地理 (dì lǐ) — geography | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

地理 is the academic subject 'geography' — the study of the Earth's land, features, and people. Don't confuse it with 地球 (the planet Earth itself) or 地质 (geology, the study of rocks and earth's structure).

noun

geography

Examples

地理。
Wǒ dì di zài dà xué xué dì lǐ.
My younger brother studies geography at university.
地理。
dì lǐ Kè ràng wǒ liǎo jiě le shì jiè gè dì de wén huà.
Geography class helped me learn about cultures around the world.
地理，。
Tā duì dì lǐ fēi cháng gǎn xìng qù, jīng cháng kàn dì tú.
He is very interested in geography and often looks at maps.

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.

理lǐprinciples

地 (earth) and 理 (principles) combine to mean the principles of the earth.

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.

土也地

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.

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

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

里

里lǐ理lǐ

Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Geography & Landforms School Subjects

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