祖

zǔ

且 + 礻

Definitions

zǔ (noun) ancestor; forefather

zǔ (noun) grandparent

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 礻 represents the meaning and 且 represents the sound.

Semantic: 礻 Phonetic: 且

About

祖 is a phono-semantic compound combining the altar radical 礻 (spirit, veneration) with the phonetic 且. Originally, 且 depicted a ceremonial vessel or a phallic symbol tied to ancestral lineage, so the character reflects the practice of offering sacrifices to ancestors. Its primary meaning is ancestors and founding figures of a lineage; today it commonly refers to grandparents or distant family origins.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Spring and Autumn (~600 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

祖国是我的母亲。

Zǔguó shì wǒ de mǔqīn.

My motherland is my mother.

他的祖父非常慈祥。

Tā de zǔfù fēicháng cíxiáng.

His grandfather is very kind.

我们祭拜共同的祖先。

Wǒmen jìbài gòngtóng de zǔxiān.

We worship our common ancestors.

这种手艺是祖传的。

Zhè zhǒng shǒuyì shì zǔchuán de.

This craft is passed down from ancestors.

他的祖籍在福建省。

Tā de zǔjí zài Fújiàn shěng.

His ancestral home is in Fujian Province.

我们永远不能数典忘祖。

Wǒmen yǒngyuǎn bù néng shǔ diǎn wàng zǔ.

We must never forget our origins.

他致力于研究祖国医学史。

Tā zhìlì yú yánjiū zǔguó yīxué shǐ.

He is dedicated to studying the history of our country's medicine.

那位华侨怀着寻根问祖的心愿回到了故乡。

Nà wèi huáqiáo huáizhe xúngēn wènzǔ de xīnyuàn huí dàole gùxiāng.

That overseas Chinese returned to his hometown with the wish of tracing his roots and ancestors.

Related Characters

Component: 且

Component: 礻

Example Words