在建 (zài jiàn) — be under construction, to be currently being built

Definition

在建 is an adjectival phrase (verb 在 + verb 建) meaning 'currently under construction' — used as an attributive before nouns like 工程 or 大桥, not as a stand-alone predicate.

verb
be under constructionto be currently being built
Easily confused

Examples

  • 在建。
    Zhè ge xiǎo qū yǒu sān dòng zài jiàn de lóu fáng.
    This housing complex has three buildings under construction.
  • 在建。
    Suǒ yǒu zài jiàn gōng chéng dōu yào dìng qī jiǎn chá ān quán.
    All projects under construction must be regularly inspected for safety.
  • 在建。
    Zhè zuò zài jiàn de dà qiáo míng nián jiù néng tōng chē le.
    This bridge under construction will open to traffic next year.

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.

在zàicurrently
建jiànbuild

在 gives the sense of currently and 建 means build, together meaning being built.

Characters in this word

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

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

Open 在 →

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

  • 廴廴yǐn
  • 聿聿yù

The shape 建 shows 廴 and 聿, but it comes from an older drawing of a hand planting a pole into a base; the lower part of 聿 is not a brush.

Open 建 →

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