Definitions
(noun)
tribal chief; chieftain
Etymology
Depicts a container of wine. Based on the original meaning "wine-master". The meaning later shifted to "elder" and "chief".
About
The character 酋 originally depicted a vessel for aged wine or fermented liquor, with its earliest meaning centered on this specific substance and by extension the person responsible for its production, the wine master or elder. Its structural composition, which integrates the element for separation with the wine vessel component 酉, conceptually aligns with the process of distillation or the separation of pure liquor from sediment. From this concrete association with a valued commodity and the seniority implied in its craftsmanship, the term’s application broadened metaphorically to denote a tribal chieftain or leader, a figure of authority analogous to the master of the wine ceremony. This semantic shift from a concrete object and craft to an abstract title of leadership represents the core evolution of the character, which has retained this primary meaning of a chieftain or headman into the modern era.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我们尊敬酋长。
酋长住在村子里。
老酋长经验丰富。
昨天酋长召开了会议。
这个酋邦历史悠久。
酋长的决定影响整个部落。
如果酋长同意，我们就出发。
尽管年轻，但新酋长已经赢得了众人的信任。