禖 (méi) - Mei — ancient term for a sacrificial ritual & also refers to the deity or spirit of

禖Tone 2

méi ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

禖 · méi

Mei — ancient term for a sacrificial ritual praying for the birth of a son;

also refers to the deity or spirit of marriage and childbirth in ancient Chinese mythology.

Mei — ancient term for a sacrificial ritualalso refers to the deity or spirit of

Usage highlights

Mei sacrificeMei deityMei altarMei ritualHigh MeiAncestral Mei

Synonyms

  • 祀— sacrifice, worship
  • 祭— ritual offering
  • 祈— pray, beseech

Antonyms

  • 绝— cut off, become extinct
  • 断— sever, break off

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The high priest performed the mei sacrifice (禖祀) to pray for a male heir.
  • Ancient texts mention the Mei deity (禖神) as a protector of marriage and fertility.
  • The ritual altar for the mei ceremony was called the Mei altar (禖坛).
  • Scholars study the role of the mei ritual (禖祭) in Zhou dynasty ancestor worship.

Collocations

  • Mei sacrifice(禖祀)
  • Mei deity(禖神)
  • Mei altar(禖坛)
  • Mei ritual(禖祭)
  • High Mei(高禖)
  • Ancestral Mei(祖禖)

Idioms

  • Imperial sacrifice for heirs(天子禖祀)
  • Praying to Gao Mei for descendants(祷于高禖)
  • The Mei altar stands in the southern suburb(禖坛立于南郊)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, the Mei ritual was an important state ceremony performed by rulers to pray for male heirs and ensure dynastic continuity.
  • The Gao Mei (高禖) was considered the supreme deity of marriage and reproduction, worshipped during spring festivals.
  • This character appears primarily in classical texts related to state rituals and mythology, not in modern everyday language.

FAQ