堡垒 (bǎo lěi) — fort, fortress; stronghold; something difficult… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

堡垒 (bǎolěi) is a military fort or fortress, with a figurative sense of an unshakeable stronghold (e.g. a bastion of knowledge). 比城墙更完整独立的防御据点；壁垒侧重围在外面的防御墙本身。

noun

fortfortressstrongholdsomething difficult to breach

Measure word · 座

Examples

堡垒，。
Zhè zuò bǎo lěi xiū jiàn yú míng cháo, zhì jīn bǎo cún wán hǎo.
This fort was built in the Ming dynasty and is still well-preserved today.
堡垒。
Kē xué zhī shi shì rén lèi jìn bù de jiān gù bǎo lěi.
Scientific knowledge is a solid stronghold for human progress.
堡垒。
Tā men yòng le sān gè yuè cái gōng xià nà ge bǎo lěi.
It took them three months to capture that fortress.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

堡bǎofortress

垒lěirampart

Both 堡 and 垒 refer to defensive structures, so together they mean a fort or stronghold.

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.

保土堡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

保

Same sound today

堡 pairs 土 (earth) with 保 (bǎo): 保 gives the sound, and 土 is the meaning part.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 壘; 垒 is its simplified writing.

畾土壘

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔdirt

Sound part声符shēngfú

畾

畾léi壘lěi

Same sound today

The traditional 壘 has 土 (dirt) and 畾 as a sound part; the simplified 垒 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Buildings & Structures Military & Defense

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