镶嵌 (xiāng qiàn) — to inlay, to set (a decorative material such as gems or patterns into a surface); to tile (a surface with decorative pieces, forming a mosaic or tessellation)
Definition
镶 is the simple verb 'to inlay / set (a gem)'; 镶嵌 emphasizes the decorative surface pattern, especially tiles or mosaics covering a whole area (as in the bathroom-floor example).
verb
to inlayto set (a decorative material such as gems or patterns into a surface)to tile (a surface with decorative pieces, forming a mosaic or tessellation)
Examples
- 镶嵌。Gōng jiàng bǎ yì kē lán bǎo shí xiāng qiàn zài shǒu zhuó shàng.The craftsman set a sapphire into the bracelet.
- 镶嵌。Zhè ge mù hé de biǎo miàn xiāng qiàn zhe xiàng yá diāo kè de tú àn.The surface of this wooden box is inlaid with an ivory-carved pattern.
- 镶嵌。Tā men yòng cǎi sè cí zhuān bǎ wèi shēng jiān dì miàn xiāng qiàn chéng lián huā tú àn.They used colored tiles to tile the bathroom floor into a lotus pattern.
Origin
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