shrine

/ʃraɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ʃraɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈshrīn especially Southern ˈsrīn/ (ame, mw)

shrine — noun

  • shrinesingular
  • shrinesplural

1. a building, small structure, or natural site where people go to pray and show de

1.名詞B2
釋義

a building, small structure, or natural site where people go to pray and show devotion because it is linked to a saint, god, or other sacred being

例句

Minh's family visits the shrine of their patron saint every year on the feast day.

shrine + of + saint for religious devotion

A small stone shrine stood at the crossroads, where villagers often stopped to pray.

同義詞
  • temple

    a large building for regular worship by a religious community, typically larger than a shrine

  • sanctuary

    the holiest innermost area of a place of worship, or a place offering refuge

  • chapel

    a small building or room for Christian worship, less specific to a sacred object

  • holy site

    a broader term for any place considered sacred due to religious events or figures

用法筆記

Use 'temple' for a large building where a faith community gathers regularly; use 'shrine' for a smaller holy site linked to a specific saint, deity, or sacred object.

常見錯誤

I visited a shrine in Japan to pray to Buddha.
I visited a temple in Japan to pray to Buddha.
💡In Japanese contexts, Shinto sites are called shrines and Buddhist sites are called temples.

2. a location, building, or object that people treat with deep respect because it r

2.名詞B2
釋義

a location, building, or object that people treat with deep respect because it reminds them of a well-known person or an important event that matters to them

例句

The old theater where the actress performed has become a shrine visited by her admirers.

become a shrine for admirers

Fans created a makeshift shrine outside the stadium to remember the player who died.

同義詞
  • memorial

    a structure built specifically to honor a person or event, often more formal than a shrine

  • monument

    a large statue, building, or structure erected to preserve the memory of someone or something

  • tribute

    something said, written, or done to show respect or admiration for someone

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1 (HOLY PLACE), this sense does NOT require a religious connection — any place, object, or building can become a shrine due to its personal, cultural, or historical meaning.

常見錯誤

Elvis fans built a shrine to him inside the church.
Elvis fans created a shrine to him in the museum.
💡A shrine in the memorial sense is not typically placed inside a place of active religious worship.

shrine — verb