底部 (dǐ bù) — bottom; the lowest part

Definition

noun
bottomthe lowest part

Examples

  • 底部。
    Qǐng bǎ xiāng zi fàng zài guì zi de dǐ bù.
    Please put the box at the bottom of the cabinet.
  • 底部。
    Zhè zuò shān de dǐ bù yǒu yì tiáo xiǎo hé.
    There is a small river at the bottom of this mountain.
  • 底部。
    Wén jiàn zài dì sān yè de dǐ bù.
    The document is at the bottom of the third page.

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.

底dǐbottom
部bùpart

底 gives the bottom and 部 a part, so the lowest part.

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
广广guǎngbuilding
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī底dǐ
Same sound today

底 pairs 广 (building) with 氐, pointing to the bottom or foundation of a building. Some read 氐 as a bowing figure or tree root, adding a sense of 'down'.

Open 底 →

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
邑邑yì
Sound part声符shēngfú
咅
咅pǒu部bù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

Open 部 →

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