paai4 wai2牌位
Jyutpingpaai4 wai2
Yalepàaih wái
Definition
A memorial tablet; a wooden plaque used to represent a deity, spirit, or ancestor during worship and sacrificial rites.
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How it's used
This term refers specifically to the wooden tablet used in ancestral worship to house the spirit of the deceased. It carries a solemn and respectful tone, as it is central to traditional Chinese family rituals. You will mostly encounter it in the context of home altars or ancestral halls.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
The memorial tablet in their home is placed very neatly.
Do you know where one can order a memorial tablet?
Related words
Common phrases
to worship a memorial tablet
to install a memorial tablet
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 墓碑, which refers specifically to a tombstone located at a gravesite. A 牌位 is intended for indoor worship within a home or temple.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
