Definition
墓志铭 is a formal term for an epitaph — a short text inscribed on a tombstone or memorial tablet, typically summarizing the deceased's life and virtues. In Chinese tradition, it often follows a set structure: a biographical preface (志) followed by a poetic eulogy (铭). You'll encounter it in historical texts, literature, and formal contexts like cemetery inscriptions.
n.
epitaph (inscription on a tombstone or memorial tablet)
Examples
- 墓志铭。Zhè kuài shíbēi shàng kè zhe yí wèi shīrén de mù zhì míng.This stone tablet bears the epitaph of a poet.
- 墓志铭。Kǎogǔ xuéjiā fāxiàn le yí kuài Táng dài de mù zhì míng.Archaeologists discovered a Tang dynasty epitaph.
- 墓志铭。Tā de mù zhì míng shàng zhǐ xiě le jiǎndān de jǐ jù huà.His epitaph only has a few simple sentences on it.
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