大陆架 (dà lù jià) — continental shelf

Definition

noun

continental shelf

大陆架。
Zhè piàn dà lù jià yùn cáng zhe fēng fù de shí yóu zī yuán.
This continental shelf contains abundant oil resources.
大陆架。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū dà lù jià de shēng tài xì tǒng.
Scientists are studying the ecosystem of the continental shelf.
大陆架。
Yán hǎi guó jiā kě yǐ hé fǎ kāi fā běn guó dà lù jià shàng de zī yuán.
Coastal countries can legally develop resources on their own continental shelves.

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.

大陆continent

偏正Modifier + head

大 broad + 陆 land make 大陆 continent; 架 shelf: the continent's shelf.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

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 陸; 陆 is its simplified writing.

阝坴陸

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

坴

坴lù陸lù

Same sound today

The traditional form 陸 uses 阝 (written in full as 阜) for the meaning and 坴 for the sound; the simplified 陆 is a later shorthand.

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

加木架

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree, wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

加

Same sound today

架 shows 木, meaning wood, with 加 giving the sound; it refers to a wooden prop.