ALTAR    壇壇

TABLE OR PLATFORM on which to ACT>perform RITUALS ADDRESSED to DEITIES. 
Old Chinese Criteria
[+FIGURATIVE/LITERAL] [GENERAL/SPECIFIC] 1. Tán 壇 is the general word for an altar of any kind. [GENERAL], [LITERAL] 2. Shè 社 "altar of the land" is one of the major religious institutions of ancient China. [LITERAL], [SPECIFIC] 3. Jì 稷 "altar dedicated to the gods of grain" is mostly used in conjunction with shè 社 and does not, by itself, represent such an important institution in Chinese cultural history. [LITERAL], [SPECIFIC] 4. Shè jì 社稷 "altars of the land and grain" is also the standard Chinese term for what we might call "the Nation" in modern English, because the essence of a state was seen to be contained in the local sacrifices undertaken at these altars of the land and grain. There is characteristic semantic oscillation between the meaning ALTAR and the meaning NATION. See NATION. [+FIGURATIVE], [SPECIFIC] 5. Jiāo 郊 refers to the suburban altar in the vicinity of a city. [LITERAL], [SPECIFIC]
Modern Chinese Criteria
祭壇 供壇 聖餐台 台階 壇 first rough draft to identify synonym group members for future analysis, based on CL. 18.11.2003. CH.
    Hypernym
    • TABLE　FURNITURE with a FLAT PLANK SUPPORTED by LEGS, TYPICALLY USED FOR PLACING FOOD FOR EATING ETC.. (anc: 6/0, child: 1)
    • FURNITURE　ARTEFACTS OFTEN PRODUCED USING TIMBER OR BAMBOO FOR CAUSING ROOMS to BECOME APPROPRIATE DWELLINGS. (anc: 5/0, child: 6)
    • ARTEFACT　THING PRODUCED by MAN. (anc: 4/0, child: 26)
  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 22.14

  • 論衡同義詞研究 ( LUNHENG TONGYI 2004) p. 9

  • Lateinische Synonymik ( MENGE) p. 222

  • Handwörterbuch des deutschen Aberglaubens ( BAECHTHOLD-STAEUBLI 1987) p. 1.325

    • Words (10 items)

    社稷  shè jì OC: ɡljaʔ tsɯɡ MC: dʑɣɛ tsɨk 57 Attributions

    Shè jì 社稷 "altars of the land and grain" is also the standard Chinese term for what we might call "the Nation" in modern English, because the essence of a state was seen to be contained in the local sacrifices undertaken at these altars of the land and grain. There is characteristic semantic oscillation between the meaning ALTAR and the meaning NATION. See NATION. [+FIGURATIVE], [SPECIFIC]

      Syntactic words
    • NP[post-N]pluralour altars of the land and grain; the altars of the land and grain of the subject of the sentence
    • NPpost-Naltars of the land and grain
    社  shè OC: ɡljaʔ MC: dʑɣɛ 15 Attributions

    Shè 社 "altar of the land" is one of the major religious institutions of ancient China. [LITERAL], [SPECIFIC]

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 稷/ALTAR Jì 稷 "altar dedicated to the gods of grain" is mostly used in conjunction with shè 社 and does not, by itself, represent such an important institution in Chinese cultural history. [LITERAL], [SPECIFIC]

      Syntactic words
    • nsacrificial mound and pole used for sacrifices to the spirits of the land
    壇  tán OC: daan MC: dɑn 14 Attributions

    Tán 壇 is the general word for an altar of any kind. [GENERAL], [LITERAL]

      Syntactic words
    • naltar, sacrificial mound; sacrificial platform; high ground round a building used for ritual or sacrificial purposes
    • nfigurativealtar (of poetry)> the Parnassus
    • viactbuild an altar, establish an altar
    郊  jiāo OC: kreew MC: kɣɛu 3 Attributions

    Jiāo 郊 refers to the suburban altar in the vicinity of a city. [LITERAL], [SPECIFIC]

      Syntactic words
    • nsuburban altar
    壇場  tán cháng OC: daan ɡrlaŋ MC: dɑn ɖi̯ɐŋ 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NParea with an altar in the middle
    墠  shàn OC: djanʔ MC: dʑiɛn 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nlevelled area used for sacrifices
    封  fēng OC: poŋ MC: pi̯oŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • viactraise an altar
    稷  jì OC: tsɯɡ MC: tsɨk 1 Attribution

    Jì 稷 "altar dedicated to the gods of grain" is mostly used in conjunction with shè 社 and does not, by itself, represent such an important institution in Chinese cultural history. [LITERAL], [SPECIFIC]

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 社/ALTAR Shè 社 "altar of the land" is one of the major religious institutions of ancient China. [LITERAL], [SPECIFIC]

      Syntactic words
    • naltar for sacrifice to the gods of grain
    垗  zhào OC: ɡrlewʔ MC: ɖiɛu 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • viactmake altars on the borders of tomb or sacrificial area
    舞雩  wǔ yú OC: maʔ ɢʷra MC: mi̯o ɦi̯o 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPab[.adN][altar] where one dances for rain