清显 (qīng xiǎn) — (historical) high-ranking and honorable official position

Definition

清显 is a literary, historical term meaning a high-ranking and honorable official position, often used to describe prestigious posts in the imperial court. It is a formal, written word — not used in everyday speech.

noun
(historical) high-ranking and honorable official position

Examples

  • 清显，。
    Tā zài cháo tíng zhōng dān rèn qīng xiǎn, shēn shòu huáng dì xìn rèn.
    He held a high-ranking official position at court and was deeply trusted by the emperor.
  • 清显，。
    Táng dài xǔ duō wén rén zhuī qiú qīng xiǎn, yǐ cǐ guāng zōng yào zǔ.
    Many literati in the Tang dynasty pursued high-ranking official positions to bring glory to their ancestors.
  • ，清显。
    Tā chū shēn míng mén, nián qīng shí biàn huò dé qīng xiǎn.
    He came from a prestigious family and obtained a high-ranking official position at a young age.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

清qīngpure/noble
显xiǎnprominent

清 'pure/noble' and 显 'prominent' combine to describe a high, honorable office.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng清qīng
Same sound today

清 has 氵 (water) on the left and 青 on the right to show its sound.

Open 清 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 顯; 显 is its simplified writing.

  • 日日rìsun
  • 絲絲sīsilk
  • 頁頁yèperson's head

For 显, the traditional form 顯 is made of 日 (sun), 絲 (silk), and 頁 (person's head).

Open 显 →

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