Chinese word

民俗

Pronunciation

Pinyinmín sú

Meaning

  • nounfolk customs

Example

我们村保留着很多民俗。wǒ men cūn bǎo liú zhe hěn duō mín sú

Our village preserves many folk customs.

Illustration for 民俗 (folk customs)

More examples

春节是重要的民俗节日，人们会举办各种传统活动。chūn jié shì zhòng yào de mín sú jié rì rén men huì jǔ bàn gè zhǒng chuán tǒng huó dòng

The Spring Festival is an important folk festival, and people organize various traditional activities.

Core concept

A community's traditional way of life, including what it celebrates, believes, practices, and makes.

Common phrases

  • 民俗文化mín sú wén huà

    folk culture

  • 民俗习惯mín sú xí guàn

    folk customs

  • 民俗信仰mín sú xìn yǎng

    folk beliefs

  • 民俗节日mín sú jié rì

    folk festival

  • 民俗艺术mín sú yì shù

    folk art

Similar words

习俗xí sú: Common daily practices and social rules followed within a region or group.
风俗fēng sú: Enduring local habits, including traditional manners, holiday practices, and ways of life.
传统chuán tǒng: Cultural practices and habits handed down from one generation to the next.
民间mín jiān: Folk customs, wisdom, and traditional arts shared by ordinary members of society.

Definition in Chinese

指某一民族或地区在日常生活中代代相传的习惯、节庆、信仰和民间技艺等传统文化现象。zhǐ mǒu yì mín zú huò dì qū zài rì cháng shēng huó zhōng dài dài xiāng chuán de xí guàn jié qìng xìn yǎng hé mín jiān jì yì děng chuán tǒng wén huà xiàn xiàng

Word origin

民 (mín, "the people") + 俗 (sú, "custom") combines to describe culture expressed in ordinary life as well as in festivals, beliefs, and inherited skills.

Usage tips

  • English folklore often suggests stories and legends, while this Chinese noun has a wider everyday-life scope that also includes celebrations, beliefs, and traditional skills.

Other meanings

  • folk beliefsnoun
  • folk culturenoun

Opposites

  • 现代文化xiàn dài wén huàmodern culturenoun
  • 官方文化guān fāng wén huàofficial culturenoun

Related words

  • 民俗学mín sú xuéfolklore studiesnoun
  • 民俗学家mín sú xué jiāfolkloristnoun

Word lists with this word