<p>The average speaker will likely recognize 喆 as it is used in person names, but will not recognize it as a variant of 哲.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-18T16:34:48.967Z
2023-10-18T16:34:48.967Z
user2249675
<p>I'm also interested in knowing the connotations and whether those terms are associated with specific dialects. Would the average mainland speaker know 喆?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-18T16:22:10.250Z
https://cantoneseplus.com/character/4940 . 喆 is a variant of 哲, you can presume there is no difference in meaning. I personally have never written the character 喆 in my life
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-18T16:24:13.443Z
As native speaker my feeling is that is standard Chinese 喆 is exclusive to person names. Can't think of a single context that uses 喆 outside names.
user2249675
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-19T02:44:41.457Z
Another example is 淼, which is a variant of 渺, but only used in person names.
alephalpha
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-19T19:28:03.943Z
Could a person theoretically be named 永水淼 for example？
Qwokker
<difference><characters><topolect>
What exactly is the difference between 哲 and 喆？
# What exactly is the difference between 哲 and 喆？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-10-18)

I'm also interested in knowing the connotations and whether those terms are associated with specific dialects. Would the average mainland speaker know 喆?

**Tags:** difference, characters, topolect
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: https://cantoneseplus.com/character/4940 . 喆 is a variant of 哲, you can presume there is no difference in meaning. I personally have never written the character 喆 in my life  
> **username_2**: As native speaker my feeling is that is standard Chinese 喆 is exclusive to person names. Can't think of a single context that uses 喆 outside names.  
> **username_3**: Another example is 淼, which is a variant of 渺, but only used in person names.  
> **username_0**: Could a person theoretically be named 永水淼 for example？  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-10-18. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

The average speaker will likely recognize 喆 as it is used in person names, but will not recognize it as a variant of 哲.


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