地形图 (dì xíng tú) — topographic map; relief map

Definition

noun
topographic maprelief map
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 地形图。
    Zhè zhāng dì xíng tú fēi cháng xiáng xì.
    This topographic map is very detailed.
  • 地形图。
    Tā mǎi le yì zhāng xīn de dì xíng tú.
    He bought a new topographic map.
  • 地形图。
    Wǒ men yòng le dì xíng tú lái jì huà lù xiàn.
    We used a topographic map to plan the route.

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.

地形terrain
地dìland形xíngshape
偏正Modifier + head
图túmap

地形 means terrain and 图 means map, so the sense is a map of the land's shape.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
井
井jǐng形xíng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

Open 形 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圖; 图 is its simplified writing.

  • 囗囗wéiwalled city
  • 啚啚bǐ

The traditional form 圖 pairs 囗, a walled city, with 啚, an early form meaning remote areas or territory. The simplified 图 is a later abbreviation.

Open 图 →

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