(hóu) — (surname) Hou; (historical) marquis

Definition

A literary/archaic noun for a 'marquis' (one of the five ranks of ancient Chinese nobility: 公、侯、伯、子、男). More commonly seen today as the surname Hóu.

noun
(surname) Hou(historical) marquis

Examples

  • Wǒ xìng hóu.
    My surname is Hou.
  • hóu Xiān sheng shì wǒ men de jiào shòu.
    Mr. Hou is our professor.
  • Gǔ dài wǔ děng jué wèi bāo kuò gōng, hóu, bó, zǐ, nán.
    The five ancient ranks of nobility were duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron.

Origin

Pictograph
六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíng

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

侯 comes from a picture of a target for arrows.

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