朝拜

The first character 朝 originally meant "to attend the imperial court at dawn" — vassals and officials performing 朝拜 (court audience) before the emperor. The religious sense (pilgrimage to a holy site) extended later: the act of presenting oneself in reverence migrated from emperor to deity.

Use 朝拜 for serious religious pilgrimage and the very formal sense of "paying court." For ordinary temple visits, 拜 or 烧香拜佛 (burn incense and worship Buddha) is more natural.