殿

diàn

殳 + 𡱒

Definitions

diàn (noun) palace hall; temple

diàn (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 殳 on the right, a hand holding a weapon, suggesting striking, with a left component that originally depicted buttocks (𡱒). Its earliest meaning was "to smack the buttocks", a punishment used in ancient China. Over time, the sense shifted to "palace" or "hall" because such buildings were seen as protruding prominently, much like buttocks.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这座宫殿很古老。

Zhè zuò gōngdiàn hěn gǔlǎo.

This palace is very ancient.

大殿里有很多人。

Dàdiàn lǐ yǒu hěnduō rén.

There are many people in the main hall.

我们参观了故宫的殿宇。

Wǒmen cānguānle Gùgōng de diànyǔ.

We visited the halls of the Forbidden City.

他在寺庙的殿内祈祷。

Tā zài sìmiào de diàn nèi qídǎo.

He prayed inside the temple hall.

这座殿建于唐代。

Zhè zuò diàn jiàn yú Tángdài.

This hall was built in the Tang Dynasty.

皇家殿院通常不允许拍照。

Huángjiā diànyuàn tōngcháng bù yǔnxǔ pāizhào.

Royal palace courtyards usually do not allow photography.

为了维护殿内的肃静，请保持安静。

Wèile wéihù diàn nèi de sùjìng, qǐng bǎochí ānjìng.

To maintain the solemn silence in the hall, please keep quiet.

在古代，殿试是科举制度的最高级别考试。

Zài gǔdài, diànshì shì kējǔ zhìdù de zuì gāo jíbié kǎoshì.

In ancient times, the palace examination was the highest level of the imperial examination system.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 殳

殿