门 (mén) - door & gate

门Tone 2

mén ｜ 3 strokes ｜ radical: 门

伦妙

门 · mén

door;

gate;

entrance;

gateway;

family;

school of thought;

category;

classifier for subjects, courses, etc.

doorgateentrance

Usage highlights

doorgatefamily backgroundschool gatedoorwaygatekeeper

Synonyms

  • 户— door; household
  • 扉— door leaf
  • 闩— door bolt

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Please close the door (关门).
  • The school gate (校门) is very grand.
  • He comes from a scholarly family (书香门第).
  • This is the main entrance (大门) to the building.

Collocations

  • door(门)
  • gate(大门)
  • family background(门第)
  • school gate(校门)
  • doorway(门口)
  • gatekeeper(门卫)

Idioms

  • Unable to get in(不得其门而入)
  • Equal opportunity for all(门当户对)
  • A house full of guests(门庭若市)
  • Skilled workman(班门弄斧)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese architecture, gates and doors symbolize boundaries between inner and outer worlds.
  • Used metaphorically to represent family lineage, social status, and academic schools of thought.
  • The character itself is pictographic, originally depicting a double-leaf door.

FAQ