承重 (chéng zhòng) — load-bearing (attributive)

Definition

Technical/adjective term meaning 'load-bearing' — describes walls, beams, or structures that support the weight of a building. Almost always used as an attributive before a noun (e.g. 承重墙).

adjective
load-bearing (attributive)

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè dǔ chéng zhòng qiáng bù néng chāi chú.
    This load-bearing wall cannot be removed.
  • 承重。
    Jiàn zhù shè jì bì xū kǎo lǜ chéng zhòng jié gòu de ān quán xìng.
    Architectural design must consider the safety of load-bearing structures.
  • 。
    Shī gōng shí bú yào sǔn hài chéng zhòng liáng.
    Do not damage the load-bearing beams during construction.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

承chéngbear
重zhòngweight

承 means bear and 重 means weight, so 承重 describes bearing weight.

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 →

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