earliest ancestor; founder
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
earliest ancestor; founder; originator
literaryA literary term, originally meaning the ancestor with whom a family lineage begins. By extension, it refers to the founder or originator of a school of thought, an art form, a discipline, etc. It carries a sense of great respect and venerable antiquity.
Kǒng孔
zǐ子
bèi被
zūn尊
wéi为
rú儒
xué学
de的
bí鼻
zǔ祖
。
Confucius is revered as the founder of Confucianism.
Tā他
bèi被
gōng公
rèn认
wéi为
zhè这
ge个
yán研
jiū究
lǐng领
yù域
de的
bí鼻
zǔ祖
。
He is widely recognized as the originator of this field of study.
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Zhè这
bù部
xiǎo小
shuō说
kāi开
chuàng创
le了
zhēn侦
tàn探
xiǎo小
shuō说
de的
xiān先
hé河
,
kān堪
chēng称
cǐ此
lèi类
xíng型
de的
bí鼻
zǔ祖
。
This novel pioneered the detective fiction genre and can be regarded as its progenitor.
Xǔ许
duō多
rén人
jiāng将
Niú牛
dùn顿
shì视
wéi为
xiàn现
dài代
wù物
lǐ理
xué学
de的
bí鼻
zǔ祖
。
Many consider Newton the founding father of modern physics.