祖
ancestor; forefather; founder; surname
Meanings
4 senses · 17 examplesnoun
elder generation of parents' family
neutralRefers to paternal or maternal older relatives in the parental generation.
My grandfather is a retired teacher.
Great uncle is the elder brother of one's father.
Show 3 more examplesShow fewer examples
My maternal grandmother's mother is my great-great-aunt.
He took his children to pay respects to his ancestors.
Maternal grandfather is the father of one's mother.
noun
ancestor; forebear
neutralRefers to earlier generations of a family, including distant predecessors.
Our ancestors once lived on this land.
Great grandfather is the father of one's grandfather.
Show 3 more examplesShow fewer examples
Great-great grandfather is the father of one's great grandfather.
Distant ancestors refer to predecessors from very ancient times.
We will sweep tombs and pay respects to our ancestors during Qingming Festival.
noun
founder; originator
formalUsed to refer to the creator of a school, art form, academic discipline, or movement.
Confucius is the founder of the Confucian school of thought.
Lu Ban is revered as the patron saint of carpenters.
Show 3 more examplesShow fewer examples
He is the founder of modern Peking Opera reform.
Freud is the founder of the psychoanalytic school of thought.
This master is the originator of Chinese martial arts novels.
noun
surname Zu
neutralA common Chinese family name.
My neighbor's surname is Zu, his name is Zu Feng.
The surname Zu originated during the Shang Dynasty.