zhòu

宙

Character · Noun

time; geologic eon; surname

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

3 senses · 6 examples
1.

noun

time (in ancient Chinese philosophy)

literary

Originally a philosophical term paired with '宇' (space) to form the word '宇宙' (universe).

Gǔ古
rén人
rèn认
wéi为
shàng上
xià下
sì四
fāng方
yuē曰
yǔ宇
 ，
wǎng往
lái古
gǔ来
jīn今
yuē曰
zhòu宙
 。

Ancient people believed that all directions in space are called '宇', and all time past and present is called '宙'.

Yǔ宇
zhòu宙
bāo包
hán含
le了
suǒ所
yǒu有
de的
yǔ宇
hé和
zhòu宙
 。

The universe contains all space and time.

2.

noun

geologic eon; corresponding stratigraphic eonothem

formal

Used in formal geological research, the highest level of geologic time division, with '代' as the next level below.

Xiǎn显
shēng生
zhòu宙
shì是
dì地
zhì质
nián年
dài代
zhōng中
zuì最
xīn新
de的
zhòu宙
 。

The Phanerozoic eon is the most recent geologic eon.

Tài太
gǔ古
zhòu宙
de的
dì地
céng层
bèi被
guī归
lèi类
wéi为
yǔ宇
jí级
dì地
céng层
dān单
wèi位
 。

Strata from the Archean eon are classified as eonothem stratigraphic units.

Show 1 more example
Dì地
zhì质
nián年
dài代
jiǎn简
biǎo表
jiāng将
dì地
qiú球
lì历
shǐ史
fēn分
wéi为
zhòu宙
 、
dài代
 、
jì纪
 、
shì世
 、
qī期
 。

The simplified geologic time scale divides Earth's history into eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages.

3.

noun

surname Zhou

neutral

A relatively rare Chinese surname.

Zhòu宙
xiān先
shēng生
shì是
yī一
wèi位
zhù著
míng名
de的
dì地
zhì质
xué学
jiā家
 。

Mr. Zhou is a famous geologist.