护城河 (hù chéng hé) — city moat (a defensive ditch surrounding a city… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

city moat (a defensive ditch surrounding a city wall, typically filled with water)

Measure word · 条

Examples

护城河。
Zhè zuò gǔ chéng zhōu wéi yǒu yì tiáo hěn kuān de hù chéng hé.
There is a very wide moat around this ancient city.
护城河。
Yǐ qián de hù chéng hé shì yòng lái fáng yù dí rén de.
In the past, moats were used to defend against enemies.
护城河。
Yóu kè kě yǐ zuò chuán yóu lǎn hù chéng hé.
Tourists can take a boat tour of the moat.

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.

护城protect a city

护hùprotect城chéngcity

动宾Verb + object

护 means 'protect', 城 means 'city', and 河 means 'river', so it names a water-filled ditch that protects a city.

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.

扌户护

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

户

户hù护hù

Same sound today

护 combines 扌 (the hand form 手) with 户, which gives the sound hù.

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

土成城

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔsoil

Sound part声符shēngfú

成

成chéng城chéng

Same sound today

城 pairs 土 (soil) with 成 as a sound part, because city walls were originally made of stamped earth.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

何

何hé河hé

Same sound today

河 pairs 水 (water) with 何, which gives the sound. The 水 part marks it as a word for a river.

Appears in

Buildings & Structures

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