周
zhōu
周 (zhōu) is the Chinese name for the Zhou dynasty, an era in Chinese history and is also a common surname.
周 can refer to the historical Chinese dynasty and era. It is also used as a very common Chinese surname.
Meaning: Chinese dynasty and era (name)
How do you pronounce it?
zhōu
When do people say it?
In historical contexts, the term 周公 (Zhōugōng) refers to the Duke of Zhou, a highly revered figure in Chinese history and culture.
Did you know?
- Because 周 means 'circle' or 'cycle', it is the root of the modern Chinese word for 'week', which is 星期 (xīngqī) or simply 周 (zhōu).
- The character 周 was originally a pictogram of a carved jade artifact. Over time, the shape of the character changed until it looked more like the word for 'to use' (用).
- Beyond history and names, 周 is used as a common word meaning 'to encircle' or 'everywhere'. It is used today to describe a 'circuit' or a 'cycle'.
Examples in context
- 究竟是周公夢到了蝴蝶，還是蝴蝶夢到了周公？Did the Duke of Zhou dream of the butterfly, or did the butterfly dream of the Duke of Zhou?This sentence uses 周 to refer to the Duke of Zhou.Tatoeba #13822795 by LeviHighway, translation #13850496 by DaoSeng
- 一百年才出一个周立波。A person like Zhou Libo is only born once every hundred years.This sentence uses 周 as part of a proper name.Tatoeba #692772 by U2FS, translation #8716806 by krrk
- 我姓周。My surname is Zhou.This sentence uses 周 as a surname.Tatoeba #347302 by zhouj1955, translation #379349 by kellenparker
- 我朋友的名字是周杰伦。My friend's name is Jay Chou.
Example conversation
A student and a teacher are discussing Chinese history.
- 佳怡 Jiayi周朝的歷史非常悠久。Zhōucháo de lìshǐ fēicháng yōujiǔ.The history of the Zhou dynasty is very long.
- 志强 Zhiqiang是的，它對中國文化影響很大。Shì de, tā duì Zhōngguó wénhuà yǐngxiǎng hěn dà.Yes, it had a great influence on Chinese culture.
- 佳怡 Jiayi那時的人都很有禮節嗎？Nà shí de rén dōu hěn yǒu lǐjié ma?Were people during that time very polite?
- 志强 Zhiqiang當時的禮制確實非常完善。Dāngshí de lǐzhì quèshí fēicháng wánshàn.The ritual system at that time was indeed very complete.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 周, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
