inner gate; second gate within a compound
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
inner gate; the main gate inside a large courtyard or mansion compound
Used in traditional Chinese architecture to describe the gate separating the outer and inner sections of a large residential compound. Often implies a more private or formal area beyond it.
Gǔ古
dài代
de的
dà大
zhái宅
yuàn院
，
guò过
le了
yǐng影
bì壁
jiù就
shì是
èr二
mén门
。
In ancient mansions, past the spirit wall was the inner gate.
Nǚ女
juàn眷
men们
tōng通
cháng常
zhù住
zài在
èr二
mén门
yǐ以
nèi内
。
The women of the household usually lived inside the inner gate.
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Zhè这
mén门
shì是
dà大
mén门
，
lǐ里
miàn面
nà那
dào道
cái才
shì是
èr二
mén门
。
This gate is the main outer gate; the one inside is the inner gate.