Definitions

cáo (noun) class; grade; rank
cáo (noun) government department (historical)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the sound and represents the meaning. Depicts a pair () of people speaking () against each other, i.e. a plaintiff and a defendant. The meaning later expanded to "of the same generation".

About

曹 consists of a top section historically representing two bundles or objects placed together, above the component 曰, which relates to speech. Its earliest meaning referred to a group of officials or a governmental bureau managing legal or state affairs. The sense later extended to mark plural groups of people or peers, and it was commonly used in legal terms for plaintiffs and defendants in disputes. Today, 曹 is best known as a prominent surname, having largely lost its original administrative and legal functions.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 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

操是历史人物。

Cáo Cāo shì lìshǐ rénwù.

Cao Cao is a historical figure.

先生今天来了。

Cáo xiānsheng jīntiān lái le.

Mr. Cao came today.

县在山东省。

Cáo xiàn zài Shāndōng shěng.

Cao County is in Shandong Province.

我们班有姓的同学。

Wǒmen bān yǒu xìng Cáo de tóngxué.

There is a classmate surnamed Cao in our class.

工程师设计了这座桥。

Cáo gōngchéngshī shèjì le zhè zuò qiáo.

Engineer Cao designed this bridge.

女士是公司的经理。

Cáo nǚshì shì gōngsī de jīnglǐ.

Ms. Cao is the manager of the company.

操和丕都是三国人物。

Cáo Cāo hé Cáo Pī dōu shì Sānguó rénwù.

Cao Cao and Cao Pi are both Three Kingdoms figures.

植的诗歌在中国文学史上很有名。

Cáo Zhí de shīgē zài Zhōngguó wénxué shǐ shàng hěn yǒumíng.

Cao Zhi's poetry is very famous in the history of Chinese literature.