神坛 (shén tán) — (noun) sacred altar (literal); (figurative) pedestal, position of worship or infallibility

Definition

Lit. 'altar of the gods' (sacred altar). Figuratively, a 'pedestal' — the position of someone treated as perfect or worshipped, often used when they fall from it.

noun
sacred altar (literal)(figurative) pedestal, position of worship or infallibility
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 神坛。
    Zhè wèi míng xīng bèi fěn sī tuī shàng le shén tán.
    This celebrity was put on a pedestal by fans.
  • 神坛，。
    Tā zǒu xià shén tán, guò qǐ le pǔ tōng rén de shēng huó.
    He stepped down from the altar and started living an ordinary life.
  • 神坛。
    Bú yào bǎ rèn hé rén fàng zài shén tán shàng.
    Don't put anyone on a pedestal.

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.

神shéngod
坛tánaltar

神 (god) + 坛 (altar) names a place set up for worship.

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
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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 壇; 坛 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
亶
亶dǎn壇tán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壇 pairs 土 (earth) with 亶 as a sound component; the simplified 坛 is a later shorthand.

Open 坛 →

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