Definitions
surname Cai
Etymology
About
The character "蔡" is structurally defined by the grass radical "艹" positioned above the component "祭", which acts primarily as a phonetic element while subtly evoking associations with ritual or cutting. Etymologically, it originally signified wild grass or overgrown vegetation, and early textual instances occasionally extended this to imply a sense of exuding or dispersion. Over time, its meaning contracted and specialized, moving from a general botanical reference to become almost exclusively a surname, a shift that likely stems from its historical use as the name of an ancient state whose descendants perpetuated it as a familial identifier, thereby cementing its anthroponomic role in modern usage.
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。