路基 (lù jī) — roadbed; subgrade (of a roadway or railway) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

roadbedsubgrade (of a roadway or railway)

Examples

路基。
Zhè tiáo tiě lù de lù jī shì yòng suì shí hé shā zi pū chéng de.
The roadbed of this railway is made of gravel and sand.
路基，。
Shī gōng duì zhèng zài jiā gù lù jī, fáng zhǐ lù miàn tā xiàn.
The construction team is reinforcing the subgrade to prevent road collapse.
路基。
Gāo sù gōng lù de lù jī bì xū dá dào yí dìng de yā shí dù.
The subgrade of the expressway must reach a certain compaction level.

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.

“路” means road and “基” means base, so it names the base under a road.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè路lù

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

其土基

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

其

其qí基jī

Same sound today

The lower 土 means earth, and the upper 其 gives the sound; together they form the idea of a foundation of earth.

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