Definitions

chéng surname Cheng; Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE) vassal state

Etymology

About

The character 郕 is a phono-semantic compound used almost exclusively as a proper noun. Its structure features the semantic radical 阝 on the right, indicating a city or state, with the phonetic component 成 on the left providing its pronunciation. Etymologically, 郕 designated an ancient vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty and later became a surname derived from this place name. As the character was created specifically to denote this historical territory and its associated lineage, it developed no extended or abstract meanings, serving purely as a specialized historical and genealogical marker for ancient political geography.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
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Simplified Modern