廟 meaning and stroke order
Temple, shrine; imperial court
How to write 廟, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 廟
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- temple
- ancestral shrine
- temple fair
- great imperial hall
- imperial
How 廟 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A building 广 containing an altar 朝.
Radical: 广 (broad), shared by 60 characters on this site.
How to remember 廟
廟 (miào) is a building 广 that shelters 朝, which the etymology hint describes as an altar. Picture a roofed hall with an altar inside where people come to worship, and you have a temple.
廟 is the traditional form. In mainland China it is written 庙, and it usually appears in compounds like 寺庙 (sìmiào) or 庙会 (miàohuì) rather than alone. Example: 春节的时候我们去逛庙会。(Chūnjié de shíhou wǒmen qù guàng miàohuì.) During Spring Festival we go to the temple fair.
Common mistake: Learners often write the inside part as 月 or 胡 instead of the full 朝, or let the 广 roof stop too short to cover it. Also note the fourth tone: miào, not miáo like 苗 (sprout).
Common words with 廟
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 廟
How many strokes are in 廟?
廟 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 廟 mean?
廟 (miào) means temple, shrine; imperial court. A common word with it is 寺庙 (sìmiào), meaning "temple; monastery".
How do you pronounce 廟?
廟 is pronounced miào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 廟?
The radical of 廟 is 广, which carries the idea of "broad". Dictionaries list 廟 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 廟?
廟 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 庙, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 寺 and 廟?
寺 (sì) usually refers to a Buddhist monastery with resident monks. 廟 is broader and often means a shrine to gods, ancestors, or historical figures, such as a 孔廟 (Kǒngmiào), a Confucius temple. In everyday speech 寺廟 covers both.
Why does 廟 also mean imperial court?
In older usage, 廟 referred to the great ancestral hall of the ruling house, where state matters were connected to ancestor worship. This is why classical phrases like 廟堂 (miàotáng) can mean the imperial court or the government.