防波堤 (fáng bō dī) — breakwater | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

breakwater

Measure word · 座

Examples

防波堤。
Zhè ge gǎng kǒu de fáng bō dī bǎo hù le chuán zhī de ān quán.
This harbor's breakwater protects the safety of ships.
防波堤。
Gōng rén men zhèng zài xiū jiàn yì tiáo fáng bō dī lái dǎng zhù hǎi làng.
Workers are building a breakwater to block the waves.
防波堤。
Zhè tiáo fáng bō dī yǐ yǒu wǔ shí nián de lì shǐ le.
This breakwater has a history of fifty years.

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.

防波prevent waves

防fángprevent波bōwave

动宾Verb + object

堤dīembankment

防波 (prevent waves) + 堤 (embankment) is an embankment built to stop waves.

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.

阝方防

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng防fáng

Same sound today

防 pairs 阝 (written fully as 阜) with 方, which gives the sound.

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

氵皮波

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

皮

皮pí波bō

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

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.

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

土是堤

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔsoil

Sound part声符shēngfú

是

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

The left part 土 shows it relates to soil or earth, while the right part 是 gives the sound.

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