庙 (miào) - temple & shrine

庙Tone 4

miào ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 广

妙慕

庙 · miào

temple;

shrine;

imperial court;

ancestral hall

templeshrineimperial court

Usage highlights

templetemple fairConfucius Templeancestral templeimperial courttemple gate

Synonyms

  • 寺— temple, monastery
  • 庵— Buddhist nunnery
  • 祠— shrine, ancestral hall

Antonyms

  • 俗— secular, vulgar
  • 凡— ordinary, mundane

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We visited the ancient temple (古庙).
  • The temple fair (庙会) is very lively.
  • This is a Confucius Temple (孔庙).
  • The imperial court (庙堂) refers to the government.

Collocations

  • temple(寺庙)
  • temple fair(庙会)
  • Confucius Temple(孔庙)
  • ancestral temple(宗庙)
  • imperial court(庙堂)
  • temple gate(庙门)

Idioms

  • Run into a temple to avoid the rain(跑庙避雨)
  • Temple small but spirits powerful(庙小神灵大)
  • Cannot see the mountain for the temple(不见庙山)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, temples were centers for religious worship, community gatherings, and education.
  • Ancestral temples (宗庙) held great importance in Confucian rituals for honoring ancestors.
  • The term '庙堂' (imperial court) reflects the historical connection between religious and political authority.

FAQ