榫 (sǔn) - Tenon — a projecting piece of wood made
榫 · sǔn
Tenon — a projecting piece of wood made for insertion into a mortise to make a joint in woodworking.
Tenon — a projecting piece of wood made
Usage highlights
Mortise and tenonTenon jointTenon headTenon eye/mortiseDovetail tenonTenon structure
Usage & contexts
Examples
- The mortise and tenon joint (榫卯结构) is a classic Chinese woodworking technique.
- The carpenter carved the tenon (榫头) precisely to fit the mortise.
- This ancient architecture uses tenon joints (榫接) without any nails.
- The tenon fits perfectly into the mortise (榫眼).
Collocations
- Mortise and tenon(榫卯)
- Tenon joint(榫接)
- Tenon head(榫头)
- Tenon eye/mortise(榫眼)
- Dovetail tenon(燕尾榫)
- Tenon structure(榫结构)
Idioms
- Perfectly matched mortise and tenon(榫卯相合)
- As fitting as mortise and tenon(如榫如卯)
- Precise tenon work(榫凿精密)
Cultural background
FAQ- Mortise and tenon joints represent one of the greatest achievements of ancient Chinese carpentry, dating back over 7,000 years.
- This joinery technique reflects the Chinese philosophical concept of yin and yang, where the mortise (female) and tenon (male) complement each other.
- The Forbidden City in Beijing was constructed primarily using mortise and tenon joints without nails, demonstrating the durability of this technique.
- Traditional Chinese furniture, particularly Ming-style pieces, extensively uses mortise and tenon joints for both structural integrity and aesthetic appeal.