便

See also: 使
便 U+4FBF, 便
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4FBF
← 侾
[U+4FBE] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 俀 →
[U+4FC0]

便 U+F965, 便
CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F965
← 磻
[U+F964] 		CJK Compatibility Ideographs 復 →
[U+F966]

Translingual
Stroke order
9 strokes

Han character

便 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+7, 9 strokes, cangjie input 人一中大 (OMLK), four-corner 21246, composition ⿰亻更)

Derived characters

References

Chinese
simp. and trad.
 便

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

b12352

Small seal script

s05800

Transcribed ancient scripts

L32033

L32034

L32035

L32036

L32037

L32038

L32039

L32040

L32041

L07218

L07219

References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

  • Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
  • Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
  • Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
  • Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).
Characters in the same phonetic series (便) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
鞭 *pen
鯾 *pen
箯 *pen, *ben
便 *ben, *bens
緶 *ben, *peːnʔ
楩 *ben, *benʔ

According to Shuowen, an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 亻 (“person”) + 更 (“to change”) – to change one's posture to make oneself comfortable.

Alternatively, this may be the original character for 鞭 (OC *pen, “to whip”), from 人 (“person”) + 𠓥 (“whip”), as seen in the bronze script.

Pronunciation

Note:
  • biêng6 - Chaozhou;
  • biang6 - Shantou.
    • Wu
      • (Shanghai)
        • Wugniu: 6bi
        • MiniDict: bi去
        • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): 3bi
        • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /bi²³/
      • (Suzhou)
        • Wugniu: 6bie
        • MiniDict: bie去
        • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /bɪ²³¹/
    • Xiang
      • (Changsha)
        • Wiktionary: bienn5
        • Sinological IPA (key): /pi̯ẽ²¹/
Rime
Character 便
Reading # 2/2
Initial (聲) 並 (3)
Final (韻) 仙 (77)
Tone (調) Departing (H)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 婢面切
Baxter bjienH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang		 /biᴇnH/
Pan
Wuyun		 /biɛnH/
Shao
Rongfen		 /bjænH/
Edwin
Pulleyblank		 /bianH/
Li
Rong		 /biɛnH/
Wang
Li		 /bĭɛnH/
Bernard
Karlgren		 /bʱi̯ɛnH/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex		 biàn
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex		 bin6
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 便
Reading # 1/2
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin)		 biàn
Middle
Chinese		 ‹ bjienH ›
Old
Chinese		 /*[b]e[n]-s/
English comfortable; advantageous

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 便
Reading # 2/2
No. 778
Phonetic
component		 便
Rime
group		 元
Rime
subdivision		 2
Corresponding
MC rime		 便
Old
Chinese		 /*bens/

Definitions

便

  1. convenient; handy
    方便  ―  fāngbiàn  ―  convenient, suitable
    便利  ―  biànlì  ―  convenient, easy
    簡便／简便  ―  jiǎnbiàn  ―  convenient, handy
  2. to go a long way in; to serve the interests of; to benefit; to make convenient
  3. nimble; agile
  4. informal; ordinary; plain
    便衣  ―  biànyī  ―  civilian clothes
    便服  ―  biànfú  ―  casual clothes
    便函  ―  biànhán  ―  informal letter
  5. human waste; excretion
    小便  ―  xiǎobiàn  ―  to urinate
    大便  ―  dàbiàn  ―  to defecate
    便器  ―  biànqì  ―  toilet
    糞便／粪便  ―  fènbiàn  ―  excrement, feces
  6. soon afterward; as soon as
    警察一到現場，人群便四散離去。 [MSC, trad.]
    警察一到现场，人群便四散离去。 [MSC, simp.]
    Jǐngchá yī dào xiànchǎng, rénqún biàn sìsàn líqù. [Pinyin]
    The crowd soon dissipated when the police arrived.
    他到了日本，不久便發了洋財。 [MSC, trad.]
    他到了日本，不久便发了洋财。 [MSC, simp.]
    Tā dào le rìběn, bùjiǔ biàn fā le yángcái. [Pinyin]
    He went to Japan and soon made a big fortune.
    他二十幾歲便開始謝頂。 [MSC, trad.]
    他二十几岁便开始谢顶。 [MSC, simp.]
    Tā èrshí jǐ suì biàn kāishǐ xièdǐng. [Pinyin]
    He started going bald in his twenties.
  7. then
    他一得空便跑出去玩。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]
    Tā yī dékòng biàn pǎochūqù wán. [Pinyin]
    As soon as gets free, he (then) runs out to play.
  8. even if; even though

