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.
| Z | Element | Chinese | Taiwan | Japanese | Korean | Vietnamese | Origin of the Western name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hydrogen H | 氢 qīng | — | 水素 | 수소 | hydro | ὕδωρ (root: ὑδρ-) + γενής (hydor genes) “water + begetter” · Greek via Latin and French |
| 2 | Helium He | 氦 hài | — | ヘリウム | 헬륨 | heli | ἥλιος (hélios) “sun” · Greek |
| 3 | Lithium Li | 锂 lǐ | — | リチウム | 리튬 | lithi | λίθος (lithos) “stone” · Greek |
| 4 | Beryllium Be | 铍 pí | 鈹 pī | ベリリウム | 베릴륨 | beryli | City of Belur in India via Greek βήρυλλος (beryllos) “beryl", a mineral” · Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit via Greek, Latin, Old French, and Middle English |
| 5 | Boron B | 硼 péng | — | ホウ素 | 붕소 | bor | بورق (buraq) · Arabic, Medieval Latin, Anglo-Norman, Middle French, and Middle English |
| 6 | Carbon C | 碳 tàn | — | 炭素 | 탄소 | carbon | charbone “charcoal” · Latin via French |
| 7 | Nitrogen N | 氮 dàn | — | 窒素 | 질소 | nitơ | νίτρον (Latin: nitrum) -γενής (-genes) “native-soda begetter” · Greek via Latin and French |
| 8 | Oxygen O | 氧 yǎng | — | 酸素 | 산소 | oxy | ὀξύ γείνομαι (oxy geinomai)/oxygène “to bring forth acid” · Greek via French |
| 9 | Fluorine F | 氟 fú | — | フッ素 | 플루오린 | fluor | fluor “a flowing” · Latin |
| 10 | Neon Ne | 氖 nǎi | — | ネオン | 네온 | neon | νέος (neos) “new” · Greek |
| 11 | Sodium Na | 钠 nà | — | ナトリウム | 나트륨 | natri | soda · English |
| 12 | Magnesium Mg | 镁 měi | — | マグネシウム | 마그네슘 | magnesi | Μαγνησία (Magnesia) · Greek |
| 13 | Aluminium Al | 铝 lǚ | — | アルミニウム | 알루미늄 | nhôm | alumen “alum" (literally: bitter salt)” · Latin |
| 14 | Silicon Si | 硅 guī | 矽 xì | ケイ素 | 규소 | silic | silex, silicis “flint” · Latin |
| 15 | Phosphorus P | 磷 lín | — | リン | 인 | phosphor | φῶς + φόρος (phos + phoros) “light-bearer” · Greek via Latin |
| 16 | Sulphur S | 硫 liú | — | 硫黄 | 황 | lưu huỳnh | Old Latin sulpur; (later sulphur, sulfur); ; Proto-Indo-European *swépl̥; (genitive *sulplós),; nominal derivative of *swelp. “to burn” · Latin; ; Proto-Indo-European (PIE) |
| 17 | Chlorine Cl | 氯 lǜ | — | 塩素 | 염소 | chlor | χλωρός (chlorós) “pale green” · Greek |
| 18 | Argon Ar | 氩 yà | — | アルゴン | 아르곤 | agon | ἀργόν (argon) “inactive” · Greek |
| 19 | Potassium K | 钾 jiǎ | — | カリウム | 칼륨 | kali | potassa; potasch via potash “pot-ash” · Neo-Latin via Dutch and English |
| 20 | Calcium Ca | 钙 gài | — | カルシウム | 칼슘 | calci | χάλιξ/calx “pebble"/"limestone” · Greek/Latin |
