礼れい拝はい堂どう

also: らいはいどう

れ

い

は

い

ど

う

Meanings

1

noun

chapel

Only with reading れいはいどう

Typically a Christian chapel or a room for worship within a larger institution such as a school, hospital, or church complex.

病びょう院いんの礼れい拝はい堂どうで日にち曜よう礼れい拝はいが行おこなわれた。
Sunday service was held in the hospital chapel.

2

noun

worship hall (Buddhist temple)

Only with reading らいはいどう

A building used for worship, often located in front of the main hall of a Buddhist temple. The reading らいはいどう is especially associated with this sense.

参さん拝ぱい者しゃはまず礼らい拝はい堂どうでお経きょうをあげた。
Worshippers first chanted sutras in the worship hall.

Written forms

礼拝堂
- れいはいどう
  Standard spelling for both senses; reading れいはいどう is more common for the Christian chapel sense.
- らいはいどう
  Alternate reading used especially for the Buddhist worship hall sense.
らいはいどう

Kanji

礼salute, bow, ceremony
拝worship, adore, pray to
堂public chamber, hall

Similar words

教きょう会かい
教会 refers to a church as an organization or the main building for Christian worship, while 礼拝堂 is specifically a chapel or a smaller worship space.
本ほん堂どう
本堂 is the main hall of a Buddhist temple, whereas 礼拝堂 (らいはいどう) is a separate worship building often in front of it.

Etymology

Compound of 礼拝 (reihai/raihai, 'worship') and 堂 (dō, 'hall'). The reading れいはいどう is more common in Christian contexts, while らいはいどう is used in Buddhist contexts.