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建筑 (jiàn zhù) — to construct; to build; building; architecture

Definition

建筑 is a verb AND noun: 'to build' (buildings, roads) and 'building / architecture'. As a noun it names the physical structure; 建造 is only the verb 'to construct', 建设 adds a 'develop/build systems' sense, and 修建 fits repairs and infrastructure.

to constructto buildbuildingarchitecture
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 建筑。
    Zhè zuò jiàn zhù hěn dà.
    This building is very big.
  • 建筑。
    Tā men zhèng zài jiàn zhù yì tiáo xīn lù.
    They are constructing a new road.
  • 建筑。
    Xiàn dài jiàn zhù hěn zhòng shì shè jì.
    Modern architecture values design a lot.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

建jiànbuild
筑zhùbuild/construct

建 and 筑 both mean build or construct, so together they refer to construction and buildings.

Characters in this word

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

  • 廴廴yǐn
  • 聿聿yù

The shape 建 shows 廴 and 聿, but it comes from an older drawing of a hand planting a pole into a base; the lower part of 聿 is not a brush.

Open 建 →

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 築; 筑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
筑
筑zhù築zhù
Same sound today

The traditional form 築 pairs 木 (wood) with 筑, which gives the sound; the simplified 筑 is a later shorthand.

Open 筑 →
Appears in
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