贝勒 (bèi lè) — (noun) a rank of Manchu nobility during the Qing dynasty, roughly equivalent to a lord of the third rank

Definition

贝勒 (bèile) is a Qing-dynasty Manchu noble title, ranked below 亲王 and above 贝子. It is a historical term referring specifically to this rank of Manchu aristocracy, not a general word for 'noble'.

noun
a rank of Manchu nobility during the Qing dynasty, roughly equivalent to a lord of the third rank
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 贝勒，。
    Tā shì qīng cháo de yí wèi bèi lè, shǒu wèi běi bù biān jiāng.
    He was a beile of the Qing dynasty, guarding the northern frontier.
  • 贝勒。
    Zhè wèi bèi lè de fǔ dǐ zài běi jīng chéng lǐ fēi cháng zhuàng guān.
    This beile's mansion in Beijing was quite magnificent.
  • ，贝勒。
    Zài qīng dài, bèi lè shì yì zhǒng zhòng yào de guì zú jué wèi.
    During the Qing era, beile was an important noble title.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 貝; 贝 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 貝, not the simplified 贝, shows a cowrie shell used as money in ancient China.

Open 贝 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
革革gé
Sound part声符shēngfú
力
力lì勒lè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

勒 pairs 革 (leather), because bridles are made of leather, with 力, which gives the sound.

Open 勒 →

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