郝 (hǎo) — a surname

Definition

noun
a surname
Easily confused

Examples

  • 郝？
    Nǐ rèn shi hǎo lǎo shī ma?
    Do you know Teacher Hao?
  • 郝。
    hǎo Xiǎo jiě shì wǒ de xīn tóng shì.
    Miss Hao is my new colleague.
  • 郝。
    Zhè shì hǎo xiān sheng de míng piàn.
    This is Mr. Hao's business card.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
邑邑yìcity, town
Sound part声符shēngfú
赤
赤chì郝Hǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

郝 pairs 赤, which gives the sound, with 邑, a city or town.

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