牌坊 (pái fāng) — a traditional Chinese memorial or honorific archway/gateway

Definition

A 牌坊 (páifāng) is a freestanding stone or wooden gateway built to honor someone or mark a virtue (e.g. chastity, filial piety), not a functional entrance. Related to 牌楼 (páilóu), which has a roof and is a more elaborate building form.

noun
a traditional Chinese memorial or honorific archway/gateway
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 牌坊。
    Zhè zuò pái fāng yǒu sān bǎi duō nián de lì shǐ le.
    This memorial archway has a history of over three hundred years.
  • 牌坊。
    pái fāng Shàng kè zhe jīng měi de lóng fèng tú àn.
    The archway is carved with exquisite dragon and phoenix patterns.
  • 牌坊。
    Cūn kǒu nà zuò pái fāng shì wèi le jì niàn yí wèi xiào zǐ ér jiàn de.
    That archway at the village entrance was built to commemorate a filial son.

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.

牌páiplaque
坊fāngarchway

Plaque and archway combine to name a memorial archway.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
片片piàn
Sound part声符shēngfú
卑
卑bēi牌pái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

牌 puts 片, a flat piece, beside 卑, which gives the sound.

Open 牌 →

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tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng坊fáng
Same sound today

坊 is made of 土 (earth) beside 方 (fāng); 方 supplies the sound.

Open 坊 →

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