Chinese surname · rank 10

周

周 is read as zhōu.

Pinyin

zhōu

Script forms

Simplified 周 · Traditional 週

Basic meaning

complete; circle around; Zhou dynasty/state name

Five element

Earth

Origin

Time: Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou royal-house traditions; Western Zhou tradition, 1046-771 BCE

Place: Zhou royal house; later Runan/Rufen lineage memory in today's Henan area

Origin note

Zhou has several origin traditions. A major line comes from Ji-surname descendants of the Zhou royal house. Henan Ruzhou/Runan traditions connect one branch with King Ping of Zhou and his son Ji Lie, whose descendants were associated with Rufen/Runan and later used Zhou as a surname.

Historical figures

周公旦 (Duke of Zhou)

early Western Zhou · foundational Zhou statesman

A central figure in early Zhou political and ritual memory, connected with Zhou royal-house tradition.

周敦颐 (Zhou Dunyi)

1017-1073 CE · Northern Song philosopher

A foundational Neo-Confucian thinker, known for the Taijitu Shuo and later intellectual influence.

Sources checked

Han Dian: 周 - basic character meaning and surname listing
CCTV: Zhou surname - Zhou surname source traditions and Ji-surname royal-house lines
Henan CPPCC: Zhou surname source in Ruzhou - King Ping of Zhou, Ji Lie and Rufen/Runan tradition

周 🔊

Origin note

Historical figures

周公旦 (Duke of Zhou)

周敦颐 (Zhou Dunyi)

Sources checked

周