About
The character "宗" derives from a pictorial logic where the component 宀, symbolizing a roof or dwelling, is placed above 示, representing an altar or ritual display, thus conceptually forming an ancestral shrine or temple dedicated to familial worship. Its earliest meanings were firmly anchored in this physical and ritual space, referring to the place where clan ancestors were honored and lineage ceremonies conducted. From this concrete foundation, the term gradually broadened to denote the ancestral lineage itself, the founding progenitor, and by extension, the clan or familial group that traces its origin to such a figure. Later usage extended this sense of fundamental origin or revered source to abstract domains, particularly within religious and philosophical contexts, where "宗" came to signify a core doctrine, a school of thought, or a sect united by a shared master or principle, as seen in its application to Buddhist traditions. While its graphical form has remained stable over time, the semantic journey of "宗" illustrates a movement from a specific architectural and ritual referent to more generalized ideas of heritage, doctrine, and collective identity.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
宗教自由受到法律保护。
这个家族的宗祠历史很悠久。
我们学校的办学宗旨是立德树人。
他是这个庞大宗族的现任族长。
这宗土地交易已经完成了。
这家餐馆的牛肉面非常正宗。
团结协作是我们成功的唯一宗要。
他的艺术创作始终宗于内心的真实表达。