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主公 (zhǔ gōng) — (historical) Your Majesty, My Lord (honorific for a ruler or lord)

Definition

A historical/period-drama honorific used by retainers, advisors, or generals to address their lord or ruler directly — second person ('my lord'), not a third-person title.

noun
(historical) Your MajestyMy Lord (honorific for a ruler or lord)

Examples

  • 主公。
    Chén cān jiàn zhǔ gōng.
    Your servant pays respects to you, my lord.
  • 主公，。
    zhǔ gōng Yǒu lìng, mò jiāng bù gǎn bù cóng.
    If you give an order, my lord, I dare not disobey.
  • 主公，。
    zhǔ gōng Zài shàng, qǐng shòu xiǎo jiàng yí bài.
    My lord, please accept a bow from this young officer.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

主zhǔlord
公gōnglord

Both parts mean a lord or ruler, so the term is an honorific address for a sovereign.

Characters in this word

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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

One theory sees 公 as a picture of a wide-mouthed, round-bottomed jar.

Open 公 →
Appears in
Identity & Titles

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