About
The character for "ritual" or "propriety", originally written in its traditional form as 禮, structurally combines the radical 示, denoting matters related to the altar or the spiritual, with the component 豊, which depicts a ritual vessel filled with offerings. This composition clearly anchored its earliest meaning in the concrete practice of religious ceremonies and sacrificial rites performed to honor spirits and maintain cosmic and social order. Over time, the concept embodied by the character expanded beyond the strictly liturgical to encompass the entire framework of ceremonial conduct, social norms, and hierarchical etiquette that governed aristocratic life in ancient China. Its meaning further abstracted to represent the internalized principles of proper behavior, moral cultivation, and the respectful decorum essential for a harmonious society, becoming a central pillar in Confucian philosophical discourse. The modern, simplified form 礼 emerged historically from a long-used cursive variant, retaining the spiritual implication of the 示 radical while replacing the complex 豊 with the simpler phonetic component 乚.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我收到了礼物。
他很有礼貌。
学习礼仪很重要。
我们要遵守礼节。
他们的婚礼很隆重。
学校举行了毕业典礼。
在正式场合，礼仪显得尤为重要。
对于不同的文化，礼节的含义可能有所不同。