桀

桀 (Kangxi radical 75, 木+6, 10 strokes, cangjie input 弓手木 (NQD), four-corner 2590₄, composition ⿱舛木)

• 傑, 𠹳, 嵥, 搩, 滐, 榤, 㻧, 磔, 謋, 䮪, 椉(乘,乗), 𡩣

• KangXi: page 524, character 15
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 14753
• Dae Jaweon: page 913, character 3
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1203, character 5
• Unihan data for U+6840

舛 + 木.

According to Schussler (2007), 桀 (OC *ɡrad) and 傑 (OC *ɡrad) are the same word meaning "outstanding > hero"; insides Sinitic, it is cognate to 朅 (OC *kʰrad, “martial”); outsides Sinitic, it is related to either Mizo hrât (“valiant, resolute”) or Tibetan གྱད (gyad, “strength; champion, athlete”).

STEDT reconstructs Proto-Sino-Tibetan *gjat (“hero, champion”) for 傑 (OC) ~ 桀 (OC *ɡrad) and གྱད (gyad).

桀

1. chicken roost

   • 雞棲于桀、日之夕矣、羊牛下括。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     鸡栖于桀、日之夕矣、羊牛下括。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Jī qī yú jié, rì zhī xī yǐ, yáng niú xià kuò. [Pinyin]

     The fowls roost on their perches; and in the evening of the day, the goats and cows come down and home;

2. Jie of Xia, an ancient emperor

   • 韋顧既伐、昆吾夏桀。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     韦顾既伐、昆吾夏桀。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Wéi Gù jì fá, Kūnwú Xiàjié. [Pinyin]

     Having smitten [the princes of] Wei and Gu, [he smote] [the prince of] Kunwu, and with Jie of Xia.

   • 桀德，惟乃弗作往任，是惟暴德罔後。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     桀德，惟乃弗作往任，是惟暴德罔后。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Documents, circa 7^th – 4^th centuries BCE

     Jié dé, wéi nǎi fú zuò wǎng rèn, shì wéi bàodé wǎng hòu. [Pinyin]

     Jie’s character was such that he did not follow precedents in making appointments, and therefore his character was violent and ruined the future [of his kingdom].

3. fierce; brutal; cruel

   • 君不肖而側室賢，太子輕而庶子伉，官吏弱而人民桀，如此則國躁；國躁者，可亡也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     君不肖而侧室贤，太子轻而庶子伉，官吏弱而人民桀，如此则国躁；国躁者，可亡也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Han Feizi, circa 2^nd century BCE, translated based on W. K. Liao's version

     Jūn bùxiào ér cèshì xián, tàizǐ qīng ér shùzǐ kàng, guānlì ruò ér rénmín jié, rúcǐ zé guó zào; guó zào zhě, kěwáng yě. [Pinyin]

     If the ruler is unworthy but his half-brothers are worthy; if the heir apparent is powerless and the concubine's son surpasses him; or if the magistrates are weak and the people are fierce; then the state will be seized with a panic. And a panic-stricken state is liable to ruin.

4. to lift; to raise; to shoulder; to bear

   • 齊高固入晉師，桀石以投人，禽之；而乘其車，繫桑本焉，以徇齊壘，曰：「欲勇者，賈余餘勇。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     齐高固入晋师，桀石以投人，禽之；而乘其车，系桑本焉，以徇齐垒，曰：“欲勇者，贾余余勇。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translation from Zuozhuan: Commentary on the "Spring and Autumn Annals" (2017), by Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li and David Schaberg

     Qí Gāo Gù rù Jìnshī, jié shí yǐ tóu rén, qín zhī; ér chéng qí chē, jì sāngběn yān, yǐ xùn Qí lěi, yuē: “Yù yǒng zhě, gǔ yú yúyǒng.” [Pinyin]

     Gao Gu of Qi entered the ranks of the Jin army, raised a stone and hurled it against a Jin man, took him captive; and then rode in his [the captive's] chariot, tying it to a mulberry trunk with its roots. He paraded around the Qi fortifications, saying, “Those who want valor can buy my surplus.”

5. Alternative form of 傑／杰 (jié, “outstanding; hero”).

   • 伯兮朅兮、邦之桀兮。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Bó xī qiè xī, bāng zhī jié xī. [Pinyin]

     My noble husband is how martial-like! The hero of the country!

Barnwell (2013) proposes that the 桀 (jié, “hero”) mentioned in Classic of Poetry "Airs of Wey - Bo Xi" was indeed Jié of Xià (夏桀).[1]

(uncommon “Hyōgai” kanji)

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• On (unclassified): けつ (ketsu)
• Kun: はりつけ (haritsuke)

桀 (eum 걸 (geol))

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桀: Hán Nôm readings: kiệt

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