道场 (dào chǎng) — (in Buddhism or Daoism) a place where rites or ceremonies are performed; also the rites themselves; dojo, a training hall for martial arts

Definition

A Buddhist or Daoist term that means both the place where rites are held and the rites themselves. In everyday use it also means a martial arts dojo (训练馆 is the neutral term for any training hall).

noun
(in Buddhism or Daoism) a place where rites or ceremonies are performedalso the rites themselvesdojoa training hall for martial arts
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 道场。
    Zhè zuò sì miào měi nián dōu huì jǔ xíng dà xíng dào chǎng.
    This temple holds large Buddhist rites every year.
  • 道场。
    Tā zài dào chǎng lǐ liàn le sān nián de kōng shǒu dào.
    He trained in the dojo for three years in karate.
  • 道场，。
    Fǎ shī men zhèng zài bù zhì dào chǎng, zhǔn bèi míng tiān de fǎ huì.
    The monks are setting up the ritual site for tomorrow's ceremony.

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.

道dàoreligious way
场chǎngplace

道 (religious way) + 场 (place) names a place for rites.

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
行行xíngstreet
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𩠐
首shǒu道dào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Open 道 →

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 場; 场 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng場chǎng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 場 pairs 土 (earth) with 昜 as a sound part; the simplified 场 is a later abbreviation, so its parts do not have that historical role.

Open 场 →

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