| 创始人 | chuàng shǐ rén | creator / founder / initiator |   |
| 祖师 | zǔ shī | founder (of a craft, religious sect etc) | |
| 创办人 | chuàng bàn rén | founder (of an institution etc) | |
| 缔造者 | dì zào zhě | creator (of a great work) / founder | |
| 祖师爷 | zǔ shī yé | founder (of a craft, religious sect etc) | |
| 奠基人 | diàn jī rén | founder / pioneer | |
| 创立者 | chuàng lì zhě | founder | |
| 开山祖师 | kāi shān zǔ shī | founding master of a monastery / founder / originator | |
| 奠基者 | diàn jī zhě | founder / pioneer | |
| 创建者 | chuàng jiàn zhě | founder / creator | |
| 创立人 | chuàng lì rén | founder | |
| 创办者 | chuàng bàn zhě | founder / creator / author | |
| 建立者 | jiàn lì zhě | founder | |
| 开山鼻祖 | kāi shān bí zǔ | founder | |
| 老子 | Lǎo zǐ | Laozi or Lao-tze (c. 500 BC), Chinese philosopher, the founder of Taoism / the sacred book of Daoism, 道德經|道德经[Dao4 de2 jing1] by Laozi | |
| 教主 | jiào zhǔ | founder or leader of a religion or sect / (fig.) revered figure | |
| 刘备 | Liú Bèi | Liu Bei (161-223), warlord at the end of the Han dynasty and founder of the Han kingdom of Shu 蜀漢|蜀汉 / (c. 200-263), later the Shu Han dynasty | |
| 佛祖 | Fó zǔ | Buddha / founder of a buddhist sect | |
| 太祖 | tài zǔ | Great Ancestor (posthumous title, e.g. for the founder of a dynasty) | |
| 释迦牟尼 | Shì jiā móu ní | Siddhartha Gautama (563-485 BC), the historical Buddha and founder of Buddhism / Sakyamuni Buddha (Sanskrit: sage of the Sakya) | |
| 始祖 | shǐ zǔ | primogenitor / founder of a school or trade | |
| 老君 | Lǎo jūn | Laozi or Lao-tze (c. 500 BC), Chinese philosopher, the founder of Taoism / the sacred book of Daoism, 道德經|道德经[Dao4 de2 jing1] by Laozi | |
| 朱德 | Zhū Dé | Zhu De (1886-1976), communist leader and founder of the People's Liberation Army | |
| 恩格斯 | En1 gé sī | Friedrich Engels (1820-1895), socialist philosopher and one of the founder of Marxism | |
| 朱熹 | Zhū Xī | Zhu Xi or Chu Hsi (1130-1200), also known as Master Zhu 朱子[Zhu1 zi3], Song dynasty Confucian writer and propagandist, founder of neo-Confucianism | |
| 比尔盖茨 | bì ěr gài cí | Bill Gates, Microsoft founder | |
| 摩尼 | Mó ní | Manes (3rd century AD), Persian prophet and founder of Manichaeism | |
| 努尔哈赤 | Nǔ ěr hā chì | Nurhaci (1559-1626), founder and first Khan of the Manchu Later Jin dynasty 後金|后金[Hou4 Jin1] (from 1616) | |
| 司马懿 | Sī mǎ Yì | Sima Yi (179-251), warlord under Cao Cao and subsequently founder of the Jin dynasty | |
| 刘裕 | Liú Yù | Liu Yu, founder of Song of the Southern dynasties 劉宋|刘宋[Liu2 Song4], broke away from Eastern Jin in 420, reigned as Emperor Wu of Song 宋武帝[Song4 Wu3 di4] | |
| 弗洛伊德 | Fú luò yī dé | Floyd (name) / Freud (name) / Dr Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the founder of psychoanalysis | |
| 墨子 | Mò zǐ | Mozi (c. 470-391 BC), founder of the Mohist School 墨家[Mo4 jia1] of the Warring States Period (475-220 BC) | |
| 国父 | guó fù | father or founder of a nation / Father of the Republic (Sun Yat-sen) | |
