封号 (fēng háo) — traditional title conferred by an emperor

Definition

A title bestowed by a Chinese emperor on a subject (often a relative or meritorious official), distinct from official bureaucratic post (官职) or reign title (年号).

noun
traditional title conferred by an emperor
Easily confused

Examples

  • 封号。
    Tā zài táng cháo bèi cì yǔ le yí gè fēng háo.
    He was granted a title by the emperor in the Tang Dynasty.
  • 封号。
    Zhè ge fēng háo shì huáng dì qīn zì shòu yǔ de.
    This title was personally conferred by the emperor.
  • 封号。
    Gǔ dài zhǐ yǒu gōng chén cái néng huò dé fēng háo.
    In ancient times, only meritorious officials could receive such titles.

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.

封fēngconferred
号hàotitle

封 (conferred) and 号 (title) combine to mean a title conferred.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
寸寸cùnhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丰
丰fēng封fēng
Same sound today

The shape 封 is 丰 plus 土 (earth) plus 寸 (hand); 丰 was originally drawn as a tree seedling.

Open 封 →

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

  • 口口kǒumouth
  • 丂丂kǎoexhaled air; a tiger's cry

The shape 号 comes from 口, a mouth, and 丂, exhaled air or a tiger's cry.

Open 号 →

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