古墓 (gǔ mù) — ancient tomb, ancient grave | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

ancient tombancient grave

Measure word · 座

Examples

古墓。
Zhè ge gǔ mù lǐ yǒu hěn duō wén wù.
This ancient tomb has many cultural relics.
古墓。
Tā men fā xiàn le yí zuò gǔ mù.
They discovered an ancient tomb.
古墓。
Zhè zuò gǔ mù yǐ jīng yǒu yì qiān duō nián lì shǐ le.
This ancient tomb has a history of over a thousand years.

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.

古gǔancient

古墓 combines 古 (ancient) and 墓 (tomb) to mean an old burial place.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One reading of 古 sees a shield-like shape above an open mark, showing strength and firmness. Another sees a person spitting out bad-tasting food.

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

莫土墓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

莫

莫mò墓mù

Same sound today

墓 combines 土 (earth) and 莫 (sound).

Appears in

Buildings & Structures History

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