堵塞 (dǔ sè) — to clog, to block, to obstruct | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

堵塞 (dǔsè) is 'to clog up' — used for pipes, roads, or networks getting blocked by accumulation (debris, traffic, data). Unlike 阻止 ('to prevent on purpose'), 堵塞 is usually unintentional and physical/systemic.

verb

to clogto blockto obstruct

Examples

堵塞。
Bào yǔ dǎo zhì xià shuǐ dào zài cì dǔ sè le.
The heavy rain caused the sewer to clog again.
，堵塞。
Qǐng jí shí qīng lǐ lā jī, fáng zhǐ guǎn dào dǔ sè.
Please clean the garbage in time to prevent the pipe from clogging.
堵塞。
Dà liàng shù jù tóng shí chuán shū huì dǔ sè wǎng luò.
Transmitting large amounts of data simultaneously will clog the network.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

塞sāistop up

堵 'block' and 塞 'stop up' combine to mean clog or blockage.

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.

土者堵

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

堵 combines 土, showing earth, with 者, which gives the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

宀宀miánhouse
工工gōngtwo items
廾廾gǒngtwo hands

塞 combines 宀 (house), 工 (two items), and 廾 (two hands), showing hands stuffing items into a house.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Change & Process

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