tycoon: [19] Japanese taikun was a title used for the military commander or shogun of Japan, particularly by his supporters when addressing foreigners, in the attempt to convey the impression that he was more powerful and important than the emperor. For it meant literally ‘great prince, emperor’. It was borrowed from ancient Chinese t’ai kiu?n ‘emperor’, a compound formed from t’ai ‘great’ and kiu?n ‘prince’. English acquired it in the 1850s, and it began to be used more generally for a ‘highranking personage’ in the USA soon afterwards. The specific application to businessmen seems to have evolved after World War I.
tycoon (n.)
1857, title given by foreigners to the shogun of Japan (said to have been used by his supporters when addressing foreigners, as an attempt to convey that the shogun was more important than the emperor), from Japanese taikun "great lord or prince," from Chinese tai "great" + kiun "lord." Transferred meaning "important person" is attested from 1861, in reference to U.S. president Abraham Lincoln (in the diary of his secretary, John Hay); specific application to "wealthy and powerful businessman" is post-World War I.
雙語例句
1. The late newspaper tycoon is condemned for his ruthless treatment of employees.
已故的報業(yè)大亨因為殘忍地對待員工而遭到譴責(zé)。
來自柯林斯例句
2. The tycoon is on the verge of bankruptcy.
那名大亨瀕臨破產(chǎn)的邊緣.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
3. The dead tycoon's sons will remain in their plush offices overseeing the death throes of the family empire.
這位已故大亨的兒子們將坐在豪華的辦公室里，目睹這個家族帝國崩潰前的痛苦掙扎。
來自柯林斯例句
4. The high - salaried manager replaced the business tycoon.
高薪經(jīng)理取代了企業(yè)巨頭.
來自英漢非文學(xué) - 政府文件
5. The high - salaried manager replaced the swaggering tycoon.