About
The character for temple, "庙", derives from its traditional form "廟", which combines the building radical "广" with the component "朝", originally serving as a phonetic indicator and possibly conveying a sense of reverence associated with morning ceremonies. In early usage, it primarily denoted ancestral temples where rituals were conducted to honor predecessors, reflecting its core connection to lineage and veneration. Over time, its meaning expanded beyond ancestral worship to include temples dedicated to various gods and even secular institutions such as imperial halls or government buildings, indicating a shift from strictly religious to broader communal spaces. The contemporary form "庙" simplifies the structure by substituting "朝" with "由", a change that alters the phonetic aspect while maintaining the architectural concept implied by "广", thus reflecting both linguistic adaptation and the character's enduring association with dedicated structures.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这座庙很大。
庙里有很多人。
我们去庙里拜佛。
春节时庙会很热闹。
这座寺庙的历史很长。
庙前的广场上举行活动。
每年农历初一，人们都去庙里祈福。
为了保护古迹，政府对这座庙进行了修缮。