墓地 (mù dì) — cemetery; graveyard | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

墓地 refers to the whole burial ground or cemetery as a place. 坟墓 and 墓 are individual graves/tombs; 公墓 is a public cemetery.

noun

cemeterygraveyard

Measure word · 个

Easily confused

目的mù dìsound-alikepurpose, goal, aim

Examples

，墓地。
Tā fù mǔ qù shì hòu, tā měi gè yuè dōu qù mù dì kàn kàn.
After his parents passed away, he goes to the cemetery every month to visit.
墓地，。
Zhè zuò mù dì wèi yú jiāo wài, huán jìng hěn ān jìng.
This cemetery is located in the suburbs, and the environment is very quiet.
墓地。
Tā men zhèng zài tǎo lùn mù dì de guǎn lǐ wèn tí.
They are discussing the management issues of the cemetery.

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

墓 (tomb) and 地 (ground) combine to mean land set aside for tombs.

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.

莫土墓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

莫

莫mò墓mù

Same sound today

墓 combines 土 (earth) and 莫 (sound).

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

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Public Facilities

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