填平 (tián píng) — to fill and level, to fill in (a hole, ditch, or depression); to bridge (a gap), to make up (a deficit)

Definition

Literally 'fill and level' (a hole, ditch, or low spot), but used figuratively to mean 'bridge a gap' or 'make up a deficit' (e.g. 差距). The object is usually a physical depression or an abstract gap that is being closed.

verb
to fill and levelto fill in (a hole, ditch, or depression)to bridge (a gap)to make up (a deficit)

Examples

  • 填平。
    Gōng rén men zhèng zài tián píng nà ge dà kēng.
    The workers are filling in that big hole.
  • 填平。
    Zhèng fǔ nǔ lì tián píng chéng xiāng zhī jiān de chā jù.
    The government is striving to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas.
  • 填平。
    Tā yòng le hěn duō tǔ cái bǎ yuàn zi tián píng.
    He used a lot of soil to level the yard.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

填tiánfill
平pínglevel

填 gives the action fill and 平 gives the result level, so the word means fill and level up.

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tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
真
真zhēn填
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

填 combines 土 (soil) with 真, which gives the sound.

Open 填 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

Open 平 →

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