| 21 | Scandium Sc | 钪 kàng | — | スカンジウム | 스칸듐 | scandi | Scandia “Scandinavia” · Latin |
| 22 | Titanium Ti | 钛 tài | — | チタン | 타이타늄 | titan | Τιτάν, : Τιτάνος (Titan) “Titans", sons of Gaia” · Greek |
| 23 | Vanadium V | 钒 fán | — | バナジウム | 바나듐 | vanadi | Vanadís “Dís of the Vanir” · Old Norse |
| 24 | Chromium Cr | 铬 gè | — | クロム | 크로뮴 | chromi | χρῶμα (chróma) “colour” · Greek via French |
| 25 | Manganese Mn | 锰 měng | — | マンガン | 망가니즈 | mangan | Μαγνησία; (Magnesia;; Medieval Latin: magnesia) “Magnesia (regional unit)", Greece” · Greek via Latin, Italian, and French |
| 26 | Iron Fe | 铁 tiě | — | 鉄 | 철 | sắt | īsern; (earlier: īren/īsen); /yren/yron “holy metal or strong metal” · Old English via Middle English |
| 27 | Cobalt Co | 钴 gǔ | — | コバルト | 코발트 | cobalt | Kobold|italic=yes “goblin” · German |
| 28 | Nickel Ni | 镍 niè | — | ニッケル | 니켈 | niken | Kopparnickel/; Kupfernickel “copper-coloured ore” · Swedish via German |
| 29 | Copper Cu | 铜 tóng | — | 銅 | 구리 | đồng | Κύπριος (Kyprios)? “who/which is from Cyprus” · Greek? via Latin, West Germanic, Old English, and Middle English |
| 30 | Zinc Zn | 锌 xīn | — | 亜鉛 | 아연 | kẽm | Zink “?"Cornet” · German |
| 31 | Gallium Ga | 镓 jiā | — | ガリウム | 갈륨 | gali | Gallia “Gaul" (Ancient France)” · Latin |
| 32 | Germanium Ge | 锗 zhě | — | ゲルマニウム | 저마늄 | gecmani | Germania “Germany” · Latin |
| 33 | Arsenic As | 砷 shēn | — | ヒ素 | 비소 | asen | ἀρσενικόν (arsenikon) “?"male” · Syriac/Persian via Greek, Latin, Old French, and Middle English |
| 34 | Selenium Se | 硒 xī | — | セレン | 셀레늄 | selen | σελήνη (selene) “moon” · Greek |
| 35 | Bromine Br | 溴 xiù | — | 臭素 | 브로민 | brom | βρῶμος (brómos) “dirt" or "stench" (of male goat){{cite book” · Greek via French |
| 36 | Krypton Kr | 氪 kè | — | クリプトン | 크립톤 | krypton | κρυπτός (kryptos) “hidden” · Greek |
| 37 | Rubidium Rb | 铷 rú | — | ルビジウム | 루비듐 | rubidi | rubidus “deepest red” · Latin |
| 38 | Strontium Sr | 锶 sī | — | ストロンチウム | 스트론튬 | stronti | Strontian “proper name” · Scottish Gaelic via English |
| 39 | Yttrium Y | 钇 yǐ | — | イットリウム | 이트륨 | yttri | Ytterby “proper name” · Swedish |
| 40 | Zirconium Zr | 锆 gào | — | ジルコニウム | 지르코늄 | zirconi | ܙܐܪܓܥܢܥ (zargono),{{cite web “gold-like” · Syriac/Persian via Arabic and German |
| 41 | Niobium Nb | 铌 ní | — | ニオブ | 나이오븀 | niobi | Νιόβη (Niobe) “snowy” · Greek |
| 42 | Molybdenum Mo | 钼 mù | — | モリブデン | 몰리브데넘 | molypden | μόλυβδος (molybdos) “lead-like” · Greek |
