菴 (ān) - Hut, hermitage, small temple & thatched cottage

菴Tone 1

ān ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

安傲

菴 · ān

Hut, hermitage, small temple;

thatched cottage;

variant of 庵.

Hut, hermitage, small templethatched cottagevariant of 庵.

Usage highlights

Mountain hermitageThatched cottageBuddhist nunnerySmall templeHermit's hut

Synonyms

  • 庵— hut, hermitage (standard variant)
  • 庐— hut, cottage
  • 舍— hut, dwelling

Antonyms

  • 宫— palace (opposite of humble dwelling)
  • 殿— temple hall (opposite of small hermitage)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The monk lived in a small hermitage (山菴).
  • They built a thatched cottage (草菴) in the mountains.
  • This is a Buddhist nunnery (尼姑菴).

Collocations

  • Mountain hermitage(山菴)
  • Thatched cottage(草菴)
  • Buddhist nunnery(尼姑菴)
  • Small temple(菴寺)
  • Hermit's hut(菴庐)

Idioms

  • Living in a thatched hut(结草为菴)
  • The hermitage in the bamboo grove(竹林精菴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally associated with Buddhist and Taoist monastic dwellings, particularly small, secluded temples or hermitages.
  • Often used in classical Chinese poetry and literature to evoke images of rustic simplicity and spiritual retreat.
  • The character 菴 is considered a variant form of 庵, with similar meanings and usage.

FAQ