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夷为平地 (yí wéi píng dì) — to raze to the ground, to level completely

Definition

A vivid chengyu meaning to level something completely so that the land is flat — used for buildings, cities, or villages destroyed by war, disaster, or demolition. Literal: 'flatten into level ground'.

idiom
to raze to the groundto level completely

Examples

  • 夷为平地。
    Zhěng gè cūn zhuāng zài dì zhèn zhōng bèi yí wéi píng dì.
    The entire village was razed to the ground in the earthquake.
  • 夷为平地。
    Dí rén bǎ zhè zuò gǔ chéng yí wéi píng dì le.
    The enemy razed this ancient city to the ground.
  • 夷为平地。
    Yì chǎng dà huǒ jiāng gōng chǎng yí wéi píng dì.
    A big fire razed the factory to the ground.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The original form showed 矢 (arrow) with 弓 (rope), and meant shooting arrows. Later forms showed 大 (person) with 弓 (bow).

Open 夷 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

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 →

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.

Open 地 →
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