平坦 (píng tǎn) — flat, even, smooth, level | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

平坦 is a longer, more descriptive 'flat and even' — used for roads, terrain, and career progress. 平 is the short, everyday form for simple surfaces; 扁 emphasizes something pressed or squashed flat.

adjective

flatevensmoothlevel

Examples

平坦。
Zhè tiáo lù fēi cháng píng tǎn.
This road is very flat.
平坦。
Bǐ sài chǎng dì xū yào píng tǎn yì xiē.
The competition venue needs to be a bit more level.
平坦。
Tā de shì yè fā zhǎn dé hěn píng tǎn.
His career has developed very smoothly.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

平 (flat) and 坦 (level) combine to describe an even surface.

Characters in this word

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

八八bādivision
亏亏kuīexhaled air

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

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

土旦坦

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

旦

旦dàn坦tǎn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

坦 is made from 土 (earth) plus 旦, which provides the sound. The earth part shows the sense is about ground.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Texture & Quality

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