堤岸 (dī àn) — embankment; levee

Definition

A raised bank built along a river to hold back floodwater. The two-character form is more formal and written than the common single-character 堤 (dī), which is also used for similar structures.

noun
embankmentlevee
Measure word · 道

Examples

  • ，堤岸。
    Hé shuǐ zhǎng dé hěn gāo, jī hū màn guò le dī àn.
    The river rose very high, almost overflowing the embankment.
  • 堤岸。
    Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài jiā gù zhè duàn dī àn.
    The government is reinforcing this section of the levee.
  • 堤岸。
    Yán zhe dī àn yǒu yì tiáo sàn bù de xiǎo lù.
    There is a walking path along the embankment.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

堤dīembankment
岸ànbank

堤 and 岸 both refer to raised banks beside water, so together they mean an embankment.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔsoil
Sound part声符shēngfú
是
是shì堤dī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 土 shows it relates to soil or earth, while the right part 是 gives the sound.

Open 堤 →

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
屵屵àncliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
干
干gān岸àn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

岸 shows 屵, a cliff, next to 干, which gives a clue to the sound; together they point to the edge of land.

Open 岸 →

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