華

華 (Kangxi radical 140, 艸+8 in traditional Chinese, 艸+7 in mainland China and Japanese, 12 strokes in Chinese in traditional Chinese, 10 strokes in mainland China and Japanese, 11 strokes in Korean, cangjie input 廿一廿十 (TMTJ), four-corner 4450₄, composition ⿱艹⿻丅⿱艹二(HTV) or ⿱艹⿻亖丨(JK))

• 𠎑, 嘩(哗), 墷, 嬅(𫰡), 㠏(㟆), 𭘲, 㦊(𫺆), 撶(𫼧), 澕, 璍, 曄(晔), 𦠜, 樺(桦), 燁(烨), 皣, 瞱(𬑓), 𬒢, 䅿, 𬚦, 𧑍, 㒯, 譁, 𨅯, 鏵(铧), 鞾(𫖇), 韡(𮧵), 驊(骅), 𩻮(𫚘), 𫛓, 𪟥, 鷨(𪉊), 𡪤, 曅, 𨶱

• 华 (Simplified Chinese)

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1039, character 14
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 31119
• Dae Jaweon: page 1497, character 12
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 5, page 3213, character 1
• Unihan data for U+83EF

• Unihan data for U+FAB4

Pictogram (象形); this was the original form of 花 (OC *hʷraː, “flower”). In the bronze inscription form, the top part of the glyph resembles flowers of a plant, and the bottom part (于) resembles its stalk and leaves. Also phono-semantic (形聲 / 形声), with 于 (OC *ɢʷa) functioning as the phonetic part. In the seal script, 艸 (“grass; plant”) was added as a semantic component.

華 (𦻏) and 𠌶 were initially the same character, but they were erroneously split in Shuowen into two entries.

華

1. (literary) to blossom; to come into flower; to flower (of plants)

   • 〔仲春之月〕始雨水，桃始華。 [MSC, trad.]
     〔仲春之月〕始雨水，桃始华。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 禮記·月令

     〔 zhòngchūn zhī yuè 〕 shǐ yǔshuǐ, táo shǐ huá. [Pinyin]

     In the second month of spring, rain begins; peaches begin to blossom.

2. radiance; brilliance; splendour; lustre

   • 日月光華，旦復旦兮。 [MSC, trad.]
     日月光华，旦复旦兮。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 尚書大傳

     Rìyuè guānghuá, dàn fù dàn xī. [Pinyin]

     The sun and moon shine with radiance, day after day.

3. a coloured halo around the sun or moon

   月華／月华  ―  yuèhuá  ―  the moon’s glow

4. ornate; magnificent; gorgeous; resplendent; splendid

   華麗／华丽  ―  huálì  ―  gorgeous; splendid

5. colourful; decorated; painted (esp. of carvings, architecture, ornaments)

   華榱／华榱  ―  huá cuī  ―  painted rafters; decorated rafters

6. literary grace; elegance; polish; talent (in writing)

   才華／才华  ―  cáihuá  ―  talent; brilliance

7. essence; quintessence; the best part of (a work, speech, etc.)

   含英咀華／含英咀华  ―  hányīngjǔhuá  ―  to savour the essence of a literary work

8. (literary) fame; reputation; prestige; renown

   聲華／声华  ―  shēng huá  ―  renown; fame

9. (literary, figurative) promotion; advancement; elevation; refinement

   • 盛戚茂年，升華秘館。 [MSC, trad.]
     盛戚茂年，升华秘馆。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 南朝梁·沈約《奏彈祕書郎蕭遙昌》

     Shèng qī màonián, shēnghuá mìguǎn. [Pinyin]

     In his prime years as a distinct relative, he was promoted to the Secret Library.

10. prosperous; flourishing; thriving; bustling

    繁華／繁华  ―  fánhuá  ―  prosperous; bustling

11. glory; splendour; honour; prosperity

    榮華富貴／荣华富贵  ―  rónghuáfùguì  ―  glory and riches

12. time; years; season; (by extension) one’s best years

    歲華／岁华  ―  suì huá  ―  the passing of years

13. youth; youthful

    華年／华年  ―  huánián  ―  youth; youthful years

14. (metonymic) short for 華夏／华夏 (Huáxià) or short for 中華／中华 (Zhōnghuá); China; the Chinese (people/civilization)

    • 裔不謀夏，夷不亂華。 [MSC, trad.]
      裔不谋夏，夷不乱华。 [MSC, simp.]

      From: 左傳

      Yì bù móu xià, yí bù luàn huá. [Pinyin]

      The borderlands do not scheme against Xia; the Yi do not disturb Hua.

