府

fǔ

付 + 广

Definitions

fǔ (noun) government office; official residence

fǔ (noun) mansion; stately home

fǔ (noun) prefecture

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 广 represents the meaning and 付 represents the sound.

Semantic: 广 Phonetic: 付

About

The character 府 is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic component 广, meaning 'building' or 'shelter', encloses the top and left to indicate a large house, hall, or structural compound. Inside sits the phonetic 付 ('to hand over' or 'entrust'), which supplies the sound. The original sense was a storehouse or archive where valuables and documents were kept safe under a roof. Over time, the meaning expanded to include a mansion, an administrative bureau, a seat of government, or the residence of a high-ranking official or nobleman.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

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)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

政府关心人民。

Zhèngfǔ guānxīn rénmín.

The government cares about the people.

总统府前聚集了许多人。

Zǒngtǒngfǔ qián jùjíle xǔduō rén.

Many people gathered in front of the presidential palace.

这座城市的政府大楼很雄伟。

Zhè zuò chéngshì de zhèngfǔ dàlóu hěn xióngwěi.

This city's government building is very majestic.

他是省政府的高级官员。

Tā shì shěng zhèngfǔ de gāojí guānyuán.

He is a senior official in the provincial government.

王府井是北京著名的商业街。

Wángfǔ Jǐng shì Běijīng zhùmíng de shāngyè jiē.

Wangfujing is a famous commercial street in Beijing.

这所大学设有学术交流基金会。

Zhè suǒ dàxué shè yǒu xuéshù jiāoliú jījīnhuì.

This university has an academic exchange foundation.

古代的知识是地方上的最高长官。

Gǔdài de zhīfǔ shì dìfāng shàng de zuìgāo zhǎngguān.

In ancient times, the prefect was the highest local official.

他成了大家抱怨的怨府，这很不公平。

Tā chéngle dàjiā bàoyuàn de yuànfǔ, zhè hěn bù gōngpíng.

He became the object of everyone's complaints, which is very unfair.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 付

Component: 广

Example Words