About
The character "祖" finds its etymology in the combination of the semantic component "示", denoting an altar or matters of spirit, and the component "且", which historically functioned as a phonetic element while also evoking the image of an ancestral tablet. Originally, the character specifically referred to the spirits of ancestors and the rites performed at their shrines, reflecting a primary association with religious veneration. From this core meaning, it gradually expanded to encompass the living predecessors within a family line, thereby denoting ancestors and forebears in a more general sense. This semantic broadening further allowed the character to conceptualize the origin or foundation of things, evident in its use within compounds that identify familial relations, such as "祖父" for grandfather, or abstract foundations, as in "祖国" for homeland. The traditional form of the character retains this compositional structure, with the altar radical consistently appearing as "礻", underscoring the lasting conceptual link between ancestral reverence and foundational origins.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
祖国是我的母亲。
他的祖父非常慈祥。
我们祭拜共同的祖先。
这种手艺是祖传的。
他的祖籍在福建省。
我们永远不能数典忘祖。
他致力于研究祖国医学史。
那位华侨怀着寻根问祖的心愿回到了故乡。