地块 (dì kuài) — parcel of land, land plot, lot

Definition

A 地块 is a defined, bounded plot of land — the term used in real-estate, urban planning, and government records. Pairs with measure 这块/那个 and is more formal and technical than 土地 ('land' in general).

noun
parcel of landland plotlot
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 地块。
    Zhè kuài dì kuài yǐ jīng bèi zhèng fǔ pāi mài le.
    This land parcel has already been auctioned off by the government.
  • 地块。
    Kāi fā shāng jì huà zài zhè ge dì kuài shàng jiàn yí dòng dà lóu.
    The developer plans to build a high-rise on this land plot.
  • 地块。
    Měi gè dì kuài de miàn jī dōu jì lù zài àn.
    The area of each land parcel is recorded on file.

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.

地dìland
块kuàipiece

A piece of land: 地 gives land, 块 gives a mass or parcel.

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.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 塊; 块 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth; dust
Sound part声符shēngfú
鬼
鬼guǐ塊kuài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 塊 pairs 土 (earth; dust) with 鬼 as a sound part to show a clod of dirt. The simplified 块 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 块 →

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