| 李洪志 | Lǐ Hóng zhì | Li Hongzhi (1951-), founder of Falun Gong 法輪功|法轮功[Fa3 lun2 gong1] | |
| 嫡传 | dí chuán | handed down in a direct line from the founder | |
| 松赞干布 | Sōng zàn Gàn bù | Songtsen Gampo or Songzain Gambo (604-650) Tibetan emperor, founder of the Tubo 吐蕃[Tu3 bo1] dynasty | |
| 土门 | Tǔ mén | Tumen or Bumin Khan (-553), founder of Göktürk khanate | |
| 石勒 | Shí Lè | Shi Le, founder of Later Zhao of the Sixteen Kingdoms 後趙|后赵[Hou4 Zhao4] (319-350) | |
| 郭台铭 | Guō Tái Míng | Guo "Terry" Taiming (1950-), prominent Taiwanese businessman, founder of Foxconn | |
| 布兰森 | Bù lán sēn | Branson or Brandsen (name) / Sir Richard Branson (1950-), British millionaire and founder of Virgin | |
| 曹操 | Cáo Cāo | Cao Cao (155-220), famous statesman and general at the end of Han, noted poet and calligrapher, later warlord, founder and first king of Cao Wei 曹魏, father of Emperor Cao Pi 曹丕 / the main villain of novel the Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义 | |
| 布鲁图斯 | Bù lǔ tú sī | Brutus (name) / Marcus Junius Brutus (85-42 BC), late Roman Republic politician who conspired against Julius Caesar / Lucius Junius Brutus (6th c. BC), founder of the Roman Republic | |
| 成吉思汗 | Chéng jí sī hán | Genghis Khan (1162-1227), founder and ruler of the Mongol Empire | |
| 佛洛伊德 | Fó luò yī dé | Floyd (name) / Freud (name) / Dr Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the founder of psychoanalysis | |
| 布鲁特斯 | Bù lǔ tè sī | Brutus (name) / Marcus Junius Brutus (85-42 BC), late Roman Republic politician who conspired against Julius Caesar / Lucius Junius Brutus (6th c. BC), founder of the Roman Republic | |
| 斯密约瑟 | Sī mì Yuē sè | Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844), founder of the Latter Day Saint movement | |
| 丁磊 | Dīng Lěi | Ding Lei (1971-), founder and CEO of NetEase 網易|网易[Wang3 yi4] | |
| 金宇中 | Jīn Yǔ zhōng | Kim Woo-jung (1936-), Korean businessman and founder of the Daewoo Group | |
| 释迦牟尼佛 | Shì jiā móu ní fó | Sakyamuni Buddha (Sanskrit: sage of the Sakya) / Siddhartha Gautama (563-485 BC), the historical Buddha and founder of Buddhism | |
| 琐罗亚斯德 | Suǒ luó yà sī dé | Zoroaster, Zarathustra or Zarathushtra (c. 1200 BC), Persian prophet and founder of Zoroastrianism | |
| 郑梦准 | Zhèng Mèng zhǔn | Chung Mongjoon (1951-), Korean magnate and the founder of Hyundai 現代|现代[Xian4 dai4] | |
| 伊思迈尔 | Yī sī mài ěr | Ismail (name) / Shah Ismail I (1487-1524), founder of Persian Safavid dynasty, reigned 1501-1524 | |
| 伊斯曼 | Yī sī màn | Eastman (name) / George Eastman (1854-1932), US inventor and founder of Kodak 柯達|柯达[Ke1 da2] / Max F. Eastman (1883-1969), US socialist writer, subsequently severe critic of USSR | |
| 刘渊 | Liú Yuān | Liu Yuan (c. 251-310), warlord at the end of the Western Jin dynasty 西晉|西晋[Xi1 Jin4], founder of Cheng Han of the Sixteen Kingdoms 成漢|成汉[Cheng2 Han4] (304-347) | |
