Definitions
(noun)
class; grade; rank
(noun)
government department (historical)
About
The character 曹 derives from an early pictographic representation of two troughs or similar vessels, a design mirrored in its duplicated structural components that emphasize pairing or grouping. Its primary sense began as a reference to a couple or pair, which gradually extended to denote any collective body, especially within administrative contexts, where it came to signify groups of officials or governmental departments. This evolution in meaning facilitated its adoption into historical bureaucratic terminology and later as a prevalent surname, reflecting its enduring lexical role in denoting associations or collectives.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
曹操是历史人物。
曹先生今天来了。
曹县在山东省。
我们班有姓曹的同学。
曹工程师设计了这座桥。
曹女士是公司的经理。
曹操和曹丕都是三国人物。
曹植的诗歌在中国文学史上很有名。