后藏 (hòu cáng) — the historical region of Tsang (western Tibet)

Definition

后藏 (hòu zàng) is the historical name for western/central Tibet, paired with 前藏 ('Ü-Tsang' / 前藏 = eastern/Ü). Together they form the traditional two-part division of Tibet.

noun
the historical region of Tsang (western Tibet)

Examples

  • 后藏。
    hòu cáng Shì xī zàng de zhòng yào wén huà qū yù.
    Tsang is an important cultural region of Tibet.
  • 后藏。
    Qián cáng hé hòu cáng shì xī zàng lì shǐ shàng de liǎng dà qū yù.
    Ü and Tsang are the two great regions in the history of Tibet.
  • 后藏。
    Tā duì hòu cáng de wén huà hé zōng jiào yǒu yán jiū.
    He has done research on the culture and religion of Tsang.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

后hòurear/western
藏cángTibet/Tsang

“后” is the rear or western side, and “藏” is the Tsang region.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
臧
臧zāng藏cáng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

藏 is made from 艸 (grass) and 臧, where 臧 gives the sound.

Open 藏 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.