TongTong
Sign in

满堂 (mǎn táng) — filled to capacity (of a hall, room, or venue); also used figuratively in set phrases

Definition

Literally 'a full hall' — used mainly in set phrases like 满堂彩 (rapturous applause) and 满堂红 (success across the board), not as a standalone everyday adjective.

adjective
filled to capacity (of a hall, room, or venue)also used figuratively in set phrases

Examples

  • ，满堂。
    Yǎn chū hái méi kāi shǐ, jù chǎng lǐ jiù yǐ jīng mǎn táng le.
    The theater was already filled to capacity before the show even started.
  • 满堂。
    Tā de yōu mò biǎo yǎn yíng dé le mǎn táng cǎi.
    His humorous performance won a full house of applause.
  • 满堂。
    Jīn nián gōng sī de yè jì shí xiàn le mǎn táng hóng.
    This year the company achieved success across the board.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

满mǎnfull
堂tánghall

满 full and 堂 hall combine to mean the hall is filled.

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 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →

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
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng堂táng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

堂 uses 土 as a ground/earth part and 尚 for sound.

Open 堂 →
Appears in
Quantity & Amount

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.