yuánzì Chinese characters of the chemical elements

The same elements, four scripts

Japanese usually transliterates in katakana but glosses the classical gases with 素 “element”: 水素 water-element for hydrogen where Chinese has 氫 light-gas, 酸素 acid-element for oxygen where Chinese has 氧 nourishing. Korean reads the Japanese compounds in Sino-Korean (수소, 산소) and otherwise borrows from English or German. Vietnamese keeps old Chinese loans for the ancient metals (đồng from 銅, thiếc from 錫) and clips French for the rest. The last column gives the Western etymology the Chinese phonetic was chosen to echo.

ZElementChineseTaiwanJapaneseKoreanVietnameseOrigin of the Western name
1Hydrogen H氢 qīng—水素수소hydroὕδωρ (root: ὑδρ-) + γενής (hydor genes) “water + begetter” · Greek via Latin and French
2Helium He氦 hài—ヘリウム헬륨heliἥλιος (hélios) “sun” · Greek
3Lithium Li锂 lǐ—リチウム리튬lithiλίθος (lithos) “stone” · Greek
4Beryllium Be铍 pí鈹 pīベリリウム베릴륨beryliCity of Belur in India via Greek βήρυλλος (beryllos) “beryl", a mineral” · Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit via Greek, Latin, Old French, and Middle English
5Boron B硼 péng—ホウ素붕소borبورق (buraq) · Arabic, Medieval Latin, Anglo-Norman, Middle French, and Middle English
6Carbon C碳 tàn—炭素탄소carboncharbone “charcoal” · Latin via French
7Nitrogen N氮 dàn—窒素질소nitơνίτρον (Latin: nitrum) -γενής (-genes) “native-soda begetter” · Greek via Latin and French
8Oxygen O氧 yǎng—酸素산소oxyὀξύ γείνομαι (oxy geinomai)/oxygène “to bring forth acid” · Greek via French
9Fluorine F氟 fú—フッ素플루오린fluorfluor “a flowing” · Latin
10Neon Ne氖 nǎi—ネオン네온neonνέος (neos) “new” · Greek
11Sodium Na钠 nà—ナトリウム나트륨natrisoda · English
12Magnesium Mg镁 měi—マグネシウム마그네슘magnesiΜαγνησία (Magnesia) · Greek
13Aluminium Al铝 lǚ—アルミニウム알루미늄nhômalumen “alum" (literally: bitter salt)” · Latin
14Silicon Si硅 guī矽 xìケイ素규소silicsilex, silicis “flint” · Latin
15Phosphorus P磷 lín—リン인phosphorφῶς + φόρος (phos + phoros) “light-bearer” · Greek via Latin
16Sulphur S硫 liú—硫黄황lưu huỳnhOld Latin sulpur; (later sulphur, sulfur); ; Proto-Indo-European *swépl̥; (genitive *sulplós),; nominal derivative of *swelp. “to burn” · Latin; ; Proto-Indo-European (PIE)
17Chlorine Cl氯 lǜ—塩素염소chlorχλωρός (chlorós) “pale green” · Greek
18Argon Ar氩 yà—アルゴン아르곤agonἀργόν (argon) “inactive” · Greek
19Potassium K钾 jiǎ—カリウム칼륨kalipotassa; potasch via potash “pot-ash” · Neo-Latin via Dutch and English
20Calcium Ca钙 gài—カルシウム칼슘calciχάλιξ/calx “pebble"/"limestone” · Greek/Latin
