Definitions
(noun)
omen; sign
(verb)
to foretell; to predict
(numeral)
trillion; mega-; tera-
Etymology
Originally a pictograph of two people escaping a flood. Based on the original meaning "escape", now written as 逃. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "兆" traces its etymology to early pictographic representations of the fissures that emerged on heated turtle shells or animal bones during divination rituals, with its form stylizing these branching cracks into a cohesive graph. Originally denoting the omens interpreted from such patterns, its core meaning remained anchored in signs and portents for much of its history. Over time, the semantic scope widened to include any harbinger or indicative phenomenon, and later, through associative logic, it was employed to represent the vast numerical value of one trillion, metaphorically extending the concept of proliferation from the myriad crack lines to an immense quantity. This evolution from a concrete divinatory mark to an abstract signifier and finally to a quantitative unit reflects the character's adaptive capacity within the language while preserving its fundamental association with indication and multiplicity.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这是一个好兆头。
电脑有一兆内存。
兆亿人民庆祝国庆。
地震前常有征兆。
这款手机的网速达到百兆。
经济显示兆级增长趋势。
兆伏高压电需谨慎处理。
数据分析预兆市场将繁荣。