| 43 | Technetium Tc | 锝 dé | 鎝 dā | テクネチウム | 테크네튬 | tecneti | τεχνητός (technetos) “artificial” · Greek |
| 44 | Ruthenium Ru | 钌 liǎo | — | ルテニウム | 루테늄 | rutheni | Ruthenia “Ruthenia", Kievan Rus'{{Cite book” · Latin |
| 45 | Rhodium Rh | 铑 lǎo | — | ロジウム | 로듐 | rhodi | ῥόδον (rhodon) “rose” · Greek |
| 46 | Palladium Pd | 钯 bǎ | — | パラジウム | 팔라듐 | paladi | Παλλάς (genitive: Παλλάδος) (Pallas) “little maiden” · Greek via Latin |
| 47 | Silver Ag | 银 yín | — | 銀 | 은 | bạc | (siolfor/seolfor) “to refine", "smelt” · Akkadian via Old English and Middle English |
| 48 | Cadmium Cd | 镉 gé | — | カドミウム | 카드뮴 | cadmi | καδμεία (kadmeia) “Earth" (as classical element),; "calamine" or Cadmean earth[?]” · Greek/Latin |
| 49 | Indium In | 铟 yīn | — | インジウム | 인듐 | indi | indigo · Greek via Latin and English |
| 50 | Tin Sn | 锡 xī | 錫 xí | スズ | 주석 | thiếc | tin · Anglo-Saxon via Middle English |
| 51 | Antimony Sb | 锑 tī | 銻 tì | アンチモン | 안티모니 | antimon | “various” · Greek? via Medieval Latin and Middle English |
| 52 | Tellurium Te | 碲 dì | — | テルル | 텔루륨 | telua | Tellus “Earth” · Latin |
| 53 | Iodine I | 碘 diǎn | — | ヨウ素 | 아이오딘 | iod | ἰώδης (iodes) “violet” · Greek via French |
| 54 | Xenon Xe | 氙 xiān | — | キセノン | 제논 | xenon | ξένος (xenos) “foreign” · Greek |
| 55 | Caesium Cs | 铯 sè | — | セシウム | 세슘 | xêsi | caesius “blue-grey" or "sky blue” · Latin |
| 56 | Barium Ba | 钡 bèi | — | バリウム | 바륨 | bari | βαρύς (barys) “heavy” · Greek via Neo-Latin |
| 57 | Lanthanum La | 镧 lán | — | ランタン | 란타넘 | lantan | λανθάνειν (lanthanein) “to escape notice” · Greek |
| 58 | Cerium Ce | 铈 shì | — | セリウム | 세륨 | xeri | ceres “grain", "bread” · Latin |
| 59 | Praseodymium Pr | 镨 pǔ | — | プラセオジム | 프라세오디뮴 | praseodymi | πράσιος δίδυμος (prasios didymos) “green twin” · Greek |
| 60 | Neodymium Nd | 钕 nǚ | — | ネオジム | 네오디뮴 | neodymi | νέος δίδυμος (neos didymos) “new twin” · Greek |
| 61 | Promethium Pm | 钷 pǒ | — | プロメチウム | 프로메튬 | promethi | Προμηθεύς (Prometheus) “forethought” · Greek |
| 62 | Samarium Sm | 钐 shān | — | サマリウム | 사마륨 | samari | Samarsky-Bykhovets, Vassili |
| 63 | Europium Eu | 铕 yǒu | — | ユウロピウム | 유로퓸 | europi | Εὐρώπη (Europe) “broad-faced" or "well-watered” · Ancient Greek |
| 64 | Gadolinium Gd | 钆 gá | — | ガドリニウム | 가돌리늄 | gadolini | Gadolin, Johan · Finnish |
| 65 | Terbium Tb | 铽 tè | — | テルビウム | 터븀 | terbi | Ytterby “proper name” · Swedish |
| 66 | Dysprosium Dy | 镝 dī | — | ジスプロシウム | 디스프로슘 | dysprosi | δυσπρόσιτος (dysprositos) “hard to get at” · Greek |
