神殿 (shén diàn) — temple (especially of ancient or mythological d…

Definition

noun

temple (especially of ancient or mythological deities)sanctuary

Measure word · 座

神殿。
Zhè zuò shén diàn jiàn yú liǎng qiān nián qián.
This temple was built two thousand years ago.
神殿。
Gǔ dài xī xī rén jiàn zào le xǔ duō shén diàn.
The ancient Greeks built many temples.
神殿，。
Tā men zǒu jìn shén diàn, kàn dào le jù dà de shén xiàng.
They walked into the temple and saw a huge statue of a god.

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 refers to a deity and 殿 to a hall or sanctuary.

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

Same sound today

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

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

殳殳shūhand holding a weapon

Sound part声符shēngfú

𡱂

臀tún殿⁰diàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

殿 pairs 𡱂 (buttocks, giving the sound) with 殳 (a hand holding a weapon) to show hitting the buttocks.

Appears in