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金龟 (jīn guī) — golden tortoise (historical emblem of office in Tang Dynasty); golden tortoise (used in the idiom 金龟婿 for an ideal wealthy husband)

Definition

A 'golden tortoise' — historically a Tang-dynasty rank emblem worn by officials. In modern use it survives mainly in the set phrase 金龟婿, a literary metaphor for an ideal wealthy husband.

noun
golden tortoise (historical emblem of office in Tang Dynasty)golden tortoise (used in the idiom 金龟婿 for an ideal wealthy husband)
Measure word · 只

Examples

  • 金龟。
    Táng dài guān yuán pèi dài jīn guī zuò wéi guān jiē de xiàng zhēng.
    Tang officials wore golden tortoises as symbols of official rank.
  • 金龟，。
    Tā zhǎo le yí gè jīn guī xù, dà jiā dōu xiàn mù tā.
    She found a wealthy husband, and everyone envies her.
  • 金龟。
    Bó wù guǎn lǐ chén liè zhe yí jiàn táng dài de jīn guī.
    The museum displays a Tang Dynasty golden tortoise.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

金jīngold
龟guītortoise

金 means gold and 龟 means tortoise, giving a golden tortoise.

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.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 龜; 龟 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 龜 came from a drawing of a turtle seen from the side and above; the simplified 龟 is a later abbreviation.

Open 龟 →
Appears in
Chinese Culture & Customs

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