zing3 teng1正廳正厅
Jyutpingzing3 teng1
Yalejing tēng
Definition
The main hall, atrium, or nave of a building, or the stalls in a theater.
neutralhomeplaces
How it's used
Refers specifically to the central or most formal room in traditional Chinese architecture, often serving as a space for receiving guests or conducting ancestral ceremonies. While modern apartments rarely feature a space designated as a 正廳, the term remains in use when describing historical buildings, temples, or grand ancestral homes. It carries a sense of formality and central importance that distinguishes it from a standard living room.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
They are discussing business in the main hall.
Related words
Common phrases
the center of the main hall
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 客廳, which is the standard term for a living room in a modern flat. Using 正廳 to describe a typical apartment living room will sound overly formal or archaic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
