宰相 (zǎi xiàng) — (historical) chancellor; prime minister in imperial China

Definition

Historical term for the highest civil official in imperial China — the chief minister advising the emperor. Used for the role itself or a person who held it.

noun
(historical) chancellorprime minister in imperial China
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 宰相，。
    Táng dài de zǎi xiàng quán lì hěn dà, huáng dì yě cháng cháng tīng qǔ tā men de yì jiàn.
    Tang Dynasty chancellors held great power, and emperors often listened to their advice.
  • 宰相。
    Zhè wèi zǎi xiàng wèi guó jiā hé bǎi xìng zuò le hěn duō hǎo shì.
    This chancellor did many good deeds for the country and the people.
  • 宰相。
    Lì shǐ shàng zuì yǒu míng de zǎi xiàng zhī yī jiù shì wáng ān shí.
    One of the most famous chancellors in history was Wang Anshi.

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.

宰zǎigovernor
相xiāngminister

宰 and 相 both refer to high officials, so together they name the chancellor.

Characters in this word

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

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 乂乂yìto govern

The lower part of 宰 comes from 乂, 'to govern'; with 宀, 'house', it makes a house of government.

Open 宰 →

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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