<p>I do not know of names for other corners of the house, but the southwestern corner is considered traditionally as the privileged site suitable for worshipping deities.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>《禮·曲禮》 爲人子者，居不主奧。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>"The child does not live in the southwestern corner." In other words, one should show deference to one's parents by yielding the southwestern corner.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-30T06:29:56.213Z
2014-10-30T06:29:56.213Z
Marc
<p>Thanks to another question on this forum i learned that the south-western corner of a house has its own name: 奥. I was very surprised of this notion and could not make any sense why there might be necessity for giving corners unique names. </p>

<ul>
<li>Could you provide an ethymology to make the purpose of naming comprehensible?</li>
<li>What are further names for particular places in a house?</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-30T06:58:13.087Z
[《爾雅·釋宮》](http://ctext.org/er-ya/shi-gong/zh)：「西南隅謂之奧。西北隅謂之屋漏。東北隅謂之宦。東南隅謂之㝔。」 Thus, the southwestern corner is 奧, northwestern is 屋漏, northeastern is 宦, and southeastern is 㝔.
Stan
<vocabulary><etymology><culture>
What is the origin of giving certain corners within houses own name?
# What is the origin of giving certain corners within houses own name?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-30)

Thanks to another question on this forum i learned that the south-western corner of a house has its own name: 奥. I was very surprised of this notion and could not make any sense why there might be necessity for giving corners unique names.

* Could you provide an ethymology to make the purpose of naming comprehensible?
* What are further names for particular places in a house?

**Tags:** vocabulary, etymology, culture

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: [《爾雅·釋宮》](http://ctext.org/er-ya/shi-gong/zh)：「西南隅謂之奧。西北隅謂之屋漏。東北隅謂之宦。東南隅謂之㝔。」 Thus, the southwestern corner is 奧, northwestern is 屋漏, northeastern is 宦, and southeastern is 㝔.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-10-30. Score: 1

I do not know of names for other corners of the house, but the southwestern corner is considered traditionally as the privileged site suitable for worshipping deities.

> 《禮·曲禮》 爲人子者，居不主奧。

"The child does not live in the southwestern corner." In other words, one should show deference to one's parents by yielding the southwestern corner.


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