宋

sòng

宀 + 木

Definitions

Sòng (noun) Song dynasty (960-1279)

Sòng (noun) Southern Song dynasty (420-479)

Etymology

Depicts a building (宀) made of wood (木). Based on the original meaning "dwelling". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

The character 宋 combines 宀 "roof" with 木 "wood" to depict a timber dwelling , its original meaning. This architectural sense became completely obsolete. Phonetically borrowed, the graph came to designate the ancient state of Song during the Zhou dynasty, a significant feudal realm, and later the Song dynasty. Now it functions almost exclusively as a prevalent Chinese surname and a historical reference to that culturally illustrious era.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

宋先生今天来了。

Sòng xiānsheng jīntiān lái le.

Mr. Song came today.

我喜欢宋朝的历史。

Wǒ xǐhuān Sòng cháo de lìshǐ.

I like the history of the Song dynasty.

宋词是中国文学的瑰宝。

Sòng cí shì Zhōngguó wénxué de guībǎo.

Song poetry is a treasure of Chinese literature.

这本书讲述了宋朝的故事。

Zhè běn shū jiǎngshù le Sòng cháo de gùshì.

This book tells the story of the Song dynasty.

宋叔叔是我爸爸的好朋友。

Sòng shūshu shì wǒ bàba de hǎo péngyou.

Uncle Song is my father's good friend.

我们在博物馆看到了宋朝的瓷器。

Wǒmen zài bówùguǎn kàn dào le Sòng cháo de cíqì.

We saw Song dynasty porcelain at the museum.

宋体字是中文印刷中常用的字体。

Sòngtǐ zì shì Zhōngwén yìnshuā zhōng chángyòng de zìtǐ.

Song typeface is a commonly used font in Chinese printing.

研究人员正在深入研究宋朝的经济制度。

Yánjiū rényuán zhèngzài shēnrù yánjiū Sòng cháo de jīngjì zhìdù.

Researchers are deeply studying the economic system of the Song dynasty.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 宀

Component: 木

Example Words