15. (abbrev) Chinese (esp. overseas Chinese)

    華人／华人  ―  huárén  ―  person of Chinese origin or ethnicity

16. (abbrev) the Chinese language

    華語／华语  ―  huáyǔ  ―  the Chinese language(s)

17. (honorific) your; your honourable (used before nouns)

    華誕／华诞  ―  huádàn  ―  your birthday

18. (literary) (hair) grey; white-streaked

    華髮／华发  ―  huáfà  ―  grey hair

19. (historical) face powder; cosmetic powder

    鉛華／铅华  ―  qiānhuá  ―  face powder

20. (physics, chemistry) to undergo sublimation or deposition

    凝華／凝华  ―  nínghuá  ―  deposition (gas transforming directly into solid)

    升華／升华  ―  shēnghuá  ―  sublimation (solid transforming directly into gas)

21. (historical) a carriage canopy / plume-like ornament

    翠華／翠华  ―  cuìhuá  ―  An imperial banner adorned with kingfisher feathers

22. (historical) the fruit of a gourd/cucurbit plant
23. (literary, rare) delicious; choice (of food)
24. (archaic, rare) red or yellow

    • 大夫玄華／大夫玄华  ―  dàfū xuán huá  ―  Grandees [wear belts of] black and red/yellow

25. (obsolete) alternative form of 譁 / 哗 (“noisy; clamorous”)

• (China):

華

1. (literary) flower; blossom

   • 皇皇者華，于彼原隰。 [MSC, trad.]
     皇皇者华，于彼原隰。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 詩經

     Huánghuáng zhě huā, yú bǐ yuán xí. [Pinyin]

     Brilliant are the flowers, on those level heights and low grounds.

2. (literary, rare) to split (in the middle); to cleave; to cut open lengthwise

   • 為國君者華之，巾以綌。 [MSC, trad.]
     为国君者华之，巾以绤。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 禮記·曲禮上

     Wèi guójūn zhě huā zhī, jīn yǐ xì. [Pinyin]

     For a ruler of a state, split it (only down the middle) and cover it with coarse hemp cloth.

3. (traditional Chinese medicine) a “flower pulse” (a weak, floating pulse)

華

1. (～山) Mount Hua (a mountain in Shaanxi)
2. Original form of 樺／桦 (huà, “birch”).
3. a surname

   華羅庚／华罗庚  ―  Huà Luógēng  ―  Hua Luogeng (mathematician)

   華佗／华佗  ―  Huà Tuó  ―  Hua Tuo (Han Dynasty physician)

華

1. (archaic) intertwined; crisscrossing; irregular

   華離之地／华离之地  ―  kuālí zhī dì  ―  interlocking borderlands

• “華”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[2], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

(Jōyō kanji)

1. flower
2. flashiness
3. brilliance, shine
4. beauty, splendor
5. fine, white powder
6. China, Chinese
7. sixty-one-year-old; kanreki

From Middle Chinese 華 (MC xwae); compare Mandarin 華 / 华 (huā):

• Go-on: け (ke, Jōyō ^†)^{←け (ke, historical)←くゑ (kwe, ancient)}
• Kan-on: か (ka, Jōyō)^{←くわ (kwa, historical)}

From Middle Chinese 華 (MC hwae); compare Mandarin 華 / 华 (huá):

• Go-on: げ (ge)^{←げ (ge, historical)←ぐゑ (gwe, ancient)}
• Kan-on: か (ka, Jōyō)^{←くわ (kwa, historical)}

From Middle Chinese 華 (MC hwaeH); compare Mandarin 華 / 华 (huà):

• Go-on: げ (ge)^{←げ (ge, historical)←ぐゑ (gwe, ancient)}
• Kan-on: か (ka, Jōyō)^{←くわ (kwa, historical)}

From native Japanese roots:

• Kun: はな (hana, 華, Jōyō)、はなさく (hanasaku, 華さく)、はなやか (hanayaka, 華やか)
• Nanori: あき (aki)、てる (teru)、は (ha)、はな (hana)、はる (haru)

/kua/ → /kʷa/ → /ka/

From Middle Chinese 華 (MC hwae).

• (Tokyo) か [káꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])^[4]
• IPA^(key): [ka̠]

• Some dictionaries apparently classify this reading as either goon or kan'yōon.

華(か) • (ka) ^{←くわ (kwa)?}

1. flashiness, showiness

   Synonym: 虚飾 (kyoshoku)

• 華(か)を去(さ)り実(じつ)に就(つ)く (ka o sari jitsu ni tsuku)

華(か) • (Ka) ^{←くわ (Kwa)?}

1. a surname
2. a male or female given name

/pana/ → /fana/ → /hana/

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *pana.

• (Tokyo) はな [hànáꜜ] (Odaka – [2])^[4]
• IPA^(key): [ha̠na̠]

• 火(か)事(じ)と喧(けん)嘩(か)は江(え)戸(ど)の華(はな) (kaji to kenka wa Edo no hana)

• 枯(こ)木(ぼく)華(はな)開(ひら)く (koboku hana hiraku)

華(はな) • (Hana) 

1. a female given name
2. a surname

• “華”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[3] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɸwa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [화]

華 • (hwa) (hangeul 화)

1. bright; colorful

華: Hán Việt readings: hoa (戶(hộ)花(hoa)切(thiết))^[1][2][3]
華: Nôm readings: hoa^[1][2][3][4]

1. chữ Hán form of Hoa (“Hoa people”)