宰相

zǎixiàng
noun #50,234

Measure Word

Meanings

  1. 1 prime minister (in imperial China)
  2. 2 chancellor

Examples

诸葛蜀汉有名宰相
Zhūgě Liàng shì Shǔ Hàn yǒumíng de zǎixiàng.
Zhuge Liang was the famous chancellor of Shu Han.
Zǎixiàng dù lǐ néng chēng chuán.
A prime minister's belly is big enough to pole a boat in - meaning a great man is tolerant.

Tips

history
宰相 is a general term for the highest-ranking official who assisted the emperor in running the government. The exact title varied by dynasty (丞相, 相国, 中书令, 内阁首辅). Ming emperor Hongwu abolished the post in 1380.
usage
In modern contexts 宰相 refers only to historical figures. The modern term for prime minister is 总理 (PRC) or 首相 (Japan, UK).

Stroke Order

zǎi
xiāng