Definitions

(noun) government office; official residence
(noun) mansion; stately home
(noun) prefecture

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 广 represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: 广 Phonetic:

About

The character "府" structurally combines the roof radical "广", representing a building, with the component "付", which provides phonetic guidance and hints at the action of handing over or depositing items, originally denoting a treasury or storehouse. This foundational meaning of a secured repository for goods or documents naturally evolved to signify the buildings where such valuables were housed and managed, thereby extending to refer to official residences and administrative compounds. Over time, the term's application shifted more squarely toward governance, coming to designate the seats of authority for local or central administration, such as prefectural offices or governmental departments, which reflects a semantic transition from physical storage to the institutions of bureaucracy itself.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 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 Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

关心人民。

Zhèngfǔ guānxīn rénmín.

The government cares about the people.

总统前聚集了许多人。

Zǒngtǒngfǔ qián jùjíle xǔduō rén.

Many people gathered in front of the presidential palace.

这座城市的政大楼很雄伟。

Zhè zuò chéngshì de zhèngfǔ dàlóu hěn xióngwěi.

This city's government building is very majestic.

他是省政的高级官员。

Tā shì shěng zhèngfǔ de gāojí guānyuán.

He is a senior official in the provincial government.

井是北京著名的商业街。

Wángfǔ Jǐng shì Běijīng zhùmíng de shāngyè jiē.

Wangfujing is a famous commercial street in Beijing.

这所大学设有学术交流基金会。

Zhè suǒ dàxué shè yǒu xuéshù jiāoliú jījīnhuì.

This university has an academic exchange foundation.

古代的知识是地方上的最高长官。

Gǔdài de zhīfǔ shì dìfāng shàng de zuìgāo zhǎngguān.

In ancient times, the prefect was the highest local official.

他成了大家抱怨的怨,这很不公平。

Tā chéngle dàjiā bàoyuàn de yuànfǔ, zhè hěn bù gōngpíng.

He became the object of everyone's complaints, which is very unfair.