拔地而起 (bá dì ér qǐ) — to rise abruptly from the ground; to shoot up (of buildings, mountains, etc.)

Definition

A vivid chengyu meaning 'to rise sharply from flat ground' — used for tall buildings, cliffs, or peaks that tower up suddenly. Image: something rooted in the earth shooting upward.

idiom
to rise abruptly from the groundto shoot up (of buildings, mountains, etc.)

Examples

  • 拔地而起，。
    Yí zuò mó tiān dà lóu bá dì ér qǐ, chéng wéi chéng shì de xīn dì biāo.
    A skyscraper shot up from the ground, becoming the city's new landmark.
  • 拔地而起，。
    Nà xiē shān fēng bá dì ér qǐ, zhí chā yún xiāo.
    Those mountain peaks rise abruptly and pierce the clouds.
  • 拔地而起，。
    Zhè ge xīn xīng chǎn yè bá dì ér qǐ, xùn sù gǎi biàn le shì chǎng gé jú.
    This emerging industry shot up, quickly changing the market landscape.

Origin

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
犮
犮bá拔bá
Same sound today

In 拔, the left side 扌 is a hand and the right side 犮 gives the sound; the shape pictures a hand pulling.

Open 拔 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

Open 而 →

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
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →

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