地窖 (dì jiào) — cellar | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An underground storage room (cellar), often used to keep wine, vegetables, or other food cool. Distinct from 地下室, which is generally a livable below-ground floor.

noun

cellar

Measure word · 个

Examples

地窖，。
Tā men jiā yǒu yí gè hěn dà de dì jiào, yòng lái chǔ cún pú tao jiǔ.
Their family has a very large cellar for storing wine.
，地窖。
Dōng tiān de shí hou, dì jiào lǐ de wēn dù bǐ wài miàn gāo.
In winter, the temperature in the cellar is higher than outside.
地窖。
Zhè ge dì jiào yǐ jīng yǒu yì bǎi duō nián lì shǐ le.
This cellar has a history of over a hundred 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.

地dìground

地 means ground and 窖 means cellar; together they name an underground storage room.

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.

穴告窖

Meaning part形符xíngfú

穴穴xuéhole; cave

Sound part声符shēngfú

告

告gào窖jiào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

窖 has 穴, a hole or cave, and 告, which gives the sound.

Appears in

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