底边 (dǐ biān) — base (of a triangle or other geometric figure)

Definition

noun
base (of a triangle or other geometric figure)
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 底边。
    Zhè ge sān jiǎo xíng de dǐ biān cháng dù shì wǔ lí mǐ.
    The base of this triangle is five centimeters long.
  • 底边。
    Tī xíng de dǐ biān bǐ shàng biān cháng hěn duō.
    The base of a trapezoid is much longer than its top side.
  • 底边。
    Jiàn zhù wù de dǐ biān bì xū fēi cháng wěn gù.
    The base of a building must be very stable.

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.

底dǐbase
边biānedge

底 is the base, and 边 is the edge, so together they name the base edge.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
广广guǎngbuilding
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī底dǐ
Same sound today

底 pairs 广 (building) with 氐, pointing to the bottom or foundation of a building. Some read 氐 as a bowing figure or tree root, adding a sense of 'down'.

Open 底 →

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 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →

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