堂
public chamber, hall
Readings
On'yomi
- ドウ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
堂 centers on a large, dignified indoor space: a public chamber or hall where people gather.
Most common words using 堂
20 of 119- 堂どう
temple; shrine; chapel
- 食堂しょくどうN5
dining room; dining hall; cafeteria; canteen; messroom
- 堂々どうどうN1
magnificent; grand; impressive; dignified; majestic; imposing; stately
- 任天堂にんてんどう
Nintendo
- 聖堂せいどう
(Confucian) temple; church; sanctuary
- 殿堂でんどう
palace; hall
- 議事堂ぎじどうN1
assembly hall; parliament house; diet building; capitol; houses of parliament; congress hall
- 資生堂しせいどう
Shiseido (Japanese cosmetics firm)
- 本堂ほんどう
main hall (of a Buddhist temple); main temple
- 正々堂々せいせいどうどう
fair and square; open and aboveboard; bold and forthright
- 公会堂こうかいどう
town hall; public hall
- 講堂こうどうN4
auditorium; lecture hall
- 御堂みどう
enshrinement hall (of a buddha); temple
- 一堂いちどう
one building (hall, temple, shrine, room)
- 三省堂さんせいどう
Sanseido (publisher)
- 経堂きょうどう
sutra library
- 天堂てんどう
heaven; paradise
- 辻堂つじどう
wayside shrine
- 堂上どうじょう
on the roof; court nobles
- 観音堂かんのんどう
temple dedicated to Kannon
Study
Etymology
堂 combines 土 (earth, ground) with a phonetic element that also suggests a raised platform or building. The character originally referred to an elevated hall or chamber built on a raised earthen foundation.
Meaning mnemonic
The top part looks like a roof over a gathering space, and the bottom 土 is the solid ground. Picture a grand hall with a high roof standing on firm earth.
Reading mnemonic
For ドウ, imagine a deep, resonant 'doh' sound echoing through the hall: doh -> ドウ, like a low note filling the chamber.