21Scandium Sc钪 kàng—スカンジウム스칸듐scandiScandia “Scandinavia” · Latin
22Titanium Ti钛 tài—チタン타이타늄titanΤιτάν, : Τιτάνος (Titan) “Titans", sons of Gaia” · Greek
23Vanadium V钒 fán—バナジウム바나듐vanadiVanadís “Dís of the Vanir” · Old Norse
24Chromium Cr铬 gè—クロム크로뮴chromiχρῶμα (chróma) “colour” · Greek via French
25Manganese Mn锰 měng—マンガン망가니즈manganΜαγνησία; (Magnesia;; Medieval Latin: magnesia) “Magnesia (regional unit)", Greece” · Greek via Latin, Italian, and French
26Iron Fe铁 tiě—鉄철sắtīsern; (earlier: īren/īsen); /yren/yron “holy metal or strong metal” · Old English via Middle English
27Cobalt Co钴 gǔ—コバルト코발트cobaltKobold|italic=yes “goblin” · German
28Nickel Ni镍 niè—ニッケル니켈nikenKopparnickel/; Kupfernickel “copper-coloured ore” · Swedish via German
29Copper Cu铜 tóng—銅구리đồngΚύπριος (Kyprios)? “who/which is from Cyprus” · Greek? via Latin, West Germanic, Old English, and Middle English
30Zinc Zn锌 xīn—亜鉛아연kẽmZink “?"Cornet” · German
31Gallium Ga镓 jiā—ガリウム갈륨galiGallia “Gaul" (Ancient France)” · Latin
32Germanium Ge锗 zhě—ゲルマニウム저마늄gecmaniGermania “Germany” · Latin
33Arsenic As砷 shēn—ヒ素비소asenἀρσενικόν (arsenikon) “?"male” · Syriac/Persian via Greek, Latin, Old French, and Middle English
34Selenium Se硒 xī—セレン셀레늄selenσελήνη (selene) “moon” · Greek
35Bromine Br溴 xiù—臭素브로민bromβρῶμος (brómos) “dirt" or "stench" (of male goat){{cite book” · Greek via French
36Krypton Kr氪 kè—クリプトン크립톤kryptonκρυπτός (kryptos) “hidden” · Greek
37Rubidium Rb铷 rú—ルビジウム루비듐rubidirubidus “deepest red” · Latin
38Strontium Sr锶 sī—ストロンチウム스트론튬strontiStrontian “proper name” · Scottish Gaelic via English
39Yttrium Y钇 yǐ—イットリウム이트륨yttriYtterby “proper name” · Swedish
40Zirconium Zr锆 gào—ジルコニウム지르코늄zirconiܙܐܪܓܥܢܥ (zargono),{{cite web “gold-like” · Syriac/Persian via Arabic and German
41Niobium Nb铌 ní—ニオブ나이오븀niobiΝιόβη (Niobe) “snowy” · Greek
42Molybdenum Mo钼 mù—モリブデン몰리브데넘molypdenμόλυβδος (molybdos) “lead-like” · Greek
43Technetium Tc锝 dé鎝 dāテクネチウム테크네튬tecnetiτεχνητός (technetos) “artificial” · Greek
44Ruthenium Ru钌 liǎo—ルテニウム루테늄rutheniRuthenia “Ruthenia", Kievan Rus'{{Cite book” · Latin
45Rhodium Rh铑 lǎo—ロジウム로듐rhodiῥόδον (rhodon) “rose” · Greek
46Palladium Pd钯 bǎ—パラジウム팔라듐paladiΠαλλάς (genitive: Παλλάδος) (Pallas) “little maiden” · Greek via Latin
47Silver Ag银 yín—銀은bạc(siolfor/seolfor) “to refine", "smelt” · Akkadian via Old English and Middle English
48Cadmium Cd镉 gé—カドミウム카드뮴cadmiκαδμεία (kadmeia) “Earth" (as classical element),; "calamine" or Cadmean earth[?]” · Greek/Latin
