山石 (shān dàn) — mountain stone, rock from a mountain (literary, aesthetic context)

Definition

Literary term for stones or rocks from a mountain, often used in the aesthetic context of Chinese painting, garden design, and poetry to evoke rugged natural character.

noun
mountain stonerock from a mountain (literary, aesthetic context)
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 山石。
    Zhè fú huà zhōng de shān dàn hěn yǒu qì shì.
    The mountain stones in this painting are very imposing.
  • 山石，。
    Yuán lín lǐ bǎi fàng le xǔ duō shān dàn, xiǎn de hěn zì rán.
    Many mountain stones are placed in the garden, making it look very natural.
  • 山石。
    Shī rén yòng shān dàn lái bǐ yù jiān rèn de pǐn gé.
    The poet uses mountain stone as a metaphor for a resilient character.

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.

山shānmountain
石shístone

山 means mountain and 石 means stone, so 山石 refers to stone or rock from a mountain.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

山 shows three mountain peaks side by side.

Open 山 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 石 shows a stone under a cliff-like overhang, or a cave set into a cliff side.

Open 石 →

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