塌 (tā) — to collapse (of structures, etc.); to droop, to sag (of face, etc.); to settle down, to sink (of ground)
Definition
塌 describes a structure, the ground, or soft tissue giving way and sinking or drooping downward. Compared with 垮 (often figurative collapse, like 垮掉) and 倒塌 (collapses suddenly, of buildings), 塌 emphasizes the surface or flesh sagging in.
verb
to collapse (of structures, etc.)to droopto sag (of face, etc.)to settle downto sink (of ground)
Examples
- 塌，。Nà zuò qiáo tū rán tā le, xìng hǎo méi rén shòu shāng.That bridge suddenly collapsed; fortunately no one was hurt.
- ，塌。Tā nián jì dà le, liǎn jiá de ròu dōu tā xià qù le.He is old, the flesh on his cheeks has sagged.
- ，塌。Bào yǔ guò hòu, dì miàn tā xià qù le yí kuài.After the heavy rain, a part of the ground sank down.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
𦐇
𦐇𦐇塌tā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
塌 is built from 土 (dirt) and 𦐇, which gives its sound.
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