挡风遮雨 (dǎng fēng zhē yǔ) — (idiom) to shelter someone from the elements; to give protection

Definition

A chengyu meaning literally 'to block wind and shield from rain' — used figuratively for protecting or providing shelter (physical or emotional) to someone.

idiom
to shelter someone from the elementsto give protection

Examples

  • ，挡风遮雨。
    Zhè zuò lǎo fáng zi suī rán pò jiù, què néng dǎng fēng zhē yǔ.
    This old house, though dilapidated, can still provide shelter from the wind and rain.
  • ，挡风遮雨。
    Zuò wéi jiā zhǎng, wǒ men yào wèi hái zi dǎng fēng zhē yǔ.
    As parents, we need to protect our children from hardship.
  • ，挡风遮雨。
    Yí lù shang, tā yì zhí yòng zì jǐ de shēn tǐ wèi wǒ dǎng fēng zhē yǔ.
    Along the way, he used his own body to shield me from the wind and rain.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

挡风block wind
挡dǎngblock风fēngwind
动宾Verb + object
遮雨cover rain
遮zhēcover雨yǔrain
动宾Verb + object

挡风 means to block wind and 遮雨 means to cover rain; together they describe sheltering from the elements.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 擋; 挡 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
當
當dāng擋dǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 擋 pairs 扌 (hand) with 當 as the sound part; this note is about 擋, not about the parts of 挡.

Open 挡 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 风 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòroad
Sound part声符shēngfú
庶
庶shù遮zhē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

遮 has 辶, a road-like part, and 庶 (shù, 'numerous'), which gives it its sound.

Open 遮 →

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

The shape 雨 is an old picture of a cloud with rain drops falling from it; the top line was added later.

Open 雨 →

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