About
Originally a general first-person pronoun in early Chinese, the character "朕" is structurally composed of the radical 舟, denoting a boat, and the component 灷, which potentially carries phonetic or archaic semantic associations with ceremonial fire or omens. Its meaning underwent a profound narrowing when the First Emperor of Qin dynasty reserved it exclusively for imperial self-reference, a move that elevated the term from common usage to a designation of supreme authority. This exclusive association was maintained throughout imperial history,彻底 solidifying "朕" as the emperor's formal self-address while its earlier colloquial sense disappeared entirely. The character's form has persisted without simplification, retaining its original components as a linguistic relic of its shifted status.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
朕今天很高兴。
朕要处理国家大事。
朕命令你立即出发。
朕觉得这个提议很好。
朕在御花园里散步。
朕决定赦免你的罪行。
朕的江山是祖先留下的。
朕希望国家繁荣富强。