Definitions
(verb)
to fix; to settle
(noun)
libation to the dead
Etymology
Pictograph of a container of wine (酋) placed on a table as an offering for a sacrificial or memorial ceremony.
About
The character 奠 is composed of a wine vessel placed upon a stand, with the lower component 大 representing the supporting base. Its core meaning refers to making formal offerings to the deceased, pouring libations, or conducting memorial rites. From the firm placement of this ritual vessel, the character also developed the sense of establishing, laying a foundation, or settling something securely, a meaning often used in formal contexts for cornerstones or enduring principles.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我们祭奠祖先。
他奠定了基础。
公司举行了奠基仪式。
这项研究奠定了理论框架。
他们在纪念碑前奠花。
奠基于科学的方法很重要。
他的贡献为后续发展奠下了坚实基础。
在传统文化中，祭奠仪式通常包括奠酒和奠食。