Definitions

(noun) father's elder brother; paternal uncle; eldest brother
(noun) Count (nobility rank)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "伯" is structured with the person radical "亻" on the left and the component "白" on the right, which historically served as a phonetic indicator while possibly conveying notions of clarity or prominence. Its original meaning referred to the eldest brother or the senior male within a family hierarchy, reflecting a concept of primacy that later expanded into the political domain as a title for feudal lords, specifically as the first rank among the five aristocratic peerages in Zhou dynasty China. Over time, the term's application shifted from strictly denoting nobility to also addressing elder male relatives, such as a father's elder brother, and it continues to be used in modern kinship terms and historical contexts related to aristocracy.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我的父很好。

Wǒ de bófù hěn hǎo.

My uncle is very good.

母今天来了。

Bómǔ jīntiān lái le.

Aunt came today.

爵住在城堡里。

Bójué zhù zài chéngbǎo lǐ.

The earl lives in a castle.

他是著名的乐。

Tā shì zhùmíng de bólè.

He is a famous talent scout.

教我写书法。

Dàbó jiāo wǒ xiě shūfǎ.

Eldest uncle teaches me calligraphy.

父和母都退休了。

Bófù hé bómǔ dōu tuìxiū le.

Both uncle and aunt have retired.

昨天乐发现了他的才能。

Zuótiān bólè fāxiàn le tā de cáinéng.

Yesterday, the talent scout discovered his talent.

爵的古老城堡吸引了无数游客。

Bójué de gǔlǎo chéngbǎo xīyǐn le wúshù yóukè.

The earl's ancient castle attracts countless tourists.