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蓝图 (lán tú) — blueprint (architectural drawing); blueprint (plan, scheme)

Definition

蓝图 literally means a blueprint drawing, but it's widely used for any 'blueprint' — a big plan or vision for the future. 图纸 is the technical drawing itself; 规划 is the act or system of planning.

noun
blueprint (architectural drawing)blueprint (plan, scheme)
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 蓝图。
    Jiàn zhù shī zhèng zài kàn yì zhāng lán tú.
    The architect is looking at a blueprint.
  • 蓝图。
    Zhè fèn jì huà shì gōng sī wèi lái de fā zhǎn lán tú.
    This plan is the blueprint for the company's future development.
  • 蓝图。
    Wǒ men xū yào yí gè qīng xī de lán tú lái zhǐ dǎo xià yí bù.
    We need a clear blueprint to guide the next steps.

Origin

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.

蓝lánblue
图túdrawing

“蓝” describes the color and “图” the drawing, together naming a blueprint.

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 藍; 蓝 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
監
監jiān藍lán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 蓝, the traditional form 藍 has 艸, grass, above 監, which gives the sound.

Open 蓝 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圖; 图 is its simplified writing.

  • 囗囗wéiwalled city
  • 啚啚bǐ

The traditional form 圖 pairs 囗, a walled city, with 啚, an early form meaning remote areas or territory. The simplified 图 is a later abbreviation.

Open 图 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.