隔 (gé) — to separate, to be at a distance from (spatially); to be apart by an interval of (temporally)
Definition
隔 marks a gap or interval between two things (in space or time) — it describes the distance itself, not the act of dividing. Use 距离 as the noun 'distance'; 划分/分配 are about actively dividing or assigning things.
verb
to separateto be at a distance from (spatially)to be apart by an interval of (temporally)
Examples
- 隔。Zhè liǎng dòng lóu gé le yì tiáo mǎ lù.These two buildings are separated by a road.
- 隔。Wǒ gé sān tiān chī yí cì yào.I take medicine every three days.
- 隔。Tā jiā gé xué xiào zhǐ yǒu liǎng gōng lǐ.His home is only two kilometers from the school.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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
阝Written in full as阜fùwall
Sound part声符shēngfú
鬲
鬲gé隔gé
Same sound today
隔 puts 阝, a wall, with 鬲, which gives the sound gé, to show separating with a wall.
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