地沟 (dì gōu) — drainage ditch; sewer; underground trench for w…

Definition

noun

drainage ditchsewerunderground trench for wastewater

Measure word · 条

地沟。
Gōng rén zhèng zài qīng lǐ dì gōu lǐ de yū ní.
Workers are clearing the sludge in the drainage ditch.
地沟，。
Zhè tiáo dì gōu de gài zi huài le, xū yào jǐn kuài xiū lǐ.
The cover of this sewer is broken and needs to be repaired as soon as possible.
，。
Chéng shì dì xià yǒu hěn duō lǎo jiù dì gōu, cháng nián pái shuǐ bú chàng.
There are many old sewers underground in the city, where drainage is often poor.

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 refers to the ground, and 沟 is a ditch; together they name a trench or sewer in the ground.

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

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 溝; 沟 is its simplified writing.

氵冓溝

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

冓

冓gòu溝gōu

Same sound today

The traditional form 溝 pairs 氵 (water) with 冓 for the sound; the simplified 沟 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical part.