About
The character 董, which retains the same form in both traditional and simplified systems, originates from a specific type of plant, likely a kind of aromatic herb, as suggested by its radical component 艹, indicating its botanical association. Its structural composition combines this grass radical with the phonetic and semantic component 重, which conveys a sense of weight or importance. Over time, the meaning of the character shifted decisively away from its literal plant reference to adopt abstract administrative and supervisory connotations, drawing metaphorically from the idea of a weighty or authoritative foundation. This evolution led to its modern usage primarily as a verb meaning to supervise or direct, as well as its role in terms like "director" (董事), where it signifies a position of managerial oversight and responsibility.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
董先生是我们的领导。
董事会成员正在开会。
他被选为学校董事。
董经理负责这个项目。
这件事需要董事会批准。
董仲舒是汉代著名学者。
古董收藏需要专业知识。
公司董事局做出了最终决策。