Learn a Chinese Character - 祖 (zǔ) - Ancestor

1. Character Basics (基本信息)

Radical: 礻 (radical related to religion or sacrifice)

Stroke Count: 9

Character Decomposition: 礻 + 且 (radical related to religion or sacrifice + 且)

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation (发音)

Pinyin: zǔ (third tone)

3. Meaning (含义)

祖 usually refers to an ancestor, especially a paternal ancestor several generations back. (“祖”通常指祖先，尤指父系的几代之前的先辈。)

4. Common Words (常用词汇)

• 祖先 (zǔ xiān) - ancestor
• 祖父 (zǔ fù) - grandfather
• 祖国 (zǔ guó) - motherland

5. Grammar & Usage (语法与用法)

祖 is mainly used as a noun. It can be combined with other characters to form compound words related to ancestors or the motherland. (“祖”主要用作名词，可与其他汉字组合成与祖先或祖国相关的复合词。)

6. Cultural Background (文化背景)

In Chinese culture, ancestors are highly respected. People often pay tribute to their ancestors during festivals and important events. (在中国文化中，祖先备受尊崇。人们常在节日和重要活动时祭祀祖先。)

7. Example Sentence (例句)

8. Memory Tips (记忆技巧)

You can remember 祖 by associating the 礻 radical with religious or sacrificial activities related to ancestors, and 且 as a simple part to form the whole character. (你可以这样记忆“祖”字，把“礻”旁与和祖先有关的宗教或祭祀活动联系起来，“且”作为一个简单的部件构成整个字。)