最底层 (zuì dǐ céng) — lowest level; bottom layer; ground floor

Definition

noun

lowest levelbottom layerground floor

Examples

最底层。
Zhè zuò dà lóu de zuì dǐ céng shì tíng chē chǎng.
The lowest floor of this building is a parking lot.
最底层。
Shè huì zuì dǐ céng de rén men shēng huó hěn kùn nan.
People at the bottom of society live very difficult lives.
最底层，。
Zài gōng sī de zuì dǐ céng, yuán gōng méi yǒu jué cè quán.
At the lowest level of the company, employees have no decision-making power.

Origin

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

宀宀miánroof

Sound part声符shēngfú

取

取qǔ最zuì

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

The shape pairs 取, which gives the sound, with a roof-like top from 宀; marks above were later added to separate the “most” meaning.

Open 最 →

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

广氐底

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 層; 层 is its simplified writing.

尸曾層

Meaning part形符xíngfú

尸尸shī

Sound part声符shēngfú

曾

曾céng層céng

Same sound today

The traditional form 層 uses 尸 for the meaning and 曾 for the sound; the simplified 层 is a later abbreviation.

Open 层 →