Taxonomy of meanings for 楹:　　

  • 楹 yíng (OC: leŋ MC: jiɛŋ) 以成切 平 廣韻：【柱也孔子曰夢奠於兩楹 】
    • PILLAR
      • npillar in front of the main hall, on the main platform in front of the main hall; but the term can also be used to refer quite generally to a pillar of any kind, including the structurally crucial zhù 柱.
      • npost-NN=buildingpillar of NDS
    • NOMINAL MEASURE WORDS

      Additional information about 楹

      說文解字: 【楹】，柱也。从木、盈聲。《春秋傳》曰：丹桓宮楹。 【以成切】

        Criteria
      • PILLAR

        1. The current general term for a pillar is zhù 柱. Pillars were in ancient China basic elements of a building, and they supported the roof. They were ussually made of wood, and could be painted (there is evidence for pillars painted red in ZUO: ZHUANG 23) or curved. From pictorial evidence are best known pillars of the Han period, which can be divided into several types according to the shape in section: most usual are pillars with a round section, but there are also pillars with rectangular section, with eight-edged section, pillars resembling the bound bamboo, and pillars with cannelures.

        2. Yíng 楹 refers specifically to a pillar in front of the main hall, but it can be also used like a general term for a pillar.

        3. Zhū rú 侏儒 can refer to a short pillar staying on the north-southern beam and supporting higher north-southern beam; also referred to as zhuó ????

        4. Zhuó (I have not found the character in a list) is another word for zhū rú 侏儒.

        5. Wú 梧 / 牾 refers to one of two inclined beams which lean one against other and thus create triangular construction supporting the roof. Wú 梧 / 牾 does fit the definition of a pillar given above, but it was viewed by the Chinese as belonging to the group of zhù 柱.

        6. Chū 礎 refers to the pillar base which was made of stone. It can be either a hole filled with stones, or a flat stone put on the floor. Both types were known in China since prehistoric times.

        7. Xì (I have not found the character in a list) is another term for chū 礎.

        7. Zhī 榰 refers to a pillar base made either of wood or stone.

        8. Jī (not found) refers perhaps to a rectangular piece of wood on a top of the pillar???. It is mentioned in ZHUANGZI and HUAINANZI.

        9. Lú 櫨 probably refers to a rectangular piece of wood on the top of a pillar or on the top of a pillar capital???. Mentioned in HUAINANZI together with jī; it is not clear which was difference between these two terms.

        NB: THIS OBVIOUSLY STILL NEEDS REVISION.