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祧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
祧tiāoancestral hallg, 10 strokes, radical 礻
tiāo(tiao1) T1
  1. 1ancestral hall
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March 24, 2026

祧tiāo(tiao1)

The character 祧 (tiāo) refers to an ancestral hall, which is a dedicated space where families honor their ancestors and conduct rituals. These halls are significant in Chinese culture, often housing ancestral tablets and serving as sites for family gatherings and celebrations, especially during festivals like Qingming.

Strokes10Radical礻
Cultural Note

Ancestral halls (祧) are central to Confucian values in China, reflecting the importance of filial piety and respect for one's lineage. They are often elaborately decorated and serve as a focal point for family identity.

Memory Tip

Imagine a family gathering in an ancestral hall (祧) to honor their ancestors. The character combines the radical for 'sacred' (示) with 'mountain' (夭), suggesting a revered place high up where ancestors dwell.

Meanings of 祧

tiāo(tiao1)
1ancestral hall
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 祧

祧Simplified
10Strokes
礻Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 祧

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Podcast: 祧

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AI Study Notes for 祧

Usage Notes

This term is primarily used in formal contexts related to cultural practices. Be mindful not to confuse it with similar terms for other types of halls or buildings. Common collocations include '祧堂' (tiāotáng), meaning 'ancestral hall'.

HSK Study Tips

While 祧 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it connects to cultural vocabulary relevant for higher-level learners. Focus on understanding traditional family structures and practices in Chinese culture when studying this term.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 祧 with similar-sounding characters or incorrect tones, such as 逃 (táo, to escape). Ensure to use the correct pronunciation and context when discussing family traditions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 祧

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Etymology of 祧

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

spirit

Semantic (meaning)礻
+
Phonetic (sound)兆
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 祧

  1. 1The meaning half礻 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half兆 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayspirit
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 祧? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 祧?

Decomposition of 祧

IDS Structure⿰礻兆
祧Full Character
=
礻shi4
left
兆Zhao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 祧?

How to say ancestral hall in Chinese

“ancestral hall” in Chinese is祧tiāo

The character 祧 (tiāo) refers to an ancestral hall, which is a dedicated space where families honor their ancestors and conduct rituals. These halls are significant in Chinese culture, often housing ancestral tablets and serving as sites for family gatherings and celebrations, especially during festivals like Qingming.

When to use 祧

This term is primarily used in formal contexts related to cultural practices. Be mindful not to confuse it with similar terms for other types of halls or buildings. Common collocations include '祧堂' (tiāotáng), meaning 'ancestral hall'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 祧 with similar-sounding characters or incorrect tones, such as 逃 (táo, to escape). Ensure to use the correct pronunciation and context when discussing family traditions.

Write 祧

祧

Practice writing 祧 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 祧

Words Containing This Character1
祧tiāoancestral hall
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 祧 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 祧

An ancestral hall is used for honoring ancestors, conducting rituals, and facilitating family gatherings.

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