尧 (yáo) — Yao, a legendary sage-king in ancient Chinese mythology

Definition

尧 (Yáo) is the legendary sage-king who founded Chinese dynastic tradition, often grouped with 舜 (Shùn) and 禹 (Yǔ) as Confucian ideals of virtuous rule.

noun
Yao, a legendary sage-king in ancient Chinese mythology
Easily confused

Examples

  • 尧。
    yáo Shì zhōng guó gǔ dài chuán shuō zhōng de yí wèi shèng jūn.
    Yao is a sage-king in ancient Chinese legend.
  • 尧舜。
    yáo Shùn yǔ shì rú jiā tuī chóng de lǐ xiǎng jūn zhǔ.
    Yao, Shun, and Yu are the ideal rulers praised by Confucianism.
  • 尧。
    Lì shǐ shàng guān yú yáo de jì zǎi bìng bù duō.
    Historical records about Yao are not abundant.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 堯; 尧 is its simplified writing.

  • 垚垚yáotall (of earth)
  • 兀兀wùtowering and bald

The traditional form 堯 shows 垚, stacked earth, above 兀, a kneeling man, giving a towering image; the simplified 尧 is a later shorthand.

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