sanctuary
- n. 圣所
- n. 避难所
- Definition
- n. a holy place
- n. a safe place that offers protection from danger
- Example
- The old garden became a peaceful sanctuary for tired travelers.
- 那座旧花园成了疲惫旅人的宁静庇护所。
Synonyms & Differences 近义词辨析
Compared meaning: a safe place protected from danger (noun).
比较义项：免受危险、可获得保护的安全场所（名词）。
- refuge
A general word for a safe place sheltering someone from a specific, often sudden danger; commonly used with 'take/find refuge' and 'refuge from'.
泛指为躲避某种具体的、往往是突发的危险而寻求的安全场所，常与“take/find refuge”“refuge from”等搭配连用。
Villagers took refuge in the underground shelter during the bombing.
村民们在轰炸期间躲进地下掩体避难。
- sanctuary 本词
Suggests a calm, protected place where one feels safe and at peace, often for an extended stay, and can carry a spiritual or religious tone.
强调一个宁静、受保护、令人安心的场所，往往可以长期停留，并常带有宗教或心灵慰藉的色彩。
The monastery offered monks a sanctuary of silence and prayer.
这座修道院为僧侣们提供了一片可以静默祈祷的庇护之地。
- asylum
Refers specifically to legal protection granted by a country to someone fleeing persecution or war, not a physical place itself; used with 'seek/grant/apply for asylum'.
特指一个国家给予逃离迫害或战乱者的法律保护，本身并非一个实体场所，常与“seek/grant/apply for asylum”搭配。
He applied for asylum after fleeing political persecution in his homeland.
在祖国遭受政治迫害后，他逃离并申请了庇护。
Refuge, sanctuary and asylum all mean safety from danger. Refuge is a word for a safe place. Sanctuary is a calm place for a peaceful stay. Asylum is legal protection a country gives someone fleeing persecution. Not included: sanctuary's church sense, or asylum's mental-hospital sense.
这三个词都表示“躲避危险后获得的安全和保护”，但侧重不同：refuge 泛指躲避具体危险的场所，sanctuary 强调宁静、令人安心的庇护之地，asylum 特指一个国家给予的法律保护，而非实体场所。这里不比较 sanctuary“教堂内殿”这一宗教建筑义，也不比较 asylum“精神病院”这一旧义。