氏 (shì) - Family name, clan, surname & used in ancient titles

氏Tone 4

shì ｜ 4 strokes ｜ radical: 氏

上姝

氏 · shì

Family name, clan, surname;

used in ancient titles;

also a grammatical particle in Japanese names.

Family name, clan, surnameused in ancient titlesalso a grammatical particle in Japanese names.

Usage highlights

Family nameClanSurname WangPeople with the surname LiMaternal familyAncient titles

Synonyms

  • 姓— surname, family name
  • 族— clan, tribe

Antonyms

  • 名— given name (as opposed to family name)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • His family name is Wang (王氏).
  • She is a member of the Li clan (李氏家族).
  • This is the Zhang family ancestral hall (张氏宗祠).

Collocations

  • Family name(姓氏)
  • Clan(氏族)
  • Surname Wang(王氏)
  • People with the surname Li(李氏)
  • Maternal family(母氏)
  • Ancient titles(e.g., 神农氏)

Idioms

  • Famous families and great clans(名门氏姓)
  • The Zhao family's orphan(赵氏孤儿)
  • The destruction of the Zhi clan(智氏之亡)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, '氏' originally distinguished branches of a clan, later merging with '姓' to mean surname.
  • Used in historical contexts for legendary figures and tribes (e.g., 神农氏, 伏羲氏).
  • In modern usage, primarily appears in formal contexts for referring to people by surname.

FAQ