Definitions

shào surname Shao; place name

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "邵" traces its origins to a toponym from the Zhou Dynasty, structurally formed by the phonetic component "召", which carries the sense of summoning, and the radical "阝" on the right, derived from "邑" and denoting a settlement or city, thus originally referring to a specific geographic area. Over time, its primary function transitioned from designating that place to serving as a hereditary surname, a shift that gradually attenuated its direct geographic meaning while maintaining the character's unchanged compositional form. This semantic evolution from a location marker to a familial identifier is consistent with patterns seen in other Chinese characters where historical place names become embedded in personal nomenclature, preserving a latent connection to their etymological roots.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

先生很友好。

Shào xiānshēng hěn yǒuhǎo.

Mr. Shao is very friendly.

阳是个美丽的城市。

Shàoyáng shì gè měilì de chéngshì.

Shaoyang is a beautiful city.

我的朋友姓

Wǒ de péngyou xìng Shào.

My friend's surname is Shao.

工程师工作了十年。

Shào gōngchéngshī gōngzuò le shí nián.

Engineer Shao has worked for ten years.

教授发表了很多论文。

Shào jiàoshòu fābiǎo le hěn duō lùnwén.

Professor Shao has published many papers.

公司的总部设在上海。

Shào gōngsī de zǒngbù shè zài Shànghǎi.

The headquarters of Shao Company is located in Shanghai.

医生建议我多锻炼身体。

Shào yīshēng jiànyì wǒ duō duànliàn shēntǐ.

Dr. Shao advised me to exercise more.

董事长在董事会上宣布了新的投资计划。

Shào dǒngshìzhǎng zài dōngshìhuì shàng xuānbù le xīn de tóuzī jìhuà.

Chairman Shao announced a new investment plan at the board meeting.