| 宋武帝 | Sòng Wǔ dì | Emperor Wu of Song (363-422), personal name Liu Yu 劉裕|刘裕[Liu2 Yu4], founder of Song of the Southern dynasties 劉宋|刘宋[Liu2 Song4], broke away from Eastern Jin in 420, reigned 420-422 | |
| 宋武帝刘裕 | Sòng wǔ dì Liú yù | Liu Yu, founder of Southern dynasty Song 劉宋|刘宋, broke away from Eastern Jin in 420 | |
| 宗喀巴 | Zōng kā bā | Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), Tibetan religious leader, founder of the Gelugpa school 格魯派|格鲁派[Ge2 lu3 pai4] | |
| 康托尔 | Kāng tuō ěr | Cantor (name) / Georg Cantor (1845-1918), German mathematician, founder of set theory 集合論|集合论[ji2 he2 lun4] | |
| 易司马仪 | Yì sī mǎ yí | Ismail (name) / Shāh Ismāil I (1487-1524), founder of Persian Safavid dynasty, reigned 1501-1524 | |
| 智顗 | Zhì yǐ | Zhiyi (538-597), founder of the Tiantai sect of Buddhism | |
| 朱温 | Zhū Wēn | Zhu Wen (852-912), military governor 節度使|节度使[jie2 du4 shi3] at the end of Tang, founder of Later Liang of the Five Dynasties (907-923), also known as Emperor Taizu of Later Liang 後梁太祖|后梁太祖[Hou4 Liang2 Tai4 zu3] | |
| 李彦宏 | Lǐ Yàn hóng | Robin Li (1968-), founder and CEO of Baidu 百度, a PRC Internet company | |
| 李成桂 | Lǐ Chéng guì | Yi Seong-gye (1335-1408), founder and first king of Korean Yi dynasty (1392-1910) | |
| 檀君 | Tán jūn | Tangun, legendary founder of Korea in 2333 BC | |
| 檀君王 | Tán jūn wáng | Tangun, legendary founder of Korea in 2333 BC | |
| 武丁 | Wǔ Dīng | Wu Ding (c. 14th century BC), legendary founder and wise ruler of Shang dynasty | |
| 清太祖 | Qīng Tài zǔ | posthumous title of Nurhaci 努爾哈赤|努尔哈赤[Nu3 er3 ha1 chi4] (1559-1626), founder and first Khan of the Manchu Later Jin dynasty 後金|后金[Hou4 Jin1] (from 1616) | |
| 汤武革命 | Tāng Wǔ Gé mìng | the Tang and Wu Revolts: the overthrow (c. 1600 BC) of the Xia Dynasty by the first king, Tang 商湯|商汤[Shang1 Tang1], of the Shang Dynasty, and the overthrow (c. 1046 BC) of the Shang Dynasty by the Zhou Dynasty founder, King Wu 周武王[Zhou1 Wu3 wang2] | |
| 源·赖朝 | | MINAMOTO no Yoritomo (1147-1199), Japanese warlord and founder of the Kamakura shogunate 鐮倉幕府|镰仓幕府[Lian2 cang1 mu4 fu3] | |
| 福泽谕吉 | Fú zé Yù jí | Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835-1901), prominent Japanese Westernizer, liberal educator and founder of Keio University | |
| 耶律大石 | Yē lu:4 Dà shí | Yollig Taxin or Yelü / Dashi (1087-1143), Chinese-educated Khitan leader, founder of Western Liao 西遼|西辽 / in Central Asia | |
| 莫伊谢耶夫 | Mò yī xiè yē fū | Moiseyev (name) / Igor Aleksandrovich Moiseyev (1906-2007), choreographer of folk dance and founder of Moiseyev dance company | |
| 蓝毗尼 | Lán pí ní | Lumbini, Nepal, birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama 釋迦牟尼|释迦牟尼[Shi4 jia1 mou2 ni2] founder of Buddhism (also written 嵐毘尼|岚毗尼[Lan2 pi2 ni2], 臘伐尼|腊伐尼[La4 fa2 ni2], 林微尼[Lin2 wei1 ni2]) | |
| 邵飄萍 | shào piāo píng | Shao Piaoping (1884-1926), pioneer of journalism and founder of newspaper Beijing Press 京報|京报, executed in 1926 by warlord Zhang Zuolin 張作霖|张作霖 | |
| 邹衍 | Zōu Yǎn | Zou Yan (305-240 BC), founder of the School of Yin-Yang of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) | |
