庵 (ān) - Hut & hermitage

庵Tone 1

ān ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

安傲

庵 · ān

Hut;

hermitage;

small Buddhist temple or nunnery;

thatched cottage;

retreat.

Huthermitagesmall Buddhist temple or nunnery

Usage highlights

Buddhist nunneryMountain hermitageThatched cottageSmall templeTemple gateHermit's hut

Synonyms

  • 寺— temple, monastery (generally larger)
  • 庙— temple, shrine
  • 庐— hut, cottage

Antonyms

  • 宫— palace (large, grand structure)
  • 殿— hall, palace (spacious building)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The monk lives in a mountain hermitage (山庵).
  • She became a nun at the Buddhist nunnery (尼姑庵).
  • The poet built a thatched cottage (草庵) for quiet contemplation.
  • They visited a small temple (庵堂) in the forest.

Collocations

  • Buddhist nunnery(尼姑庵)
  • Mountain hermitage(山庵)
  • Thatched cottage(草庵)
  • Small temple(庵堂)
  • Temple gate(庵门)
  • Hermit's hut(庵舍)

Idioms

  • Living in a thatched hut and eating simple food(草庵蔬食)
  • The temple in the bamboo grove(竹林庵)
  • A quiet retreat for cultivation(修行庵)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally refers to small Buddhist temples, often for nuns, or hermitages for spiritual retreat.
  • In classical Chinese literature, '庵' often symbolizes a place of solitude, simplicity, and spiritual cultivation.
  • Unlike large monasteries (寺), '庵' typically denotes smaller, more intimate religious dwellings.

FAQ