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祖語

简祖语 · 繁祖語

Mandarin · pinyin zǔ yǔ

proto-language
parent language (linguistics)

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Characters in this entry

祖: zǔ · ancestor, forefather; grandfather
語: Look up this written character
语: yǔ · language, words; saying, expression

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–3 · zu3 yu3

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Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

2character links1same-tone record

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

祖語 · find source passages ↗ · 祖语 · find source passages ↗

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

(historical linguistics) proto-language
(sociolinguistics) heritage language

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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