Dictionary › 臣

臣

chén

HSK 6 Character

What 臣 means

1. state official or subject in dynastic China
2. I, your servant (used in addressing the sovereign)
3. Kangxi radical 131

Other readings

臣 is 多音字 — it is read more than one way, and the reading changes the meaning.

• Chénsurname Chen

Example sentences

• 车臣人倾向独立。
  Chēchénrén qīngxiàng dúlì.
  Chechens have inclinations towards independence.
• 领主对他的臣民有绝对权力。
  Lǐngzhǔ duì tā de chénmín yǒu juéduìquán lì.
  The lord held absolute power over his subjects.
• 我们要选择是死亡还是臣服。
  Wǒmen yào xuǎnzé shì sǐwáng háishi chénfú.
  We have the alternative of death and submission.
• 良禽择木而栖，贤臣择主而事。
  Liángqínzémù'érqī, xián chén zé zhǔ ér shì.
  A prudent bird chooses its tree. A wise servant chooses his master.
• 我的梦想是在格罗兹尼学习车臣语。
  My dream is to study Chechen in Grozny.
• 溥天之下，莫非王土；率土之滨，莫非王臣。
  Under the vast heaven, no land is not the king's land; at the edges of the land, no one is not the king's subject.

Words starting with 臣

• 臣民chén mínsubject (of a kingdom, ruler etc)
• 臣服chén fúto acknowledge allegiance to (some regime); to serve
• 臣子chén zǐofficial in feudal court; subject
• 臣下chén xiàofficial in feudal court; subject
• 臣属chén shǔofficial in feudal court; subject
• 臣仆chén púservant
• 臣僚chén liáocourt official (in former times)
• 臣虏chén lǔslave
• 臣妾chén qiè(literary) I, your servant (self-appellation of a lower-rank female)…
• 臣一主二chén yī zhǔ èrOne has the right to choose the ruler one serves. (ancient proverb)

Words containing 臣

• 大臣dà chénchancellor (of a monarchy); cabinet minister
• 功臣gōng chénmeritorious official; person who renders exceptional service; hero…
• 车臣Chē chénChechnya, a republic in southwestern Russia; Chechen
• 君臣jūn chéna ruler and his ministers (old)
• 忠臣zhōng chénfaithful official
• 奸臣jiān chéna treacherous court official; a minister who conspires against the state
• 人臣rén chénan official (in former times)
• 内臣nèi chénchamberlain
• 史臣shǐ chénofficial in charge of public records
• 名臣míng chénimportant official or statesman (in feudal China)
• 家臣jiā chéncounselor of king or feudal warlord; henchman
• 弄臣nòng chénemperor's favorite courtier
• 微臣wēi chénthis small official; humble servant
• 文臣wén chéncivilian court official (in former times)
• 朝臣cháo chéncourt councilor
• 争臣zhēng chénminister not afraid to give forthright criticism
• 谋臣móu chénimperial strategic adviser; expert on strategy
• 近臣jìn chénmember of a monarch's inner ministerial circle (old)
• 逆臣nì chénrebellious minister
• 重臣zhòng chénimportant minister; major figure in government
• 位极人臣wèi jí rén chénto have reached the highest official positions
• 外交大臣wài jiāo dà chénForeign Secretary; (UK) Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• 船政大臣Chuán zhèng Dà chénMinister of Navy during Qing times
• 谋臣如雨móu chén rú yǔstrategic experts as thick as rain (idiom); no shortage of advisers on strategy

Characters that look like 臣

Easy to confuse on sight. Compare them side by side once and the pair stops costing you.

• 目mùeye; (literary) to look; to regard; eye (of a net); mesh
• 匠jiàngcraftsman
• 匡kuāng(literary) to rectify; (literary) to assist; (colloquial) to calculate roughly…
• 匝zā(literary) to encircle; to go around; to surround; (literary) whole; full…
• 酉yǒu10th earthly branch: 5-7 p.m., 8th solar month (8th September-7th October), year of the…
• 叵pǒnot; thereupon

Sounds the same

Read chén, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 沉to submerge; to immerse; to sink
• 尘dust; dirt; earth
• 陈(bound form) to lay out; to exhibit; to display; (bound form) to narrate; to state…
• 晨morning; dawn; daybreak
• 辰5th earthly branch: 7-9 a.m., 3rd solar month (5th April-4th May), year of the Dragon…
• 宸imperial apartments
• 忱sincerity; honesty
• 谌faithful; sincere
• 蔯a variety of artemisia
• 梣Chinese ash (Fraxinus chinensis)
• 茞fragrant plant; angelica
• 煁brazier