宝塔 (bǎo tǎ) — pagoda

Definition

noun
pagoda
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 宝塔，。
    Zhè zuò bǎo tǎ yǒu qī céng, fēi cháng zhuàng guān.
    This pagoda has seven stories and is very magnificent.
  • 宝塔。
    Tā men qù xī ān cān guān le gǔ lǎo de bǎo tǎ.
    They went to Xi'an to visit the ancient pagoda.
  • 宝塔。
    Yuǎn chù yǒu yí zuò bái sè de bǎo tǎ.
    There is a white pagoda in the distance.

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.

宝bǎoprecious
塔tǎtower

“宝” precious, “塔” tower; a precious tower is a pagoda.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 寶; 宝 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 琡琡chùjade
  • 貝貝bèicowry

The traditional form 寶 shows 宀 (house), 琡 (jade), and 貝 (cowry), drawn together as treasures in a house.

Open 宝 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
荅
荅dá塔tǎ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

塔 shows 土 (earth) for the meaning and 荅 (dá) for the sound.

Open 塔 →

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