孝

Han character

孝 (Kangxi radical 39, 子+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 十大弓木 (JKND), four-corner 4440₇, composition ⿱耂子)

Glyph origin

More information Historical forms of the character 孝, Western Zhou ...

Historical forms of the character 孝
Western Zhou
Bronze inscriptions

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Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) : 耂 (“an old man with long hair, bent over”) + 子 (“a child”) – an old man and a child, filial piety between generations. Compare top component to 老 (OC *ruːʔ, “old”).

Pronunciation

Definitions

孝

1. to do one's filial duty; to show filial piety

   • 宗族稱孝焉，鄉黨稱弟焉。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     宗族称孝焉，乡党称弟焉。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zōngzú chēng xiào yān, xiāngdǎng chēng tì yān. [Pinyin]

     He whom the circle of his relatives pronounce to be filial, whom his fellow villagers and neighbors pronounce to be fraternal.

2. filial piety; filial duty
3. mourning
4. mourning dress
5. (Southern Min) to offer up sacrifices (to gods or ancestors)
6. (Mainland China Hokkien) custom and etiquette to be observed after the death of one's seniors
7. (Xiamen, Zhangzhou and Taiwanese Hokkien, vulgar, derogatory) to eat
8. a surname

Compounds