Writing
祖宗 (zǔ zong) — how to say "ancestors" in Chinese
祖宗
Ancestors
noun
Character composition
祖
ancestor
宗
clan
Radicals / Keys
宀
Roof
#40 · mián · 3 strokes
示
Spirit
#113 · shì · 5 strokes
Collocations
纪念祖宗
jì niàn zǔ zong
to commemorate one's ancestors
Examples
中国人常常在节日里祭拜祖宗。
Chinese people often worship ancestors during festivals.
我们尊敬祖宗。
We respect our ancestors.
Try remembering 祖宗
Three short exercises on meaning and pronunciation. Free, no sign-up needed.
Frequently asked questions
Ancestors meaning in Chinese
"ancestors" in Chinese is 祖宗 (zǔ zong).
祖宗 meaning in English
祖宗 (zǔ zong) means "Ancestors".
How is 祖宗 pronounced?
It is pronounced zǔ zong (written as zu zong, zuzong). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "ancestors" in Chinese characters?
It is written 祖宗: 祖 has 9 strokes, 宗 has 8 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.
What HSK 3.0 level is 祖宗?
祖宗 is on the HSK 3.0 levels 7–9 word list. It is not part of the six-level HSK 2.0 lists.
Tomyo
Learn Chinese words with spaced repetition
Add 祖宗 to your vocabulary and remember it with smart reviews, audio and examples.