Zhou

See also: zhou, zhóu, zhòu, zhōu, Zhōu, and zhǒu

English

Alternative forms

• Chou (Wade–Giles)
• Chow
• Tchou
• Chau
• Jou
• Jhou

Etymology

From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of the Mandarin 周 (Zhōu). Doublet of Chau.

Pronunciation

• enPR: jō
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒəʊ/

    • Audio (Southern England):

      (file)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

  • (General American) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒoʊ/
• Homophones: Jo, joe, Joe (toe–tow merger)
• Rhymes: -əʊ

Noun

Zhou pl (plural only)

1. A people of ancient China.

Proper noun

Zhou

1. Various regions of ancient China occupied by this people, including the Fen and Wei valleys
2. A dynasty of rulers over this people, who conquered the Shang kingdom and nominally ruled China until their conquest by Qin in the 3rd century BC
   • 2023 November 6, “Prince William takes part in dragon boat race in Singapore”, in EFE‎^[1], sourced from Singapore, (EFE), archived from the original on 07 November 2023‎^[2]:

     The history of the water sport, which began to gain international fame in the 1970s, dates back to 278 BC, when Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet and official, committed suicide on the Miluo River in Hunan Province in protest of the court’s alliances and betrayals during the Zhou dynasty.

3. The realm of this dynasty, surrounding the Yellow River
4. The era of Chinese history during which this dynasty ruled
5. The valley of the Luo and Yi Rivers during the Eastern Zhou dynasty
6. The short-lived dynasty declared by Wu Zetian during the Tang
7. A surname. of Chinese origin.

Synonyms

• (imperial realm): China

Hyponyms

• Western Zhou, Eastern Zhou (era)
• Western Zhou, Eastern Zhou (Luo–Yi valley)

Translations

Chinese dynasty and era

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 周朝 (zh) (Zhōu Cháo)

• Japanese: 周 (ja) (しゅう, Shū)
• Manchu: ᠵᡝᠣ
  ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ (jeo gurun)

Chinese kingdom

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 周王国 (Zhōu Wāngguó), 周朝 (zh) (Zhōu Cháo)

• Manchu: ᠵᡝᠣ
  ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ (jeo gurun)

Anagrams

• Zhuo