参拜 (cān bài) — to pay respects (at a tomb or shrine); to worship (deities)

Definition

Formal verb for showing deep respect at a tomb, shrine, or before a sacred image — typically used for ancestors, deities, or revered figures, more solemn than everyday 'visit'.

verb
to pay respects (at a tomb or shrine)to worship (deities)

Examples

  • ，参拜。
    Měi nián qīng míng jié, rén men dōu huì qù zǔ xiān de mù dì cān bài.
    Every year during Qingming Festival, people go to their ancestors' graves to pay respects.
  • 参拜。
    Xìn tú men qián chéng de cān bài shén xiàng.
    The devotees devoutly worship the statue of the deity.
  • 参拜。
    Tā zhuān chéng qù sì miào cān bài gāo sēng de shè lì.
    He made a special trip to the temple to pay homage to the eminent monk's relics.

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.

参cānpay respects
拜bàiworship

参 and 拜 both involve showing reverence, so together they describe formal worship or paying homage.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 參; 参 is its simplified writing.

For simplified 参, the story belongs to traditional 參, which combines 晶 (stars), 光 (light), and 彡 (rays) to show the Three Stars; one reading takes 光 as a kneeling person looking up.

Open 参 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

拜 combines 扌 (hand, written fully as 手) with 𠦪 (herbs), showing a hand holding herbs as a gift.

Open 拜 →

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