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铁塔 (tiě tǎ) — iron tower or pagoda (a tall structure made of iron, often a landmark); electricity pylon / transmission tower (a tall metal structure supporting power lines)

Definition

Literally 'iron tower/pagoda'. The same word covers two distinct things: historic iron pagodas and modern electricity pylons — context (ancient landmark vs. high-voltage lines) tells them apart.

noun
iron tower or pagoda (a tall structure made of iron, often a landmark)electricity pylon / transmission tower (a tall metal structure supporting power lines)
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 铁塔，。
    Zhè zuò tiě tǎ shì gǔ dài xiū jiàn de, fēi cháng jiān gù.
    This iron pagoda was built in ancient times and is very sturdy.
  • 铁塔。
    Gāo yā xiàn dōu jià zài gāo gāo de tiě tǎ shàng.
    The high-voltage wires are all mounted on tall transmission towers.
  • 铁塔，。
    Yuǎn chù yǒu yí zuò tiě tǎ, shì chéng shì de biāo zhì xìng jiàn zhù.
    There is an iron tower in the distance; it's a landmark of the city.

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.

铁tiěiron
塔tǎtower

铁, iron, and 塔, tower, form a tall iron structure or pylon.

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 鐵; 铁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢧤
𢧤𢧤鐵tiě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鐵 pairs 金 (metal) with 𢧤 as a sound part; the simplified 铁 is a later shorthand.

Open 铁 →

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
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
荅
荅dá塔tǎ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

塔 shows 土 (earth) for the meaning and 荅 (dá) for the sound.

Open 塔 →
Appears in
Buildings & Structures

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