天后

tiānhòu

noun

Meanings

1 queen of pop; top female star
2 Tin Hau, Empress of Heaven, the title of the sea goddess Mazu

妈祖 Māzǔ Mazu · religious figure

Characters

heaven; heavenly

Examples

HSK 7-9

她是华语乐坛的天后。

Tā shì Huáyǔ yuètán de tiānhòu.

She is the queen of Chinese-language pop.

HSK 7-9

渔民出海前都要拜天后，求她保佑平安。

Yúmín chūhǎi qián dōu yào bài tiānhòu, qiú tā bǎoyòu píng'ān.

Before going to sea, the fishermen pray to Tin Hau for a safe voyage.

Tips

usage

In show business a 天后 is the very top female star, usually a singer. Her male counterpart is a 天王, as in Hong Kong's 四大天王, the Four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop.

culture

The sea goddess 妈祖 was raised to the title 天后 under the Qing in 1684, which is why so many of her temples in Hong Kong are Tin Hau temples. Centuries earlier, in 674, 武则天 took the same title as empress, while her husband 唐高宗 styled himself 天皇, Heavenly Emperor.

Stroke Order

天 tiān

后 hòu