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原地 (yuán dì) — in the same spot, on the spot, without moving (of position or location)

Definition

Refers to the exact place where someone or something already is — 'on the spot, where you stand.' In HSK 7 it often appears in set phrases like 原地踏步 ('mark time') and 原地不动 ('stay put').

noun
in the same spoton the spotwithout moving (of position or location)

Examples

  • ，原地。
    Tīng dào mìng lìng hòu, suǒ yǒu shì bīng yuán dì bú dòng.
    Upon hearing the order, all soldiers stood still without moving.
  • ，原地。
    Rú guǒ nǐ mí lù le, zuì hǎo yuán dì děng dài jiù yuán.
    If you get lost, it's best to wait for rescue on the spot.
  • ，原地。
    Gōng sī fā zhǎn huǎn màn, yì zhí zài yuán dì tà bù.
    The company is developing slowly and has been marking time.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

原yuánoriginal
地dìplace

原 means original or former, and 地 means place or ground, so the word denotes the original place.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →
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