坛 tán altar
altar; arena; platform; world; earthen jar
How to remember 坛: 土 earth + 云 cloud = altar. The farmers heap fresh earth into a low platform, and when the first cloud appears after months of drought, they kneel at their new altar.
Component breakdown
坛 = 土 earth + 云 cloud
- 土 earth
- 云 cloud
The farmers heap fresh earth into a low platform, and when the first cloud appears after months of drought, they kneel at their new altar.
How it is used
- Two senses. An altar/raised platform: 天坛 (Tiāntán) Temple of Heaven; and by extension a public arena/'-dom': 论坛 (lùntán) forum, 文坛 (wéntán) the literary world, 体坛 (tǐtán) the sports world.
- Also (as 罈) an earthen jar: 一坛酒 (yì tán jiǔ) a jar of wine.