祖
zǔ
Description
"祖"这个字常常和别的字组成词，表示家里很早以前的人，比如爷爷、奶奶那一辈的人。
The character "祖" is often combined with other characters to form words that refer to people in the family from a long time ago, such as grandparents' generation.
它也可以指一件事情或者一门技术最早开始的人。
It can also refer to the person who first started something or a particular skill.
Meanings
祖zǔ
grandparent; ancestor of an earlier generation
我的祖父今年八十岁了。
My grandfather is eighty years old this year.
祖zǔ
ancestor; forefather
我们的祖先住在这条河边。
Our ancestors lived by this river.
祖zǔ
founder; originator of something
人们叫他这门手艺的鼻祖。
People call him the founder of this craft.
Related words
Notes
- Etymology
originally meant ancestral tablet; now a bound morpheme for ancestors and origins.
- Nuance
rarely used alone; almost always appears in compounds like 祖父 or 祖国.
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