U+9697 "隗" CJK Unified Ideograph-# Unicode Character
U+9697 "隗" CJK Unified Ideograph-# is a Chinese character used in both traditional and simplified writing systems, primarily a family name with historical significance. Its pronunciation varies across dialects, such as "Kuí" in Mandarin and "Kwai" in Cantonese, and it originally referred to a place name or a surname from ancient China, notably associated with the Zhou dynasty state of Gui or a clan that later adopted the character. The character itself is composed of the radical for "mound" or "hill" (阝, left side) and the phonetic component "鬼" (guǐ, meaning ghost or spirit), giving it a structural link to both geography and supernatural connotations. In modern usage, it is relatively rare but appears in classical texts and personal names, particularly within Chinese historical records.