san4 zyu2 paai4神主牌
Jyutpingsan4 zyu2 paai4
Yalesàhn jyú pàaih
Definition
An ancestral or divine tablet; a small wooden tablet inscribed with the name of a deity or an ancestor for worship.
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How it's used
Beyond its literal meaning, this term is frequently used as a metaphor for something that is treated with excessive, rigid, or blind reverence. People might describe a set of outdated company rules or a useless bureaucratic procedure as a 神主牌 to imply it is being worshipped despite having no practical value.
Measure word
faai3塊faiExamples
Where is the ancestral tablet kept in their home?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 靈位, which refers to the memorial tablet or plaque specifically for a deceased person during the funeral or mourning period. While they serve similar functions, 神主牌 usually implies a more permanent, long-term ancestral veneration.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
