光宗耀祖 (guāng zōng yào zǔ) — to bring honor to one's ancestors; to be a credit to one's family line

Definition

A chengyu meaning to bring glory and honor to one's ancestors through one's own achievements. It reflects the traditional Confucian value of filial success — that personal accomplishment reflects on the whole family line.

idiom
to bring honor to one's ancestorsto be a credit to one's family line

Examples

  • ，光宗耀祖。
    Tā tōng guò zì jǐ de nǔ lì kǎo shàng le míng pái dà xué, zǒng suàn guāng zōng yào zǔ le.
    Through his own hard work he got into a prestigious university, finally bringing honor to his ancestors.
  • ，光宗耀祖。
    Zài gǔ dài, dú shū rén kǎo qǔ gōng míng jiù shì wèi le guāng zōng yào zǔ.
    In ancient times, scholars studied for official titles precisely to bring glory to their ancestors.
  • ，光宗耀祖。
    Cūn lǐ chū le yí gè dà qǐ yè jiā, dà jiā dōu shuō tā guāng zōng yào zǔ le.
    A big entrepreneur came from the village, and everyone said he had honored his ancestors.

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.

光宗glorify the clan
光guāngglorify宗zōngclan
动宾Verb + object
耀祖honor ancestors
耀yàohonor祖zǔancestor
动宾Verb + object

光宗 and 耀祖 both mean to glorify the family line: 光 and 耀 brighten, while 宗 and 祖 are ancestors.

Characters in this word

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

  • 火火huǒfire
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

Open 光 →

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

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 示示shìspirit tablet

宗 pairs 宀, a house, with 示, a spirit tablet, to show an ancestral shrine or temple.

Open 宗 →

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
光光guānglight; beam; ray
Sound part声符shēngfú
翟
翟zhái耀yào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

耀 has 光 (light; beam; ray) beside 翟, and 翟 gives the sound.

Open 耀 →

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
示示shì
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě祖zǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

祖 was made by adding 示 to 且, and 且 gives the sound.

Open 祖 →

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