商
shāng
商 (shāng) is the Chinese name for the Shang, an ancient dynasty in China.
When you want to refer specifically to the dynasty itself, it is common to follow the character 商 with the word 朝 (cháo), which means 'dynasty', resulting in 商朝.
How do you pronounce it?
shāng
Did you know?
- Some early versions of the character 商 featured star-shaped marks, suggesting the word may have originally been a dedicated graph for a specific star known as the 商 star.
- While it is a proper noun for a dynasty, 商 also functions as a verb meaning 'to discuss' or 'to consult'.
- The character 商 is part of the word for 'merchant', linking the ancient name directly to the concept of a person who trades.
Examples in context
- 在商朝，貝朋為通用貨幣。Seashells were the legal tender in the Shang dynasty.This sentence is useful for seeing how 商 is used in the context of historical currency.Tatoeba #6039669 by xjjAstrus, translation #8732707 by Ada_Virus
- 我们将在商业会议上讨论上一季度的销售情况We will discuss the sales performance of the previous quarter at the business conference.
- 咱们上午在咖啡厅见面，聊聊上个周末的事情Let's meet at the café in the morning and chat about last weekend.
- 我们的合作伙伴来自上海Our partners are from Shanghai.
- 听说你们明天要去上饶旅游，要不要我帮你们收拾行李？I heard you are going to Shangrao for a trip tomorrow. Do you need help with packing?
- 商朝的歷史非常悠久。Shāng cháo de lìshǐ fēicháng yōujiǔ.The history of the Shang dynasty is very long.
- 他在研究商代的青銅器。Tā zài yánjiū Shāng dài de qīngtóngqì.He is researching bronze items from the Shang period.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing their history project in the library.
- 俊杰 Junjie梓涵，你决定研究哪个朝代了吗？Zǐhán, nǐ juédìng yánjiū nǎ ge cháodài le ma?Zihan, have you decided which dynasty to research?
- 梓涵 Zihan我想研究商朝的青铜器。Wǒ xiǎng yánjiū Shāngcháo de qīngtóngqì.I want to research the bronzes of the Shang Dynasty.
- 俊杰 Junjie那个主题非常有趣。Nàge zhǔtí fēicháng yǒuqù.That topic is very interesting.
- 梓涵 Zihan谢谢你，俊杰。Xièxiè nǐ, Jùnjié.Thank you, Junjie.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 商, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
