About
The character "族" originates from an early conceptual blend of the elements "banner" (方) and "arrow" (矢), representing a group of people, such as a clan or tribe, united under a common symbol. Its initial meaning was firmly tied to kinship-based social divisions, but over time the term expanded to encompass larger ethnic collectives and eventually any defined category or class, as seen in compounds like "民族" for nation or "家族" for family. This semantic broadening from a specific familial unit to a general classificatory term occurred while the character's graphical structure remained unchanged, reflecting an adaptation to evolving social and linguistic needs.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我们是一个大家族。
这个国家有许多不同的民族。
他是我们族里最年长的人。
上班族每天都忙着工作。
古代贵族的生活很奢侈。
这个姓氏在当地是个大族。
少数民族的传统文化值得保护。
水族馆里有很多稀有鱼类。