Additional information about 棺
說文解字: 【棺】，關也，所以掩尸。 〔唐寫本木部殘卷「尸」作「屍」。〕 从木、官聲。 【古丸切】
- Criteria
- COFFIN
1. The current general word for the coffin is guān 棺, but this term also refers specifically to the inner coffin as opposed to what is translated as "outer coffin", the guǒ 槨. Coffins were generally made of wood and often lacquered; in Han times, stone coffins also came to use.
2. Jiù 柩 refers specifically to a coffin which contains a dead body.
3. Guǒ 槨 refers to the often very large structure which is put arround the inner coffin guān 棺. Note that the outer coffin is much more than an outer slightly larger wooden box. See illustration.
4. Chèn 櫬 refers specifically to the inner coffin, especially when presented as symbol of abject surrender (indicating to the person one surrenders to that one is willing to be put to death and put into this coffin). However, the term is also currently used to refer in general to an inner coffin in ZUO.
5. Bì 椑 refers to a ritual coffin made for the ruler on his accession to the throne and lacquered afresh every year; also used as a dignified general term for a coffin. In Tang times this custom was discontinued.
6. Mù 木 "wood, timber" is occasionally used by synecdoche to refer to a coffin.
7. Qì 器 can also refer to the coffin (from Han at least down to Six Dynasties times). Coffins for an emperor can then be called bì qì 秘器, and those for officials guān qì 棺器.
- Word relations
- Epithet: (COFFIN)瓦/TILE
- Contrast: (COFFIN)槨/COFFIN
Guǒ 槨 refers to the often very large structure which is put arround the inner coffin guān 棺. Note that the outer coffin is much more than an outer slightly larger wooden box. See illustration. - Assoc: (COFFIN)槨/COFFIN
Guǒ 槨 refers to the often very large structure which is put arround the inner coffin guān 棺. Note that the outer coffin is much more than an outer slightly larger wooden box. See illustration.