辽阔 (liáo kuò) — vast, extensive | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

辽阔 emphasizes vast open physical space — deserts, grasslands, oceans. It overlaps closely with 广阔 and 宽广 but sounds the most literary of the three.

adjective

vastextensive

Examples

辽阔。
Cóng fēi jī shàng kě yǐ kàn dào liáo kuò de shā mò.
From the plane you can see the vast desert.
辽阔。
Zhè piàn liáo kuò de cǎo yuán shàng shēng huó zhe xǔ duō dòng wù.
Many animals live on this vast grassland.
辽阔。
liáo kuò De hǎi yáng gěi rén men dài lái le wú jìn de zī yuán.
The vast ocean brings endless resources to people.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

辽 and 阔 both mean wide, so together they describe a vast expanse.

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 遼; 辽 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辵辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

尞

尞liáo遼liáo

Same sound today

The traditional form 遼 uses 辵, related to walking, with 尞 for sound; the simplified 辽 is a later shorthand.

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 闊; 阔 is its simplified writing.

門活闊

Meaning part形符xíngfú

門門méngate; door

Sound part声符shēngfú

活

活huó闊kuò

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 闊 shows 門, a gate or door, with 活, which gives the sound; the simplified 阔 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Geography & Landforms Size & Dimension

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