About
寺 is a phono-semantic compound: 寸 ('hand') suggests the meaning, and 之 gives the sound (the modern upper element that looks like 土 actually derives from 之). Its original sense was 'to hold,' a meaning now written as 持. Through phonetic loan, the character was used for government offices in early imperial China. When Buddhism was introduced, monks were housed in such buildings, and the meaning shifted permanently to 'Buddhist temple' or 'monastery.'
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Example Sentences Hide
我去寺庙拜佛。
这座寺很古老。
寺庙里有很多和尚。
早上我去寺里散步。
寺院周围很安静。
我们计划参观那座著名的寺。
为了祈福，他们经常去寺庙。
虽然下雨，但我们还是决定去寺里参加活动。
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