Thūpa (S. stūpa), rendered into Chinese as "Ta", "Tabo" or "Sudubo", means "tower" or "tomb". Thūpas are usually built for keeping sarīra, though some are for commemorative purposes.
“塔”又稱“塔波”,是梵語Stūpa(P. Thūpa)省略的音譯,完整的音譯是“窣堵波”,意義是“高顯”或“墳”。塔一般是藏舍利的,也有不藏舍利而作為標志紀念之用的。