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地道 (dì dào) — tunnel (an underground passage); (rare) causeway (a raised road across water or low ground)

Definition

地道 means an underground passage or tunnel. Less common than the everyday 隧道 — often used for narrower passages such as in mines or military/underground contexts.

noun
tunnel (an underground passage)(rare) causeway (a raised road across water or low ground)
Measure word · 条
Easily confused

Examples

  • 地道。
    Zhè tiáo dì dào tōng xiàng shān lǐ.
    This tunnel leads into the mountain.
  • 地道。
    Gōng rén men zhèng zài wā dì dào.
    The workers are digging a tunnel.
  • 地道。
    dì dào Lǐ miàn méi yǒu dēng.
    There are no lights inside the tunnel.

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dìearth
道dàopassage

地道 describes a 道 passage through or under the 地 earth, hence a tunnel or causeway.

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
行行xíngstreet
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𩠐
首shǒu道dào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Open 道 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Buildings & Structures

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