和亲 (hé qīn) — (historical) to form a peace alliance by marrying a royal woman to a non-Han ruler; (literal, rare) to become close and intimate through marriage

Definition

Historical term for peace marriages: a Han Chinese ruler sent a princess to marry a non-Han chieftain to secure the border. Distinct from ordinary marriage (结婚/婚姻); this is a political strategy, not a personal union.

verb
(historical) to form a peace alliance by marrying a royal woman to a non-Han ruler(literal, rare) to become close and intimate through marriage

Examples

  • 和亲。
    Hàn cháo céng duō cì tōng guò hé qīn lái wěn dìng běi fāng biān jìng.
    The Han dynasty repeatedly used marriage alliances to stabilize the northern border.
  • 和亲，。
    Wáng zhāo jūn zì yuàn chū sài hé qīn, chuán wéi qiān gǔ jiā huà.
    Wang Zhaojun volunteered to go beyond the frontier for a marriage alliance, which has been celebrated through the ages.
  • 。
    Lì shǐ shàng táng cháo hé tǔ bō hé guò yí cì qīn.
    Historically, the Tang dynasty and Tubo (Tibet) once made a marriage alliance.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

和hémake harmonious
亲qīnmarriage

和 (make harmonious) and 亲 (marriage) describe forming a peace alliance through marriage.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé和hé
Same sound today

和 pairs 禾, which gives the sound, with 口 (mouth), the meaning part; the reference connects this shape to harmony.

Open 和 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 親; 亲 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn親qīn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 親 uses 見 (see) for sense and 辛 (a chisel) for sound; the simplified 亲 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 亲 →

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