chén

臣子

Word · Noun · Pronoun · VerbTraditional臣

official; subject; servant; I (in imperial times)

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

3 senses · 7 examples
1.

noun

official; subject; minister (to a ruler)

archaic

Historical term for an official or subject in imperial China, subordinate to the emperor or a feudal lord.

Zhōng忠
chén臣
bù不
shì事
èr二
zhǔ主
 。

A loyal minister does not serve two masters.

Tā他
shì是
cháo朝
tíng廷
de的
zhòng重
chén臣
 。

He is an important minister of the court.

Show 1 more example
Jūn君
chén臣
zhī之
lǐ礼
bù不
kě可
fèi废
 。

The rituals between ruler and subject must not be abandoned.

2.

pronoun

I; me (used by an official/subject when addressing the emperor)

humble

A first-person pronoun used humbly by officials when speaking to the emperor in historical contexts.

Chén臣
yǒu有
yī一
shì事
qǐ启
zòu奏
bì陛
xià下
 。

I, your servant, have a matter to report to Your Majesty.

Chén臣
yǐ以
wéi为
cǐ此
shì事
bù不
tuǒ妥
 。

I, your subject, believe this matter is inappropriate.

3.

verb

to submit; to acknowledge sovereignty; to serve as a subject

archaic

Used in the context of a state or person submitting to a ruler's authority.

Xiǎo小
guó国
xiàng向
dà大
guó国
chēng称
chén臣
 。

The small state submitted to the great power.

Nìng宁
sǐ死
bù不
chén臣
 。

Would rather die than submit.