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 structurally composed of "大" positioned above "酉", with the latter component representing a wine vessel, directly indicating its etymological basis in ritual practices involving libations. Its original meaning centered on the act of presenting offerings, especially wine, within ancestral sacrifice ceremonies. Over time, the semantic scope of the character extended beyond this specific ritual function to acquire the more general sense of setting something down firmly or establishing a basis, as evidenced in formative compounds like "奠定". Consequently, while the character's form has not altered, its application now covers both the concrete ritual act of offering to the deceased and the abstract concept of laying a foundation.
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。