Definitions
(noun)
ancient Chinese state (476-220 BC)
(verb)
to surpass
Etymology
About
The character Zhao, traditionally written as 趙, is structurally composed of the radical 走, indicating movement, and the component 肖, which originally served as a phonetic element. Its earliest known meaning was "to hurry" or "to walk quickly", derived from this combination. Over time, the character became predominantly associated with the Zhao state during the Zhou dynasty, leading to its establishment as a prominent surname. The simplified form 赵 maintains the 走 radical but replaces 肖 with 乂, a structural alteration for writing efficiency that does not carry phonetic or semantic value. The character's semantic trajectory shifted entirely from an action verb to a proper noun, with the original verbal sense falling out of use in contemporary language.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
赵先生来了。
赵明是我的好朋友。
赵家住在北京。
赵老师教我们数学。
赵女士在图书馆工作。
赵经理负责这个项目。
赵叔叔经常帮助我们学习。
赵爷爷的故事很有趣。