Definition
祖宗 (zǔzong) refers to one's ancestors as a collective, often with a reverent, familial tone — the forebears of a family line. It is more colloquial and emotionally charged than the formal, written 祖先 (zǔxiān), which can also refer to ancestral species in biology. 祖宗 is used in everyday speech about family heritage and rituals.
noun
ancestorsforebears
Examples
- 祖宗。Měinián Qīngmíng jié wǒmen dōu jìbài zǔ zong.Every year at Qingming Festival we pay respects to our ancestors.
- 祖宗。zǔ zong chuán xiàlai de jiāxùn wǒmen yào dàidài zūnshǒu.The family teachings passed down by our ancestors must be followed generation after generation.
- 祖宗。Wǒmen bù néng wàng le zǔ zong de ēnqíng.We must not forget the kindness of our ancestors.
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