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国玺 (guó xǐ) — imperial seal; state seal

Definition

国玺 (guó xǐ) is the imperial seal — the official seal representing supreme state authority, historically used by the emperor. Distinct from ordinary official seals (官印) by its association with the sovereign and highest power.

noun
imperial sealstate seal

Examples

  • 国玺。
    Zhè méi guó xǐ shì míng qīng liǎng dài huáng dì shǐ yòng de.
    This state seal was used by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
  • 国玺。
    guó xǐ Dài biǎo le guó jiā de zuì gāo quán lì.
    The state seal represents the highest authority of the nation.
  • 国玺。
    Bó wù guǎn zhǎn chū le yí jiàn gǔ dài guó xǐ.
    The museum exhibited an ancient imperial seal.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

国guóstate; country
玺xǐseal

The state 国 and the seal 玺 combine to name an official or imperial seal.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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 璽; 玺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
爾
爾ěr璽xǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 璽 pairs 玉, jade, with 爾 giving the sound; the simplified 玺 is a later shorthand.

Open 玺 →
Appears in
HistoryGovernment & Politics

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