久
jiǔ HSK2

long time (ago)

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approved by Prismcool · Aug 16, 2025, 05:39 AM · Reviewed by Prismcool on Aug 16, 2025, 05:39 AM

same origin

Changed fields: hint

Original meaning: arrow nock

Depicts an arrow nock. The nock is the part of an arrow that is held against the bowstring before being launched. Same origin as 氒. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Qin 221-206 BC
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Eastern Han 25-220 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Middle ChineseOld ChineseGloss
Baxter-SagartkjuwX[k]ʷəʔ a long time

說文解字

《說文》：“久，以後灸之，象人兩脛後有距也。”

Sources

Character origin
季旭昇《說文新證》p.480-481
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Baxter-Sagart
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)