基地 (jī dì) — base (location used for military, industrial, o… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

基地 means an operational base — a place set up for military, industrial, or research activity. Unlike 底 or 脚 (the physical bottom of an object) or 基础 (an abstract foundation), 基地 is a concrete site where work is carried out.

noun

base (location used for military, industrial, or research operations)

Measure word · 个

Examples

。
Zhè ge chéng shì yǒu yí gè hěn dà de jūn shì jī dì.
This city has a very large military base.
基地。
Tā men bǎ nà ge xiǎo dǎo gǎi chéng le yán jiū jī dì.
They turned that small island into a research base.
基地。
Zhè jiā gōng sī zài yán hǎi dì qū jiàn le yí gè gōng yè jī dì.
This company built an industrial base in the coastal area.

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.

基地 combines 基, a base, with 地, a place, giving a place used as a base.

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.

其土基

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

其

其qí基jī

Same sound today

The lower 土 means earth, and the upper 其 gives the sound; together they form the idea of a foundation of earth.

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.

Appears in

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