| 67 | Holmium Ho | 钬 huǒ | — | ホルミウム | 홀뮴 | holmi | Holmia “Stockholm” · Latin |
| 68 | Erbium Er | 铒 ěr | — | エルビウム | 어븀 | erbi | Ytterby “proper name” · Swedish |
| 69 | Thulium Tm | 铥 diū | — | ツリウム | 툴륨 | thuli | Θούλη (Thoúlē){{cite web “Thule” · Greek |
| 70 | Ytterbium Yb | 镱 yì | — | イッテルビウム | 이터븀 | ytterbi | Ytterby “proper name” · Swedish |
| 71 | Lutetium Lu | 镥 lǔ | 鎦 liú | ルテチウム | 루테튬 | luteti | Lutetia “Paris” · Latin |
| 72 | Hafnium Hf | 铪 hā | — | ハフニウム | 하프늄 | hafni | Hafnia “Copenhagen” · Latin |
| 73 | Tantalum Ta | 钽 tǎn | — | タンタル | 탄탈럼 | tantali | Τάνταλος (Tantalus) “possibly "the bearer" or "the sufferer” · Greek |
| 74 | Tungsten W | 钨 wū | — | タングステン | 텅스텐 | vonfram | tung sten “heavy stone” · Swedish and Danish |
| 75 | Rhenium Re | 铼 lái | — | レニウム | 레늄 | rheni | Rhenus “Rhine” · Latin |
| 76 | Osmium Os | 锇 é | — | オスミウム | 오스뮴 | osmi | ὀσμή (osme) “a smell” · Greek via Neo-Latin |
| 77 | Iridium Ir | 铱 yī | — | イリジウム | 이리듐 | iridi | ἴρις (genitive: ἴριδος) (iris) “of rainbows” · Greek via Latin |
| 78 | Platinum Pt | 铂 bó | — | 白金 | 백금 | platin | platina (del Pinto) “little silver" (of the Pinto River){{cite book” · Spanish via Neo-Latin |
| 79 | Gold Au | 金 jīn | — | 金 | 금 | vàng | gold · Old English via Middle English |
| 80 | Mercury Hg | 汞 gǒng | — | 水銀 | 수은 | thủy ngân | Mercurius “Mercury", Roman god” · Latin |
| 81 | Thallium Tl | 铊 tā | — | タリウム | 탈륨 | tali | θαλλός (thallos) “green twig” · Greek |
| 82 | Lead Pb | 铅 qiān | — | 鉛 | 납 | chì | lead · Anglo-Saxon |
| 83 | Bismuth Bi | 铋 bì | — | ビスマス | 비스무트 | bitmut | bisemutum “white mass” · Neo-Latin from German |
| 84 | Polonium Po | 钋 pō | — | ポロニウム | 폴로늄 | poloni | Polonia “Poland” · Latin |
| 85 | Astatine At | 砹 ài | 砈 ài | アスタチン | 아스타틴 | astatin | ἄστατος (astatos) “unstable” · Greek |
| 86 | Radon Rn | 氡 dōng | — | ラドン | 라돈 | radon | radium · Latin via German and English |
| 87 | Francium Fr | 钫 fāng | 鍅 fǎ | フランシウム | 프랑슘 | franxi | France · French |
| 88 | Radium Ra | 镭 léi | — | ラジウム | 라듐 | radi | radius “ray” · Latin via French |
| 89 | Actinium Ac | 锕 ā | — | アクチニウム | 악티늄 | actini | ἀκτίς (aktis) “beam” · Greek |
| 90 | Thorium Th | 钍 tǔ | — | トリウム | 토륨 | thori | Þōrr (Thor) “thunder” · Old Norse |
| 91 | Protactinium Pa | 镤 pú | — | プロトアクチニウム | 프로탁티늄 | protactini | πρῶτος + ἀκτίς “first beam element” · Greek |
| 92 | Uranium U | 铀 yóu | — | ウラン | 우라늄 | urani | Οὐρανός (Ouranos); "Uranus" “sky” · Greek via Latin |
