古建筑 (gǔ jiàn zhú) — ancient building(s); historic architecture

Definition

noun

ancient building(s)historic architecture

Measure word · 座

古建筑。
Zhè xiē gǔ jiàn zhú yǒu jǐ bǎi nián de lì shǐ le.
These ancient buildings have a history of several hundred years.
古建筑。
Wǒ men yào hǎo hǎo bǎo hù zhè xiē gǔ jiàn zhú.
We need to protect these ancient buildings well.
古建筑。
Wǒ tè bié xǐ huan cān guān zhōng guó de gǔ jiàn zhú.
I really enjoy visiting China's ancient architecture.

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.

古gǔancient

建筑building

联合Side by side

古 gives ancient, while 建筑, from 建 and 筑, gives built structures, together meaning historic buildings.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

One reading of 古 sees a shield-like shape above an open mark, showing strength and firmness. Another sees a person spitting out bad-tasting food.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

廴聿建

The shape 建 shows 廴 and 聿, but it comes from an older drawing of a hand planting a pole into a base; the lower part of 聿 is not a brush.

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 築; 筑 is its simplified writing.

筑木築

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùwood

Sound part声符shēngfú

筑

Same sound today

The traditional form 築 pairs 木 (wood) with 筑, which gives the sound; the simplified 筑 is a later shorthand.