护墙 (hù qiáng) — defensive wall | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

defensive wall

Measure word · 道

护墙。
Gǔ dài chéng shì cháng yòng hù qiáng lái fáng yù dí rén.
Ancient cities often used defensive walls to protect against enemies.
护墙，。
Zhè miàn hù qiáng nián jiǔ shī xiū, xū yào jiā gù.
This section of the defensive wall is old and in disrepair; it needs reinforcement.
护墙。
Shì bīng men duǒ zài hù qiáng hòu miàn shè jī.
The soldiers hid behind the defensive wall and shot.

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hùprotect

护墙 is a wall for protection: 护 gives the protective sense, and 墙 is the wall.

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

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 牆; 墙 is its simplified writing.

爿嗇牆

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.