庙宇 (miào yǔ) — temple (building for worship)

Definition

noun
temple (building for worship)
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 庙宇。
    Nà zuò gǔ lǎo de miào yǔ yǐ jīng yǒu shàng qiān nián de lì shǐ le.
    That ancient temple has a history of over a thousand years.
  • ,庙宇。
    Měi féng jié rì, rén men dōu huì dào miào yǔ lǐ shāo xiāng qí fú.
    Every festival, people go to the temple to burn incense and pray for blessings.
  • 庙宇。
    Zhè zuò miào yǔ de jiàn zhù fēng gé róng hé le hàn zàng liǎng zú de tè sè.
    The architectural style of this temple blends features of both Han and Tibetan ethnic groups.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

庙miàotemple
宇yǔbuilding

庙 and 宇 both refer to a building, together meaning temple.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 廟; 庙 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
朝
朝cháo廟miào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 廟 uses 广 to show the meaning and 朝 for the sound.

Open 庙 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánhouse
Sound part声符shēngfú
于
于yú宇yǔ
Same sound today

宇 pairs 宀, a roof-like shape connected with house parts such as eaves, with 于, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 宇 →

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