墙脚 (qiáng jiǎ) — foot of a wall, base of a wall; foundation (of an institution or system)

Definition

Literally 'wall foot': the physical base of a wall, and figuratively the foundation of an organization. In the figurative sense ('undermine the 墙脚') it is a close synonym of 基础 but more colloquial and vivid.

noun
foot of a wallbase of a wallfoundation (of an institution or system)

Examples

  • 墙脚，。
    Zhè dòng lóu de qiáng jiǎ hěn láo gù, bú yòng dān xīn.
    The foundation of this building is very solid, no need to worry.
  • 墙脚，。
    Tā men xiǎng wā wǒ men gōng sī de qiáng jiǎ, wā zǒu wǒ men de hé xīn yuán gōng.
    They want to undermine our company by poaching our core employees.
  • 墙脚，。
    Bié zài qiáng jiǎ fù jìn zhòng shù, huì yǐng xiǎng dì jī.
    Don't plant trees near the base of the wall; it will affect the foundation.

Origin

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qiángwall
脚jiǎofoot

墙 gives wall and 脚 gives foot or base, together meaning wall base.

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.

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.

Open 墙 →

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 腳; 脚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat, body
Sound part声符shēngfú
卻
卻què腳jiǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 腳 uses ⺼ for a body part and 卻 for the sound; the simplified 脚 is a later shorthand.

Open 脚 →

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