地堡 (dì bǎo) — bunker (underground fortification) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

bunker (underground fortification)

Measure word · 个

Examples

地堡。
Shì bīng men duǒ jìn le dì bǎo.
The soldiers hid in the bunker.
地堡。
Zhè ge dì bǎo jiàn yú èr zhàn shí qī.
This bunker was built during World War II.
地堡。
Tā men zài dì bǎo lǐ chǔ cún le zú gòu de shí wù.
They stored enough food in the bunker.

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.

地dìground

堡bǎofortress

地 gives ground or earth, while 堡 is a fortress, together naming an underground defensive place.

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.

土也地

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

也

也yě地dì

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

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

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

保土堡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

保

Same sound today

堡 pairs 土 (earth) with 保 (bǎo): 保 gives the sound, and 土 is the meaning part.

Appears in

Buildings & Structures Military & Defense

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