翁 (wēng) - Old man & elderly male

翁Tone 1

wēng ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

翁 · wēng

Old man;

elderly male;

father-in-law;

also used as a surname.

Old manelderly malefather-in-law

Usage highlights

Old manFatherFishermanSurname WengWeng familyElderly gentleman

Synonyms

  • 老— old (age reference)
  • 父— father (respectful address)

Antonyms

  • 幼— young (opposite of elderly)
  • 少— youth (opposite of old)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The old man sat quietly (老翁).
  • He is my father-in-law (岳翁).
  • Mr. Weng is our teacher (翁老师).
  • The fisherman in the painting (渔翁).

Collocations

  • Old man(老翁)
  • Father-in-law(翁婿)
  • Fisherman(渔翁)
  • Surname Weng(姓翁)
  • Weng family(翁家)
  • Elderly gentleman(翁公)

Idioms

  • The old man loses his horse - a blessing in disguise(塞翁失马)
  • The fisherman benefits from the quarrel(鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利)
  • The old man from Saiweng(塞翁)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally conveys respect for elderly males and patriarchal authority.
  • In Chinese culture, the character appears in classical texts and idioms emphasizing wisdom gained with age.
  • As a surname, Weng is one of the common Chinese family names with historical roots.

FAQ