传家之宝 (chuán jiā zhī bǎo) — family heirloom; treasure passed down through generations

Definition

A treasured object passed down through many generations of one family — a 'family heirloom' in the strongest sense, valued for lineage and history, not just money.

noun
family heirloomtreasure passed down through generations

Examples

  • 传家之宝。
    Zhè běn gǔ shū shì wǒ men jiā de chuán jiā zhī bǎo.
    This ancient book is our family heirloom.
  • 传家之宝。
    Zhè ge jiè zhi shì tā nǎi nai liú gěi tā de chuán jiā zhī bǎo.
    This ring is the family heirloom her grandmother left her.
  • ，传家之宝。
    Nà fú huà zài zhàn zhēng zhōng xìng cún xià lái, chéng le jiā zú de chuán jiā zhī bǎo.
    That painting survived the war and became the family heirloom.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 傳; 传 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān傳chuán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 傳 puts 人 (man) beside 專, which gives the sound; the simplified 传 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not the historical ones.

Open 传 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢑓
𢑓𢑓家jiā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early drawing of 家 showed a roof 宀 over a male-pig sign 𢑓 that gave the pronunciation; the lower part later changed shape.

Open 家 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 寶; 宝 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 琡琡chùjade
  • 貝貝bèicowry

The traditional form 寶 shows 宀 (house), 琡 (jade), and 貝 (cowry), drawn together as treasures in a house.

Open 宝 →

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