地洞 (dì dòng) — hole in the ground; burrow; (small) cellar or c… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

hole in the groundburrow(small) cellar or cavern (natural or artificial)

Measure word · 个

Examples

地洞。
Tù zi zài cǎo dì shàng wā le yí gè dì dòng.
The rabbit dug a burrow in the grass.
地洞，。
Zhè ge dì dòng hěn shēn, yào xiǎo xīn zǒu lù.
This hole in the ground is very deep; be careful when walking.
地洞。
Hái zi men zài gōng yuán lǐ fā xiàn le yí gè mì mì dì dòng.
The children discovered a secret cavern in the park.

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

地 is ground, and 洞 is a hole, so it names a hole 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

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

同

同tóng洞dòng

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

洞 combines 水 (water) with 同, which gives the sound tóng.

Appears in

Geography & Landforms

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