祖宗

• 拼音: zǔ zong
• 汉字拆解: 祖 = 礻+ 且 (altar + moreover — ancestral); 宗 = 宀+ 示 (roof + altar — clan/lineage)

含义

Ancestors; forebears; founding ancestors of a family or lineage. Carries a stronger sense of veneration and lineage continuity than 祖先.

More culturally loaded than 祖先, often invoking the idea of the founding figures of a clan, dynasty, or tradition. Used in ceremonial language, proverbs, and expressions of deep respect. Can also appear colloquially in exclamations or mild curses (e.g. 我的祖宗 as an exclamation of disbelief).

例句

1. 这座宗祠是全村宗族祭祀祖宗、凝聚人心的重要场所，已有三百余年的历史。
2. 老人常说，祖宗留下的家训是一笔无价的精神财富，需要一代代传承下去。
3. 改革方案虽然大胆，但有人担心此举会打破祖宗定下的规矩，引发保守派的强烈反弹。

用法指南

语境: culture, religion, family, history

语气: reverent

正确说法

• 每逢重大节庆，村民们都会聚集在宗祠内祭拜祖宗，祈求家族兴旺、后代平安。(On major festivals, villagers gather in the ancestral hall to pay respects to their founding ancestors, praying for the prosperity of the clan and the safety of their descendants.)
• 这项世代相传的制瓷技艺是祖宗留给我们最珍贵的遗产，我们有责任将其发扬光大。(This ceramics craft, passed down through the generations, is the most precious heritage our ancestors left us, and we have a responsibility to carry it forward and let it flourish.)

错误说法

• 你真是我的祖宗 — this exclamatory usage (meaning 'you're the death of me' or expressing exasperation) is highly informal and potentially rude; avoid in formal or written contexts

起源与历史

祖 (ancestor) + 宗 (lineage/clan/ancestor)

文化背景

时代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal