支柱 (zhī zhù) — (literal) pillar, column; (figurative) mainstay, backbone, pillar (of a group or system)
Definition
支柱 covers both the literal 'pillar, column' and the figurative 'mainstay, backbone'. Compared to 脊梁 and 栋梁 — both also figurative 'backbone/pillar' — 支柱 is the most common and neutral, used for people, industries, or systems (e.g. 经济支柱).
noun
(literal) pillarcolumn(figurative) mainstaybackbonepillar (of a group or system)
Measure word · 根
Examples
- 支柱。Zhè zuò fáng zi de zhī zhù shì yòng shí tou zuò de.The pillars of this house are made of stone.
- 支柱，。Tā shì wǒ men gōng sī de zhī zhù, méi yǒu tā bù xíng.He is the backbone of our company; we can't do without him.
- 支柱。Kē jì shì xiàn dài shè huì de zhòng yào zhī zhù.Technology is an important pillar of modern society.
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