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寺院 (sì yuàn) — temple; monastery

Definition

noun
templemonastery
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 寺院。
    Zhè zuò sì yuàn yǒu shàng qiān nián de lì shǐ le.
    This temple has a history of over a thousand years.
  • 寺院。
    Tā men qù sì yuàn cān guān fó xiàng.
    They went to the temple to visit the Buddha statues.
  • 寺院。
    Zhè ge sì yuàn de zhōu wéi yǒu hěn duō gǔ shù.
    There are many ancient trees around this monastery.

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
院yuàncourtyard or monastery

寺 means temple and 院 means courtyard or monastery: temple.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
完
完wán院yuàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

院 is built from 阝, written in full as 阜, and 完, which gives the sound.

Open 院 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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