子爵 (zǐ jué) — viscount

Definition

A European hereditary noble title ranking below a count (伯爵) and above a baron (男爵). In Chinese historical writing it also appears as 子 for short.

noun
viscount
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 。
    Tā shì yí wèi zǐ jué.
    He is a viscount.
  • 子爵。
    zǐ jué De chéng bǎo hěn gǔ lǎo.
    The viscount's castle is very old.
  • 子爵。
    Tā de fù qīn shì zǐ jué.
    His father is a viscount.

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.

子zǐa noble rank
爵juétitle or rank

子 names a noble rank, and 爵 means title, together referring to a viscount.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

爵 originally pictured a sparrow-shaped wine vessel, sometimes with a hand holding it. In the modern form, the vessel's parts were reshaped and separated.

Open 爵 →

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