Compounds

Pronunciation

Note: vernacular.
    • (Teochew)
      • Peng'im: biêng6 / biang6 / pin1 / piang6
      • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: piĕng / piăng / phiⁿ / phiăng
      • Sinological IPA (key): /pieŋ³⁵/, /piaŋ³⁵/, /pʰĩ³³/, /pʰiaŋ³⁵/
Note:
  • biêng6 - Chaozhou;
  • biang6 - Shantou;
  • piang6 - in 大腹便便;
  • pin1 - cheap.
    • Wu
      • (Shanghai)
        • Wugniu: 6bi
        • MiniDict: bi去
        • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): 3bi
        • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /bi²³/
      • (Suzhou)
        • Wugniu: 2bie
        • MiniDict: bie平
        • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /bɪ²²³/
Rime
Character 便
Reading # 1/2
Initial (聲) 並 (3)
Final (韻) 仙 (77)
Tone (調) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 房連切
Baxter bjien
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang		 /biᴇn/
Pan
Wuyun		 /biɛn/
Shao
Rongfen		 /bjæn/
Edwin
Pulleyblank		 /bian/
Li
Rong		 /biɛn/
Wang
Li		 /bĭɛn/
Bernard
Karlgren		 /bʱi̯ɛn/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex		 pián
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex		 pin4
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 便
Reading # 2/2
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin)		 pián
Middle
Chinese		 ‹ bjien ›
Old
Chinese		 /*[b]e[n]/
English glib-tongued

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 便
Reading # 1/2
No. 773
Phonetic
component		 便
Rime
group		 元
Rime
subdivision		 2
Corresponding
MC rime		 便
Old
Chinese		 /*ben/
Notes 金文象執鞭抽人背，
右爲鞭初文，非更字

Definitions

便

  1. † quiet and comfortable
  2. † slim and graceful
  3. † nimble
  4. † eloquent
  5. cheap; inexpensive
    便宜  ―  piányi  ―  cheap

Compounds

Pronunciation

Definitions

便

  1. (Cantonese, non-productive) Suffix for locational nouns; side

Compounds
  • 一二便 (jat1 ji6 bin6, “somewhere aside”) (Cantonese)
  • 一便 (Cantonese)
  • 上便 (soeng6 bin6, “above”) (Cantonese)
  • 下便 (haa6 bin6, “below”) (Cantonese)
  • 側便／侧便 (zak1 bin6) (Cantonese)
  • 入便 (jap6 bin6, “inside”) (Cantonese)
  • 兩便／两便 (loeng5 bin6, “both sides”) (Cantonese)
  • 出便 (ceot1 bin6, “outside”) (Cantonese)
  • 前便 (cin4 bin6, “in front”) (Cantonese)
  • 北便 (bak1 bin6, “the north”) (Cantonese)
  • 南便 (naam4 bin6, “the south”) (Cantonese)
  • 右便 (jau6 bin6, “the right”) (Cantonese)
  • 右手便 (jau6 sau2 bin6, “right hand side”) (Cantonese)
  • 呢便 (“this side”) (Cantonese)
  • 嗰便 (go2 bin6, “that side”) (Cantonese)
  • 四便 (sei3 bin6, “all four sides”) (Cantonese)
  • 埋便 (maai4 bin6, “inside, inner side”) (Cantonese)
  • 外便 (ngoi6 bin6, “outside”) (Cantonese)
  • 左便 (zo2 bin6, “the left”) (Cantonese)
  • 左手便 (zo2 sau2 bin6, “left hand side”) (Cantonese)
  • 後便／后便 (hau6 bin6, “behind”) (Cantonese)
  • 東便／东便 (dung1 bin6, “the east”) (Cantonese)
  • 裡便／里便 (leoi5 bin6, “inside”) (Cantonese)
  • 西便 (sai1 bin6, “the west”) (Cantonese)
  • 邊便／边便 (bin1 bin6, “which side”) (Cantonese)
  • 開便／开便 (hoi1 bin6, “outside, outer side”) (Cantonese)

Japanese

Kanji
便

(grade 4 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

Compounds
Derived terms
Related terms
  • 下り便
  • 便じる
  • 便ずる
  • 便の有り次第
  • 便る

Etymology 1
Kanji in this term
便
べん
Grade: 4
goon

Pronunciation

Adjective

便(べん) • (ben) -na (adnominal 便(べん)な (ben na), adverbial 便(べん)に (ben ni))