49Indium In铟 yīn—インジウム인듐indiindigo · Greek via Latin and English
50Tin Sn锡 xī錫 xíスズ주석thiếctin · Anglo-Saxon via Middle English
51Antimony Sb锑 tī銻 tìアンチモン안티모니antimon “various” · Greek? via Medieval Latin and Middle English
52Tellurium Te碲 dì—テルル텔루륨teluaTellus “Earth” · Latin
53Iodine I碘 diǎn—ヨウ素아이오딘iodἰώδης (iodes) “violet” · Greek via French
54Xenon Xe氙 xiān—キセノン제논xenonξένος (xenos) “foreign” · Greek
55Caesium Cs铯 sè—セシウム세슘xêsicaesius “blue-grey" or "sky blue” · Latin
56Barium Ba钡 bèi—バリウム바륨bariβαρύς (barys) “heavy” · Greek via Neo-Latin
57Lanthanum La镧 lán—ランタン란타넘lantanλανθάνειν (lanthanein) “to escape notice” · Greek
58Cerium Ce铈 shì—セリウム세륨xericeres “grain", "bread” · Latin
59Praseodymium Pr镨 pǔ—プラセオジム프라세오디뮴praseodymiπράσιος δίδυμος (prasios didymos) “green twin” · Greek
60Neodymium Nd钕 nǚ—ネオジム네오디뮴neodymiνέος δίδυμος (neos didymos) “new twin” · Greek
61Promethium Pm钷 pǒ—プロメチウム프로메튬promethiΠρομηθεύς (Prometheus) “forethought” · Greek
62Samarium Sm钐 shān—サマリウム사마륨samariSamarsky-Bykhovets, Vassili
63Europium Eu铕 yǒu—ユウロピウム유로퓸europiΕὐρώπη (Europe) “broad-faced" or "well-watered” · Ancient Greek
64Gadolinium Gd钆 gá—ガドリニウム가돌리늄gadoliniGadolin, Johan · Finnish
65Terbium Tb铽 tè—テルビウム터븀terbiYtterby “proper name” · Swedish
66Dysprosium Dy镝 dī—ジスプロシウム디스프로슘dysprosiδυσπρόσιτος (dysprositos) “hard to get at” · Greek
67Holmium Ho钬 huǒ—ホルミウム홀뮴holmiHolmia “Stockholm” · Latin
68Erbium Er铒 ěr—エルビウム어븀erbiYtterby “proper name” · Swedish
69Thulium Tm铥 diū—ツリウム툴륨thuliΘούλη (Thoúlē){{cite web “Thule” · Greek
70Ytterbium Yb镱 yì—イッテルビウム이터븀ytterbiYtterby “proper name” · Swedish
71Lutetium Lu镥 lǔ鎦 liúルテチウム루테튬lutetiLutetia “Paris” · Latin
72Hafnium Hf铪 hā—ハフニウム하프늄hafniHafnia “Copenhagen” · Latin
73Tantalum Ta钽 tǎn—タンタル탄탈럼tantaliΤάνταλος (Tantalus) “possibly "the bearer" or "the sufferer” · Greek
74Tungsten W钨 wū—タングステン텅스텐vonframtung sten “heavy stone” · Swedish and Danish
75Rhenium Re铼 lái—レニウム레늄rheniRhenus “Rhine” · Latin
76Osmium Os锇 é—オスミウム오스뮴osmiὀσμή (osme) “a smell” · Greek via Neo-Latin
77Iridium Ir铱 yī—イリジウム이리듐iridiἴρις (genitive: ἴριδος) (iris) “of rainbows” · Greek via Latin
78Platinum Pt铂 bó—白金백금platinplatina (del Pinto) “little silver" (of the Pinto River){{cite book” · Spanish via Neo-Latin
79Gold Au金 jīn—金금vànggold · Old English via Middle English
80Mercury Hg汞 gǒng—水銀수은thủy ngânMercurius “Mercury", Roman god” · Latin
81Thallium Tl铊 tā—タリウム탈륨taliθαλλός (thallos) “green twig” · Greek
82Lead Pb铅 qiān—鉛납chìlead · Anglo-Saxon
