诸葛 (Zhū gě) — the two‑character surname Zhuge

Definition

noun

the two‑character surname Zhuge

诸葛。
Tā xìng Zhū gě.
His surname is Zhuge.
诸葛。
Zhū gě Xiān sheng shì sān guó shí qī de zhù míng rén wù.
Mr. Zhuge was a famous figure from the Three Kingdoms period.
诸葛。
Tā chū shēng zài yí gè Zhū gě jiā zú.
He was born into a Zhuge family.

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 諸; 诸 is its simplified writing.

言者諸

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 諸 pairs 言 (speech) with 者; 者 gives the sound.

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

艹曷葛

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎo

Sound part声符shēngfú

曷

曷hé葛gé

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

葛 uses 艹 to show it is a plant and 曷 for its sound.