祭礼 (jì lǐ) — sacrificial rite; memorial ceremony; offerings used in a sacrifice

Definition

A formal noun for a sacrificial rite or memorial ceremony, and by extension the offerings used in one. Culturally tied to ancestor worship and traditional Chinese religious practice.

noun
sacrificial ritememorial ceremonyofferings used in a sacrifice
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 祭礼。
    Tā men měi nián dōu huì jǔ xíng lóng zhòng de jì lǐ lái jì bài zǔ xiān.
    They hold a grand sacrificial rite every year to worship their ancestors.
  • 祭礼。
    Bó wù guǎn lǐ chén liè zhe gǔ dài jì lǐ yòng de qīng tóng qì.
    The museum displays bronze vessels used in ancient sacrificial offerings.
  • 祭礼。
    Zhè chǎng jì lǐ chí xù le zhěng zhěng yì tiān.
    This memorial ceremony lasted an entire day.

Origin

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.

祭jìsacrifice
礼lǐrite

祭 denotes sacrifice and 礼 denotes ceremony, together referring to sacrificial rites or offerings.

Characters in this word

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

祭 shows 又 (hand) offering 肉 (meat) at 示 (altar/ceremony).

Open 祭 →

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 禮; 礼 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
礻Written in full as示shìaltar
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ禮lǐ
Same sound today

The traditional form 禮 pairs 礻 (altar) with 豊, a sound part, for performing rites at the altar; the simplified 礼 is a later shorthand.

Open 礼 →

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