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寺庙 (sì miào) — temple (Buddhist or Taoist)

Definition

寺庙 is the everyday compound for a Buddhist or Taoist temple. 寺 alone emphasizes the Buddhist/Islamic side (also 寺 in 清真寺), while 庙 is more general and often used for folk shrines.

noun
temple (Buddhist or Taoist)
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 寺庙。
    Zhè zuò sì miào de fó xiàng fēi cháng zhuàng guān.
    The Buddha statue in this temple is very magnificent.
  • 寺庙。
    sì miào Páng biān yǒu yí piàn zhú lín.
    There is a bamboo forest next to the temple.
  • 寺庙。
    Tā měi tiān zài sì miào lǐ dǎ zuò yì xiǎo shí.
    He meditates for an hour in the temple every day.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

寺sìtemple
庙miàoshrine

寺 and 庙 both point to temples or shrines, so the pair names religious buildings.

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡳿
之zhī寺sì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 寺, the top comes from 之, a footprint pointing up, and the hand part 又 later changed shape; the original picture showed grasping or holding.

Open 寺 →

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 廟; 庙 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
广广guǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
朝
朝cháo廟miào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 廟 uses 广 to show the meaning and 朝 for the sound.

Open 庙 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 5Landmarks & AttractionsReligion & Belief

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