椽 (chuán) - rafter — a structural beam in traditional Chinese & metaphorically refers to an important person or pillar

椽Tone 2

chuán ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

椽 · chuán

rafter — a structural beam in traditional Chinese architecture that supports the roof;

metaphorically refers to an important person or pillar of society.

rafter — a structural beam in traditional Chinesemetaphorically refers to an important person or pillar

Usage highlights

roof rafterwooden rafterbamboo rafterrafter and beamcarved rafterrafter bracket

Synonyms

  • 梁— beam, the main horizontal support
  • 檩— purlin, the horizontal beam supporting rafters
  • 桁— purlin, similar to 檩

Antonyms

  • 础— foundation stone (bottom vs. top structural element)
  • 基— foundation, base (supporting vs. supported element)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The carpenters installed the roof rafters (椽子).
  • This building uses large wooden rafters (木椽).
  • He is considered a pillar of the community (栋梁之椽).
  • The ancient temple's rafters (古庙的椽) are beautifully carved.

Collocations

  • roof rafter(椽子)
  • wooden rafter(木椽)
  • bamboo rafter(竹椽)
  • rafter and beam(椽梁)
  • carved rafter(雕椽)
  • rafter bracket(椽枋)

Idioms

  • Big talk makes big rafters(大言不惭，大椽不弯)
  • The rafter that sticks out rots first(出头的椽子先烂)
  • Carve beams and paint rafters(雕梁画栋)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese architecture, rafters are essential structural elements that determine the roof's shape and stability.
  • The character appears in idioms about social prominence, where 'sticking out rafters' metaphorically warns against being too conspicuous.
  • Rafter craftsmanship reflects traditional Chinese woodworking techniques and architectural aesthetics.

FAQ