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祖宗

zǔ zōng

HSK 7–9

Meaning

  • ancestor
  • forebear

Definition

祖先；家族中较早的前辈。

ancestors; forefathers of a family.

Usage

常用于指家族的上代，也可泛指民族或国家的先辈，带有尊敬和祭祀的含义。

Often used to refer to the older generations of a family, and can also refer to the ancestors of a nation or ethnic group, with connotations of respect and worship.

Examples

  • 1 清明节我们要祭拜祖宗。 (During Qingming Festival, we pay respects to our ancestors.)
  • 2 他家的祖宗牌位都供在祠堂里。 (His family's ancestral tablets are enshrined in the ancestral hall.)
  • 3 不能忘了祖宗的遗训。 (We must not forget the teachings of our ancestors.)
  • 4 这个家族的祖宗是从山西迁来的。 (The ancestors of this family moved from Shanxi.)
  • 5 据说他们是明朝一位大官的祖宗。 (It is said they are the ancestors of a high official from the Ming Dynasty.)

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