83Bismuth Bi铋 bì—ビスマス비스무트bitmutbisemutum “white mass” · Neo-Latin from German
84Polonium Po钋 pō—ポロニウム폴로늄poloniPolonia “Poland” · Latin
85Astatine At砹 ài砈 àiアスタチン아스타틴astatinἄστατος (astatos) “unstable” · Greek
86Radon Rn氡 dōng—ラドン라돈radonradium · Latin via German and English
87Francium Fr钫 fāng鍅 fǎフランシウム프랑슘franxiFrance · French
88Radium Ra镭 léi—ラジウム라듐radiradius “ray” · Latin via French
89Actinium Ac锕 ā—アクチニウム악티늄actiniἀκτίς (aktis) “beam” · Greek
90Thorium Th钍 tǔ—トリウム토륨thoriÞōrr (Thor) “thunder” · Old Norse
91Protactinium Pa镤 pú—プロトアクチニウム프로탁티늄protactiniπρῶτος + ἀκτίς “first beam element” · Greek
92Uranium U铀 yóu—ウラン우라늄uraniΟὐρανός (Ouranos); "Uranus" “sky” · Greek via Latin
93Neptunium Np镎 ná錼 nàiネプツニウム넵투늄neptuniNeptunus “Neptune” · Latin
94Plutonium Pu钚 bù鈽 bùプルトニウム플루토늄plutoniΠλούτων (Ploutōn) via "Pluto" “god of wealth” · Greek via Latin
95Americium Am镅 méi鋂 měiアメリシウム아메리슘americiAmerica
96Curium Cm锔 jú鋦 jūキュリウム퀴륨curiumCurie, Marie and Pierre
97Berkelium Bk锫 péi鉳 běiバークリウム버클륨berkeliUniversity of California, Berkeley · Anglo-Saxon via English
98Californium Cf锎 kāi鉲 kǎカリホルニウム캘리포늄californiCalifornia · English
99Einsteinium Es锿 āi鑀 àiアインスタイニウム아인슈타이늄einsteiniEinstein, Albert · German
100Fermium Fm镄 fèi—フェルミウム페르뮴fermiFermi, Enrico “Italian surname” · Italian
101Mendelevium Md钔 mén—メンデレビウム멘델레븀MendeleviMendeleyev, Dmitri
102Nobelium No锘 nuò—ノーベリウム노벨륨NobeliNobel, Alfred
103Lawrencium Lr铹 láo—ローレンシウム로렌슘LawrenciLawrence, Ernest
104Rutherfordium Rf lú—ラザホージウム러더포듐rutherfordiRutherford, Ernest
105Dubnium Db dù𨧀 dúドブニウム더브늄dubniДубна (Dubna) · Russian
106Seaborgium Sg xǐ—シーボーギウム시보귬seaborgiSeaborg, Glenn Teodor “Swedish surname” · Swedish via English
107Bohrium Bh bō—ボーリウム보륨bohriBohr, Niels
108Hassium Hs hēi—ハッシウム하슘hassiHassia “Hesse” · Latin
109Meitnerium Mt鿏 mài—マイトネリウム마이트너륨meitneriMeitner, Lise
110Darmstadtium Ds dá—ダームスタチウム다름슈타튬darmstadtiDarmstadt “proper name” · German
111Roentgenium Rg lún—レントゲニウム뢴트게늄RoentgeniRöntgen, Wilhelm Conrad
112Copernicium Cn鿔 gē—コペルニシウム코페르니슘copernixiCopernicus, Nicolaus “Polish surname” · Polish via Latin
113Nihonium Nh鿭 nǐ—ニホニウム니호늄nihoni日本 (Nihon) “Japan” · Japanese
114Flerovium Fl fū—フレロビウム플레로븀fleroviFlerov, Georgy “Russian surname” · Russian
115Moscovium Mc镆 mò—モスコビウム모스코븀moscoviMoscovia “Moscow” · Latin
116Livermorium Lv lì—リバモリウム리버모륨livermoriLivermore · English
117Tennessine Ts鿬 tián—テネシン테네신tennessineTennessee · Cherokee via English
118Oganesson Og鿫 ào—オガネソン오가네손oganessonOganessian, Yuri (Оганесян) “Armenian surname” · Russian