Character: 寺
Modern (Beijing) reading: sì
Preclassic Old Chinese: lhǝs (~ -ks)
Classic Old Chinese: lhǝh
Western Han Chinese: lhǝh
Eastern Han Chinese: zhǝh
Early Postclassic Chinese: zhɨ̀
Middle Postclassic Chinese: zhɨ̀
Late Postclassic Chinese: zhɨ̀
Middle Chinese: zjɨ̀
English meaning : eunuch; official residence
Russian meaning[s]: 1) буддийский храм (монастырь); кумирня; 2) подворье; 3) ист. присутственное место; 4) евнух; священнослужитель; древн. жрец
Comments: In Early Zhou only the meaning 'eunuch' is attested. Already since Late
Zhou the character was used with the meaning 'official residence' ('a place
where eunuchs serve'), and much later - with the meaning 'Buddhist temple'.
The Vietnamese word is a dialectal loan with the meaning 'pagoda, Buddhist
temple' (with somewhat strange phonetics); regular Sino-Vietnamese is tụ'.
Zhou the character was used with the meaning 'official residence' ('a place
where eunuchs serve'), and much later - with the meaning 'Buddhist temple'.
The Vietnamese word is a dialectal loan with the meaning 'pagoda, Buddhist
temple' (with somewhat strange phonetics); regular Sino-Vietnamese is tụ'.
Radical: 41
Four-angle index: 3155
Karlgren code: 0961 m-o
Vietnamese reading: chùa
