堂 táng hall
hall; cousins
How to remember 堂: 𫩠 esteem + 土 earth = hall. The whole village holds its oldest singer in high esteem, and she sings barefoot on the packed earth floor of the village hall.
Component breakdown
堂 = 𫩠 esteem + 土 earth
- 𫩠 esteem
- 土 earth
The whole village holds its oldest singer in high esteem, and she sings barefoot on the packed earth floor of the village hall.
How it came to be
A window with air rising through it, the esteem block, over earth. A building raised on packed earth, with its openings high up: the main room of a house, drawn from outside.
How it is used
- 'Hall, large room' - 食堂 (shítáng) canteen/cafeteria, 课堂 (kètáng) classroom, 礼堂 (lǐtáng) auditorium.
- 天堂 (tiāntáng) = heaven/paradise, opposite of 地狱 (dìyù) hell - 人间地狱 (rénjiān dìyù) hell on earth.
- Also marks paternal cousins: 堂哥 (tánggē) = older male cousin on the father's side (vs 表 biǎo, maternal side).
Characters built with 堂
Words with 堂
Example sentences
- 老师给孩子们上了一堂课。 Lǎoshī gěi háizimen shàngle yī táng kè.The teacher taught one class to the children.