平整 (píng zhěng) — to level, to flatten, to make smooth (e.g., land, surface)

Definition

As a verb, 平整 means to level or flatten a surface (land, ground) so it is even and smooth. As an adjective (HSK 7 extension), it describes a surface that is flat and even.

verb
to levelto flattento make smooth (e.g., land, surface)

Examples

  • 平整。
    Gōng rén men zhèng zài píng zhěng tǔ dì.
    The workers are leveling the land.
  • 平整。
    Shī gōng qián xū yào xiān bǎ dì miàn píng zhěng hǎo.
    Before construction, you need to level the ground first.
  • 平整。
    Tā men bǎ yuàn zi píng zhěng dé hěn píng.
    They flattened the courtyard very smoothly.

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.

平píngflat
整zhěngneat

平 gives flat and 整 gives neat or even, so the word means to make something smooth and orderly.

Characters in this word

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

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

Open 平 →

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
敕敕chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng整zhěng
Same sound today

整 pairs 敕 as the meaning side with 正 as the sound side.

Open 整 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.