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栋梁 (dòng liáng) — (figurative) pillar, mainstay (of a nation, organization, etc.); (literal) ridgepole and beams (of a house)

Definition

栋梁 (dòng liáng) is a literary word for a 'pillar of the nation' — used almost entirely in the figurative sense for key people. 比 支柱 more lofty/patriotic, and unlike 脊梁 it rarely describes physical spine or ordinary backbone.

noun
(figurative) pillarmainstay (of a nation, organization, etc.)(literal) ridgepole and beams (of a house)

Examples

  • 栋梁，。
    Tā shì wǒ men gōng sī de dòng liáng, méi yǒu tā gōng sī jiù yùn zhuǎn bù liǎo.
    He is the pillar of our company; without him the company can't operate.
  • 栋梁。
    Zhè xiē nián qīng kē xué jiā shì guó jiā de wèi lái dòng liáng.
    These young scientists are the future pillars of the nation.
  • 栋梁。
    Gǔ dài jiàn zhù de dòng liáng duō yòng hǎo mù cái zhì chéng.
    The ridgepoles and beams of ancient buildings were often made of fine wood.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

栋dòngridgepole
梁liángbeam

栋 and 梁 name the main timbers of a house; together they suggest someone who supports a whole organization.

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 棟; 栋 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng棟dòng
Same sound today

The traditional form 棟 pairs 木 (wood) with 東 as a sound part; the simplified 栋 is a shorthand.

Open 栋 →

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
刅
刅chuāng梁Liáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

梁 pairs 水 (water) and 木 (wood) to show a bridge, with 刅 giving the sound.

Open 梁 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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