  1. convenient
Inflection
Inflection of 便
Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形) 便だろ べんだろ ben daro
Continuative (連用形) 便で べんで ben de
Terminal (終止形) 便だ べんだ ben da
Attributive (連体形) 便な べんな ben na
Hypothetical (仮定形) 便なら べんなら ben nara
Imperative (命令形) 便であれ べんであれ ben de are
Key constructions
Informal negative 便ではない
便じゃない		 べんではない
べんじゃない		 ben de wa nai
ben ja nai
Informal past 便だった べんだった ben datta
Informal negative past 便ではなかった
便じゃなかった		 べんではなかった
べんじゃなかった		 ben de wa nakatta
ben ja nakatta
Formal 便です べんです ben desu
Formal negative 便ではありません
便じゃありません		 べんではありません
べんじゃありません		 ben de wa arimasen
ben ja arimasen
Formal past 便でした べんでした ben deshita
Formal negative past 便ではありませんでした
便じゃありませんでした		 べんではありませんでした
べんじゃありませんでした		 ben de wa arimasen deshita
ben ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive 便で べんで ben de
Conditional 便なら（ば） べんなら（ば） ben nara (ba)
Provisional 便だったら べんだったら ben dattara
Volitional 便だろう べんだろう ben darō
Adverbial 便に べんに ben ni
Degree 便さ べんさ bensa

Adjective

便(べん) • (ben) †-nari

  1. convenient

Inflection
Classical conjugation of "便なり" (ナリ活用, see Appendix:Japanese verbs.)
Stem forms
Irrealis (未然形) 便ならべんならbennara
Continuative (連用形) 便に[1]
便なり[2]		べんに
べんなり		benni
bennari
Terminal (終止形) 便なりべんなりbennari
Attributive (連体形) 便なるべんなるbennaru
Realis (已然形) 便なれべんなれbennare
Imperative (命令形) 便なれべんなれbennare
Key constructions
Negative 便ならずべんならずbennarazu
Contrasting conjunction 便なれどべんなれどbennaredo
Causal conjunction 便なればべんなればbennareba
Conditional conjunction 便ならばべんならばbennaraba
Past tense (firsthand knowledge) 便なりきべんなりきbennariki
Past tense (secondhand knowledge) 便なりけりべんなりけりbennarikeri
Adverbial 便にべんにbenni
[1]Without auxiliary verb.
[2]With auxiliary verb.

Noun

便(べん) • (ben) 

  1. a convenience
  2. facilities
    交通(こうつう)の便(べん)がいい
    kōtsū no ben ga ii
    good transport facilities
  3. bowel movement
Synonyms

Etymology 2
Kanji in this term
便
びん
Grade: 4
kan’yōon

Pronunciation

Noun

便(びん) • (bin) 

  1. a flight
  2. mail
  3. (bus) service

See also

Etymology 3
Kanji in this term
便
よすが
Grade: 4
kun’yomi
For pronunciation and definitions of 便 – see the following entry.
【よすが】
[noun] something to rely on; a connection, affinity
[noun] someone to rely on; a relative
[noun] an opportunity, way, means
Alternative spellings
縁, 因
(This term, 便, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

References
  1. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

Korean

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 便 (MC bjien|bjienH, “comfortable”).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448Recorded as Middle Korean 뼌 (Yale: ppyèn) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
Middle Korean
TextEumhun
Gloss (hun)Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527쟉마ᄌᆞᆯ 변Recorded as Middle Korean 변 (pyen) (Yale: pyen) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.
Gwangju Cheonjamun, 1575편안 편[1]Recorded as Middle Korean 편 (phyen) (Yale: phyen) in Sinjeung Yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 1576.
  1. 平聲 [Level tone]

Pronunciation
  • (convenience; etc.):
  • (in 편지 (便紙, pyeonji)):
    • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [pʰjɘ(ː)n]
    • Phonetic hangul: [편(ː)]
      • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

Wikisource 便 (eumhun 편할 편 (pyeonhal pyeon))

  1. Hanja form? of 편 (“convenience; ease; comfortability”).

Compounds
Compounds

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 便 (MC bjienH, “human waste”).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448Recorded as Middle Korean 뼌〮 (Yale: ppyén) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.
Middle Korean
TextEumhun
Gloss (hun)Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527오좀〮 편Recorded as Middle Korean 편 (phyen) (Yale: phyèn) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Pronunciation

Hanja

便 (eumhun 똥오줌 변 (ttong'ojum byeon))

  1. Hanja form? of 변 (“feces and urine”).

Compounds
Compounds

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

Vietnamese

Han character

便: Hán Nôm readings: tiện, biền

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

References
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