寺
sì · temple (Buddhist)💡 How to pronounce
s → like the 's' in 'see'. ì → like 'ee' with a falling tone.
📖 The Story
寺 is a Buddhist temple — a place of meditation, prayer, and peace. The character means 'temple' or 'monastery,' and it's one of the most important building types in Chinese culture. Temples are not just buildings — they're where the spiritual and physical worlds meet.
🎬 In Culture Today
The Shaolin Temple (少林寺) in Henan is the birthplace of Zen Buddhism. In movies, temples are where heroes train, where monks fight impossible battles, and where people go to find themselves.
📝 Example Sentences
寺庙里很安静。
It's very quiet inside the temple.
少林寺在河南。
Shaolin Temple is in Henan.