| 释迦佛 | shì jiā fó | Sakyamuni Buddha (Sanskrit: sage of the Sakya) / Siddhartha Gautama (563-485 BC), the historical Buddha and founder of Buddhism | |
| 开漳圣王 | Kāi zhāng shèng wáng | Sacred King, founder of Zhangzhou, posthumous title of Tang dynasty general Chen Yuanguang (657-711) 陳元光|陈元光[Chen2 Yuan2 guang1] | |
| 陈元光 | Chén Yuán guāng | Chen Yuanguang (657-711), Tang dynasty general with posthumous title 開漳聖王|开漳圣王[Kai1 zhang1 sheng4 wang2], i.e. Sacred King, founder of Zhangzhou 漳州[Zhang1 zhou1], Fujian | |
| 黄光裕 | Huáng Guāng yù | Huang Guangyu (1969-), PRC entrepreneur and millionaire, founder of GOME Electrical 國美電器|国美电器[Guo2 mei3 Dian4 qi4] | |
| 源赖朝 | Yuán Lài cháo | MINAMOTO no Yoritomo (1147-1199), Japanese warlord and founder of the Kamakura shogunate 鐮倉幕府|镰仓幕府[Lian2 cang1 mu4 fu3] | |
| 商汤 | Shāng Tāng | Shang Tang (1646-? BC), legendary founder of the Shang Dynasty | |
| 奠基者效应 | diàn jī zhě xiào yìng | founder effect | |
| 卡尔・马克思 | Kǎ ěr · Mǎ kè sī | Karl Marx (1818-1883), German socialist philosopher, political activist and founder of Marxism | |
| 斯坦福・莱佛士 | Sī tǎn fú · Lái fó shì | Stamford Raffles (1781-1826), British statesman and founder of the city of Singapore | |
| 比尔・盖茨 | Bǐ ěr · Gài cí | Bill Gates (1955-), founder and chairman of Microsoft | |
| 源・赖朝 | Yuán · Lài cháo | MINAMOTO no Yoritomo (1147-1199), Japanese warlord and founder of the Kamakura shogunate 鐮倉幕府|镰仓幕府[Lian2 cang1 mu4 fu3] | |
| 莱佛士 | Lái fó shì | Stamford Raffles (1781-1826), British statesman and founder of the city of Singapore / surname Raffles | |
| 邵飘萍 | Shào Piāo píng | Shao Piaoping (1884-1926), pioneer of journalism and founder of newspaper Beijing Press 京報|京报, executed in 1926 by warlord Zhang Zuolin 張作霖|张作霖 | |
| 居鲁士大帝 | Jū lǔ shì Dà dì | Cyrus the Great (ca. 600-530 BC), the founder of the Persian Empire and the conqueror of Babylon | |
| 悉达多 | Xī dá duō | Siddhartha Gautama (563-485 BC), the historical Buddha and founder of Buddhism | |
| 斯坦福·莱佛士 | Sī tǎn fú · Lái fó shì | Stamford Raffles (1781-1826), British statesman and founder of the city of Singapore | |
| 卡尔·马克思 | Kǎ ěr · Mǎ kè sī | Karl Marx (1818-1883), German socialist philosopher, political activist and founder of Marxism | |
| 伊隆·马斯克 | Yī lóng · Mǎ sī kè | Elon Musk (1971-), founder and CEO of SpaceX, co-founder and CEO of Tesla Motors | |
| 埃隆·马斯克 | Aī lóng · Mǎ sī kè | Elon Musk (1971-), founder and CEO of SpaceX, co-founder and CEO of Tesla Motors | |
| 智𫖮 | Zhì yǐ | Zhiyi (538-597), founder of the Tiantai sect of Buddhism | |
| 伯邑考 | Bó Yì kǎo | Bo Yikao, eldest son of King Wen of Zhou 周文王[Zhou1 Wen2 wang2] and the elder brother of King Wu 周武王[Zhou1 Wu3 wang2] who was the founder of the Zhou Dynasty 周朝[Zhou1 chao2] of ancient China | |
| 钟睒睒 | Zhōng Shǎn shǎn | Zhong Shanshan (1954-), Chinese billionaire businessman, the founder and chairperson of Nongfu Spring 農夫山泉|农夫山泉[Nong2 fu1 Shan1 quan2] | |