| 93 | Neptunium Np | 镎 ná | 錼 nài | ネプツニウム | 넵투늄 | neptuni | Neptunus “Neptune” · Latin |
| 94 | Plutonium Pu | 钚 bù | 鈽 bù | プルトニウム | 플루토늄 | plutoni | Πλούτων (Ploutōn) via "Pluto" “god of wealth” · Greek via Latin |
| 95 | Americium Am | 镅 méi | 鋂 měi | アメリシウム | 아메리슘 | americi | America |
| 96 | Curium Cm | 锔 jú | 鋦 jū | キュリウム | 퀴륨 | curium | Curie, Marie and Pierre |
| 97 | Berkelium Bk | 锫 péi | 鉳 běi | バークリウム | 버클륨 | berkeli | University of California, Berkeley · Anglo-Saxon via English |
| 98 | Californium Cf | 锎 kāi | 鉲 kǎ | カリホルニウム | 캘리포늄 | californi | California · English |
| 99 | Einsteinium Es | 锿 āi | 鑀 ài | アインスタイニウム | 아인슈타이늄 | einsteini | Einstein, Albert · German |
| 100 | Fermium Fm | 镄 fèi | — | フェルミウム | 페르뮴 | fermi | Fermi, Enrico “Italian surname” · Italian |
| 101 | Mendelevium Md | 钔 mén | — | メンデレビウム | 멘델레븀 | Mendelevi | Mendeleyev, Dmitri |
| 102 | Nobelium No | 锘 nuò | — | ノーベリウム | 노벨륨 | Nobeli | Nobel, Alfred |
| 103 | Lawrencium Lr | 铹 láo | — | ローレンシウム | 로렌슘 | Lawrenci | Lawrence, Ernest |
| 104 | Rutherfordium Rf | lú | — | ラザホージウム | 러더포듐 | rutherfordi | Rutherford, Ernest |
| 105 | Dubnium Db | dù | 𨧀 dú | ドブニウム | 더브늄 | dubni | Дубна (Dubna) · Russian |
| 106 | Seaborgium Sg | xǐ | — | シーボーギウム | 시보귬 | seaborgi | Seaborg, Glenn Teodor “Swedish surname” · Swedish via English |
| 107 | Bohrium Bh | bō | — | ボーリウム | 보륨 | bohri | Bohr, Niels |
| 108 | Hassium Hs | hēi | — | ハッシウム | 하슘 | hassi | Hassia “Hesse” · Latin |
| 109 | Meitnerium Mt | 鿏 mài | — | マイトネリウム | 마이트너륨 | meitneri | Meitner, Lise |
| 110 | Darmstadtium Ds | dá | — | ダームスタチウム | 다름슈타튬 | darmstadti | Darmstadt “proper name” · German |
| 111 | Roentgenium Rg | lún | — | レントゲニウム | 뢴트게늄 | Roentgeni | Röntgen, Wilhelm Conrad |
| 112 | Copernicium Cn | 鿔 gē | — | コペルニシウム | 코페르니슘 | copernixi | Copernicus, Nicolaus “Polish surname” · Polish via Latin |
| 113 | Nihonium Nh | 鿭 nǐ | — | ニホニウム | 니호늄 | nihoni | 日本 (Nihon) “Japan” · Japanese |
| 114 | Flerovium Fl | fū | — | フレロビウム | 플레로븀 | flerovi | Flerov, Georgy “Russian surname” · Russian |
| 115 | Moscovium Mc | 镆 mò | — | モスコビウム | 모스코븀 | moscovi | Moscovia “Moscow” · Latin |
| 116 | Livermorium Lv | lì | — | リバモリウム | 리버모륨 | livermori | Livermore · English |
| 117 | Tennessine Ts | 鿬 tián | — | テネシン | 테네신 | tennessine | Tennessee · Cherokee via English |
| 118 | Oganesson Og | 鿫 ào | — | オガネソン | 오가네손 | oganesson | Oganessian, Yuri (Оганесян) “Armenian surname” · Russian |