韶

sháo

召 + 音

Definitions

sháo surname Shao

sháo (literary) splendid; glorious

Etymology

Imperial 召 music 音; 召 also provides the pronunciation

About

韶 is composed of 音 'music' and 召 'imperial', with 召 also providing the pronunciation. Its original meaning was the ancient court music of the sage King Shun. Over time, the meaning broadened to encompass beauty, harmony, and excellence, and it became especially associated with the freshness of spring and the bloom of youth. In modern Chinese, it frequently appears in words like 韶光 (splendid youth) and 韶华 (glorious springtime), having shifted from a term of historical music to an aesthetic ideal.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

韶华很宝贵，莫要虚度。

Sháo huá hěn bǎoguì, mò yào xūdù.

Youth is precious; do not squander it.

她的名字里有一个韶字。

Tā de míngzì lǐ yǒu yī gè sháo zì.

There is a character "韶" in her name.

韶山是毛泽东的故乡。

Sháoshān shì Máo Zédōng de gùxiāng.

Shaoshan is Mao Zedong's hometown.

那段韶光令人终生难忘。

Nà duàn sháoguāng lìng rén zhōngshēng nánwàng.

That period of beautiful youth is unforgettable for a lifetime.

他正处在人生最美好的韶年。

Tā zhèng chǔ zài rénshēng zuì měihǎo de sháonián.

He is in the most beautiful youthful years of his life.

音乐会上响起了韶乐般的旋律。

Yīnyuèhuì shàng xiǎngqǐle sháoyuè bān de xuánlǜ.

A melody reminiscent of ancient "Shao" music resounded at the concert.

回忆中的韶景总带着一层温暖的滤镜。

Huíyì zhōng de sháojǐng zǒng dàizhe yī céng wēnnuǎn de lǜjìng.

The beautiful scenes in memory always carry a warm filter.

与浮华的喧嚣相比，我更爱这乡间的韶秀。

Yǔ fúhuá de xuānxiāo xiāng bǐ, wǒ gèng ài zhè xiāngjiān de sháoxiù.

Compared to the flashy bustle, I prefer the elegant beauty of this countryside.

Related Characters

Component: 召

Component: 音

韶