墙壁 (qiáng bì) — wall | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

墙壁 (qiángbì) is the more formal/written word for 'wall.' The everyday spoken form is 墙, used in casual contexts like 墙上的画.

noun

wall

Measure word · 面

Examples

墙壁。
Tā men zhèng zài gěi qiáng bì shuā yóu qī.
They are painting the wall.
墙壁。
Zhè dǔ qiáng bì de gé yīn xiào guǒ hěn hǎo.
This wall has very good soundproofing.
墙壁。
Kè tīng de qiáng bì shàng guà zhe yì fú huà.
A painting hangs on the living room wall.

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.

墙 and 壁 both refer to a wall, together naming the wall surface.

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.

土辟壁

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

辟

辟pì壁bì

Same sound today

壁 combines 土 (earth) and 辟, which gives the sound. The whole means an earthen wall.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 6 Buildings & Structures

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