Definitions
surname Zeng; Zhou vassal state; also pr. [céng]
Etymology
About
鄯 is composed of the phonetic component 曾 (zēng) and the city radical 邑 (yì), written as 阝 on the right. It is a proper noun designating an ancient state from the Zhou Dynasty and Spring and Autumn period, located in present-day Shandong. The character follows a common pattern of combining a phonetic element with the city radical to denote a place name. Though the state was eventually conquered, the character survives in historical records and later became a surname for descendants of its nobility.
Etymology Hide
