Definitions
surname Cai
Etymology
About
A phono-semantic compound, 蔡 combines the grass radical 艹 at the top with the lower component 祭 ('sacrifice' or 'ritual offering'), which serves as the phonetic indicator. The grass radical signals the original meaning: a type of wild grass. Over time, this botanical sense was eclipsed when 蔡 became the name of an ancient vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty, leading to its dominant modern use as a common Chinese surname.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
蔡先生是中国人。
我的朋友姓蔡。
蔡老师教我们数学。
蔡英文是台湾地区的领导人。
这本书是蔡邕写的。
我们去上蔡县旅游。
蔡伦发明了造纸术。
蔡氏家族在历史上很有名。
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