拥堵 (yōng dǔ) — (of traffic) to become congested; to be jammed | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

拥堵 is a formal verb used almost exclusively for traffic congestion. 比堵塞更书面, common in news and official reports (e.g. 交通拥堵).

verb

(of traffic) to become congestedto be jammed

Examples

，拥堵。
Zǎo wǎn gāo fēng shí, zhè tiáo lù cháng cháng yōng dǔ.
During rush hours, this road often gets congested.
，拥堵。
Yīn wèi qián fāng fā shēng shì gù, gāo sù lù duàn chū xiàn yán zhòng yōng dǔ.
Because there was an accident ahead, the highway section became severely congested.
拥堵。
Shì zhèng fǔ zhèng zài cǎi qǔ cuò shī huǎn jiě chéng shì jiāo tōng yōng dǔ.
The city government is taking measures to relieve urban traffic congestion.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

拥yōngcrowded

堵dǔblocked

拥 (crowded) and 堵 (blocked) combine to describe traffic jammed together.

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.

扌用拥

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

用

用yòng拥yōng

Same sound today

拥 pairs 扌 (hand) with 用, which gives the sound.

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

土者堵

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

堵 combines 土, showing earth, with 者, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Roads & Traffic

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