(lěi) — rampart; base (in baseball)

Definition

Two distinct senses: ① historical 'rampart/fortress' (as in 堡垒, 堡垒), used in classical or military contexts; ② 'base' in baseball (one of four stations a runner touches). The baseball sense is the everyday one learners will encounter.

noun
rampartbase (in baseball)
Measure word ·

Examples

  • Gǔ dài chéng qiáng wài miàn cháng cháng jiàn yǒu bǎo lěi.
    In ancient times, fortresses were often built outside city walls.
  • Tā jī qiú hòu xùn sù pǎo xiàng dì yī lěi.
    After hitting the ball, he quickly ran to first base.
  • Zhè zuò gǔ chéng hái bǎo liú zhe dāng nián de bǎo lěi.
    This ancient city still retains its original fortress.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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 壘; 垒 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
dirt
Sound part声符shēngfú
léilěi
Same sound today

The traditional 壘 has 土 (dirt) and 畾 as a sound part; the simplified 垒 is a later shorthand.

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