Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

了 (radical 6 亅+1, 2 strokes, cangjie input 弓弓 (NN), four-corner 1720₇, composition ⿱乛亅)

References

• KangXi: page 85, character 11
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 226
• Dae Jaweon: page 173, character 20
• Hanyu Da Zidian: volume 1, page 48, character 6
• Unihan data for U+4E86

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 了
Large seal script L16444 L16445 L16446 L16447 L16448 L16449 L16450 Small seal script s10990
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 (large seal) and Xu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Pictogram (象形) – an image of a baby wrapped in a blanket, with only the head visible. Compare with 子, where the arms are visible.

Etymology

• perfective aspect:

Pronunciation 1 is derived from weakening of Pronunciation 2 (“to finish”). Cognate with Thai แล้ว ‎(lɛ́ɛo, “to be finished; already; then, afterwards”), Lao ແລ້ວ ‎(lǣu, “to finish; to be completed; perfective particle”), Vietnamese rồi ‎(“already”).

• a change of state:

Derived from 來 ‎(“to come”).

Pronunciation 1

Definitions

了

1. Used after a verb to indicate perfective aspect (action completion).

   我吃了一個蘋果。 / 我吃了一个苹果。  ―  Wǒ chī le yī ge pínguǒ.  ―  I ate an apple.

   • 他在北京住了兩年。 [MSC, trad.]
     他在北京住了两年。 [MSC, simp.]

     Tā zài Běijīng zhù le liǎng nián. [Pinyin]

     He lived in Beijing for two years.

2. Used at the end of a sentence to indicate a change of state.

   他是大學生了。 / 他是大学生了。  ―  Tā shì dàxuéshēng le.  ―  He has become a student / He is a student now.

Synonyms

Usage notes

• (perfective aspect particle): Most of the time, 了 is translated by a past tense. But it can also indicate that one action is completed before another.

  你吃了以後叫我。 / 你吃了以后叫我。  ―  Nǐ chī le yǐhòu jiào wǒ.  ―  Call me when you are done eating.

• (change of state particle): When used as the change of state particle, 了 can be translated by “now”, “already” or “not anymore”.

  我會說中文了。 / 我会说中文了。  ―  Wǒ huì shuō zhōngwén le.  ―  I can speak Chinese now. (I couldn't before.)

  我吃飯了。 / 我吃饭了。  ―  Wǒ chīfàn le.  ―  I've eaten (already).

  沒有紙了。 / 没有纸了。  ―  Méiyǒu zhǐ le.  ―  There's no paper anymore.

• In a question, 了 is put before the particle 嗎／吗 (ma).

Compounds

Pronunciation 2

Definitions

了

1. to be finished; to be completed
2. to end; to finish
3. to understand; to comprehend

   瞭解 / 了解  ―  liǎojiě  ―  to understand, to realize

4. clear; plain; understandable
5. bright; intelligent; smart
6. (in negative sentences) completely; utterly; entirely
7. Used with 不 (bù) or 得 (de) after verbs to express possibility.

Compounds

Japanese

Kanji

(common “Jōyō” kanji)

1. finish, complete

Readings

• Goon: りょう (ryō)
• Kan’on: りょう (ryō)
• Kun: おわる (owaru), ついに (tsuini), をは (woha)

Compounds

• 了解
• 了承

Proper noun

了 ‎(hiragana さとる, romaji Satoru)

1. A male given name

Korean

Hanja

了 • ‎(ryo>yo) (hangeul 료>요, revised ryo>yo, McCune-Reischauer ryo>yo, Yale lyo>yo)

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

Vietnamese

Han character

了 (liễu)

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