Definition
垣 (yuán) is a bound form (b.f.), meaning it cannot be used as a standalone word. It appears in literary or formal compounds where it contributes the meaning 'wall'. Unlike the everyday word 墙 (qiáng), 垣 is classical and often found in written, historical, or architectural contexts, such as 城垣 (city wall), 断壁残垣 (ruins), and 垣墙 (wall). You will not encounter 垣 by itself in modern spoken Chinese.
b.f.
(bound form) wall (in literary or formal compounds)
Examples
- 垣。Zhè zuò gǔchéng de chéngyuán yǐ yǒu qiān nián lìshǐ.The city wall of this ancient city has a history of a thousand years.
- ，垣。Zhànzhēng jiéshù hòu, zhèlǐ zhǐ shèngxià duànbì cányuán.After the war ended, only broken walls and ruins remained here.
- 垣。Gǔdài de chéngyuán duō yòng tǔ shí jiànchéng.The ancient city walls were mostly built with earth and stone.
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