墙体 (qiáng tī) — wall (as a structural element, e.g. of a buildi…

Definition

noun

wall (as a structural element, e.g. of a building)

Measure word · 面

墙体。
Zhè dòng lóu de qiáng tī fēi cháng jiān gù.
The walls of this building are very sturdy.
墙体。
Shī gōng shí yào zhù yì qiáng tī de bǎo wēn xìng néng.
During construction, pay attention to the thermal insulation of the walls.
墙体。
Shè jì shī zài qiáng tī shàng kāi le jǐ shàn chuāng.
The designer added several windows in the wall.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

墙 gives wall and 体 gives body, together meaning wall body.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 牆; 墙 is its simplified writing.

爿嗇牆

Meaning part形符xíngfú

嗇嗇sèwheat in a granary

Sound part声符shēngfú

爿

爿pán牆qiáng

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

In the traditional form 牆, 爿 gives the sound and 嗇, showing wheat in a granary, gives the wall meaning. The simplified 墙 is a later short form.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

骨豊體

Meaning part形符xíngfú

骨骨gǔbone

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ體tǐ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.