hall, large room

JLPT N4 11 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character '' primarily refers to a large hall or main room within a building, such as a school auditorium or a main hall in a house. It often conveys a sense of spaciousness and formality.

Family Relations

In Chinese kinship terms, '' is used to specify paternal cousins (兄弟, 姐妹), distinguishing them from maternal cousins. This usage is common in everyday conversation when talking about family.

Common Collocations

  • 礼堂 (lǐtáng): auditorium or assembly hall, used for ceremonies or large gatherings.
  • (kètáng): main hall or guest room in a house, often for receiving visitors.
  • 兄弟 (táng xiōngdì): paternal male cousins.

Usage Notes

When used in kinship, '' specifically marks relatives on the father's side, which is important in Chinese family terminology. When referring to rooms or halls, it usually implies a formal or large space rather than a small room.

Avoiding Confusion

Do not confuse '' with '' (fáng), which generally means any room or house. '' suggests a larger, more formal space. Also, in kinship, '' is distinct from '' (biǎo), which refers to maternal cousins.

Example Sentences

We held the graduation ceremony in the school's auditorium.

His house has a very large main hall, suitable for entertaining guests.

Cousins on the paternal side gather together every Spring Festival.