君 (jūn) — monarch, sovereign, ruler; polite term of address after a surname, Mr., sir
Definition
In classical/formal Chinese, 君 (jūn) means 'monarch' or 'ruler' (a sense absent in modern speech). In letters, 君 is also a polite written address placed after a surname, like 'Mr.' — far more formal than 先生.
noun
monarchsovereignrulerpolite term of address after a surname, Mr., sir
Measure word · 位
Examples
- 。Gǔ dài jūn zhǔ yōng yǒu zhì gāo wú shàng de quán lì.In ancient times, monarchs held supreme power.
- 。Gǔ dài jūn zhǔ bèi shì wéi guó jiā zuì gāo tǒng zhì zhě.In ancient times, the monarch was regarded as the supreme ruler of the state.
- 君，。Lǐ jūn de lái xìn yǐ shōu xī, tè cǐ huí fù.Mr. Li's letter has been received, and this is a reply in particular.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
君 combines 尹 and 口. Early forms were often interchangeable with 尹, and 口 may show commands or simply be decorative.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.