罍 (léi) - Lei — an ancient Chinese ritual bronze wine

罍Tone 2

léi ｜ 21 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

罍 · léi

Lei — an ancient Chinese ritual bronze wine vessel with a wide mouth and deep body, typically used for storing and serving wine during ceremonial occasions in the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

Lei — an ancient Chinese ritual bronze wine

Usage highlights

Bronze leiAncient leiWine leiZhou dynasty leiRitual leiLei vessel

Synonyms

  • 尊— zun - another type of ancient Chinese wine vessel
  • 彝— yi - general term for ritual bronze vessels

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The museum displays a magnificent bronze lei vessel (青铜罍).
  • Archaeologists unearthed a Zhou dynasty lei (周代罍).
  • This ceremonial wine container is called a lei (礼器罍).
  • The inscription on the lei records a royal ceremony (罍上铭文).

Collocations

  • Bronze lei(青铜罍)
  • Ancient lei(古罍)
  • Wine lei(酒罍)
  • Zhou dynasty lei(周代罍)
  • Ritual lei(礼器罍)
  • Lei vessel(罍器)

Idioms

  • The vessel is full but the heart is empty(罍满心空)
  • As dignified as an ancient lei(如古罍之庄)
  • The lei of virtue never empties(德罍不空)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Lei vessels were important ritual bronzes used in ancestral worship ceremonies during the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
  • They symbolize aristocratic status, ritual propriety, and the sophisticated bronze-casting technology of ancient China.
  • Lei often featured intricate decorations including taotie masks, dragon patterns, and inscriptions recording important events.

FAQ