凭吊 (píng diào) — to evoke the past by visiting a historical site; to pay homage to (the deceased) at a memorial or grave

Definition

Visiting a historical site, ruin, or grave to remember and honor what happened there. Combines physical presence at a place with a mood of remembrance — usually solemn or reflective.

verb
to evoke the past by visiting a historical siteto pay homage to (the deceased) at a memorial or grave

Examples

  • ，凭吊。
    Měi nián qīng míng jié, hěn duō rén qù liè shì líng yuán píng diào xiān liè.
    Every year at Qingming Festival, many people visit martyrs' cemeteries to pay homage to the fallen heroes.
  • 凭吊。
    Tā zhuān chéng qù chì bì píng diào gǔ zhàn chǎng.
    He made a special trip to Red Cliffs to evoke the past at the ancient battlefield.
  • ，凭吊。
    Zhàn zài yuán míng yuán yí zhǐ qián, rén men bù jīn píng diào nà duàn qū rǔ de lì shǐ.
    Standing before the ruins of the Old Summer Palace, people can't help but reflect on that humiliating chapter of history.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

凭píngvisit a place
吊diàoremember with respect

Go to an old place or grave. 凭 is visiting it, and 吊 is remembering people or the past with respect.

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 憑; 凭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
馮
馮féng憑píng
Same sound today

In the traditional form 憑, 心 relates to the heart or mind, and 馮 gives the sound. The simplified 凭 is a later abbreviation, so its visible parts are not the historical parts.

Open 凭 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 吊 →

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