Definitions
(noun)
palace hall; temple
(noun)
rear hall; back chamber
Etymology
Depicts a weapon (殳) smacking a person's buttocks (𡱒). In ancient China, having one's buttocks smacked with a huge stick was one of the punishments criminals could have. Based on the original meaning, "to smack the buttocks". The meaning later shifted to "palace" and "hall", because buildings have an elevated appearance that stick out like buttocks.
About
The character "殿" combines the radical "殳", which implies action or force, with a phonetic component, originally associated with meanings of striking or pounding. Its semantic focus shifted from these active verbs to architectural concepts, specifically denoting the rear sections of palaces, which were often the most secure and significant areas. This architectural reference gradually expanded to encompass the entire building, leading to its contemporary meanings of a grand hall, temple, or palace, while its form has remained consistent without a simplified variant.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这座宫殿很古老。
大殿里有很多人。
我们参观了故宫的殿宇。
他在寺庙的殿内祈祷。
这座殿建于唐代。
皇家殿院通常不允许拍照。
为了维护殿内的肃静，请保持安静。
在古代，殿试是科举制度的最高级别考试。