承重墙 (chéng zhòng qiáng) — load-bearing wall

Definition

A wall that structurally supports the building above it — removing or modifying it can damage or collapse the structure. Often contrasted in renovation contexts with non-load-bearing partition walls (隔墙), which can be removed freely.

noun
load-bearing wall
Measure word · 堵

Examples

  • 承重墙。
    Zhuāng xiū de shí hou qiān wàn bù néng chāi chéng zhòng qiáng.
    You absolutely must not remove the load-bearing wall during renovation.
  • 承重墙，。
    Zhè dòng lóu de chéng zhòng qiáng hěn hòu, gé yīn xiào guǒ bú cuò.
    The load-bearing walls of this building are very thick, so the soundproofing is good.
  • ，承重墙。
    Mǎi èr shǒu fáng qián, yào xiān què rèn nǎ xiē shì chéng zhòng qiáng.
    Before buying a second-hand house, you need to confirm which walls are load-bearing.

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.

承重bear weight
承chéngbear重zhòngweight
动宾Verb + object
墙qiángwall

承, bear, and 重, weight, form load-bearing, describing 墙, wall.

Characters in this word

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

  • 卩卩jiékneeling person
  • 廾廾gǒngboth hands

承 combines 卩, a kneeling person, and 廾, both hands, to show holding or carrying.

Open 承 →

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →

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 牆; 墙 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
嗇嗇sèwheat in a granary
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán牆qiáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 牆, 爿 gives the sound and 嗇, showing wheat in a granary, gives the wall meaning. The simplified 墙 is a later short form.

Open 墙 →

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