称号
chēng hào · HSK 5
title
🏷️ 称号 = weigh/call + signal/name → a title you're called by
称 means to call or weigh (originally weighing on a scale, hence 'to designate'); 号 means a name, number, or signal. Together: the designation or title someone is addressed by, like 'champion' or 'doctor'.
称 — grain 禾 + 尔 (phonetic)
称 is a semantic-phonetic compound: the grain radical 禾 on the left points to weighing grain on a balance, while 尔 hints at the sound. It originally meant 'to weigh' on a steelyard, then extended to 'to state the weight of,' and finally to general senses like 'to call,' 'to name,' or 'title.'
号 — mouth 口 + tiger 虎
Originally written 號, combining 口 (mouth, indicating a cry or call) with 虎 (tiger) as the phonetic and a hint at a loud roar. It first meant to shout or call out, then extended to a name, title, or signal. The simplified form 号 keeps only the upper element.