樓記 [Memorial to Yueyang Tower]:

     嗟夫！予嘗求古仁人之心，或異二者之為。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     嗟夫！予尝求古仁人之心，或异二者之为。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     Jiēfū! Yǔ cháng qiú gǔ rénrén zhī xīn, huò yì èr zhě zhī wèi. [Pinyin]

     Alas! I once investigated the thoughts of the ancient sages, they were perhaps different from the behaviour of the two.

   代表團已出發，明天上午或可到達。 [MSC, trad.]
   代表团已出发，明天上午或可到达。 [MSC, simp.]

   Dàibiǎotuán yǐ chūfā, míngtiān shàngwǔ huò kě dàodá. [Pinyin]

   The delegation has set out, and will probably arrive tomorrow morning.

3. occasionally; sometimes
4. if; assuming; should ...
5. (logic, computing) OR; inclusive or
6. particle used in negative sentences to reinforce the negative tone
7. (literary) some; someone; something

   • 齊人伐燕，勝之。宣王問曰：「或謂寡人勿取，或謂寡人取之。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     齐人伐燕，胜之。宣王问曰：「或谓寡人勿取，或谓寡人取之。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Qí rén fá yàn, shèng zhī. Xuān wáng wèn yuē: “Huò wèi guǎrén wù qǔ, huò wèi guǎrén qǔ zhī.” [Pinyin]

     Qi attacked Yan, conquering it. King Xuan said: "Some people tell me not to take it [Yan] for myself; some tell me to take it".

8. Ancient form of 惑 (huò, “doubt”).

Compounds

• 不可或缺 (bùkěhuòquē)
• 倘或 (tǎnghuò)
• 偶或 (ǒuhuò)
• 即或
• 多言或中
• 容或 (rónghuò)
• 或人
• 或則／或则 (huòzé)
• 或是 (huòshì)
• 或時／或时
• 或曰 (huòyuē)
• 或有 (huòyǒu)
• 或然率 (huòránlǜ)
• 或缺
• 或者 (huòzhě)
• 或許／或许 (huòxǔ)
• 或謂／或谓 (huòwèi)
• 或體／或体 (huòtǐ)
• 抑或 (yìhuò)
• 甚或 (shènhuò)
• 設或／设或 (shèhuò)
• 間或／间或 (jiànhuò)

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (或):

• → Vietnamese: hoặc (或)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yù (yu⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄩˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): wik⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yù
    • Zhuyin: ㄩˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yù
    • Wade–Giles: yü⁴
    • Yale: yù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yuh
    • Palladius: юй (juj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /y⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: wik⁶
    • Yale: wihk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: wik⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: wig⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /wɪk̚²/

---

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[ɢ]ʷrək/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	或
Reading #	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yù
Middle Chinese	‹ hwik ›
Old Chinese	/*[ɢ]ʷrək/
English	territory
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.

Definitions

或

1. Original form of 域 (yù, “range; territory”).
2. Original form of 國／国 (guó, “country”).

Further reading

• Jing-Schmidt, Zhuo, Peng, Xinjia (2016 February 1) “The emergence of disjunction: A history of constructionalization in Chinese”, in Cognitive Linguistics‎^[1], volume 27, number 1, →DOI, →ISSN, pages 101–136.

Japanese

Kanji

或

(Jinmeiyō kanji)

1. a certain ...; some ...​

Readings

• Go-on: わく (waku)
• Kan-on: こく (koku)
• Kun: ある (aru, 或る)、あるいは (arui wa, 或るいは)

Korean

Hanja

或 • (hok) (hangeul 혹, revised hok, McCune–Reischauer hok, Yale hok)

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

Vietnamese

Han character

或: Hán Nôm readings: hoặc, hoắc

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