Definition
栋梁 (dòng liáng) literally means 'ridgepole and beams,' the key structural parts of a house. Figuratively, it refers to a crucial person who upholds a nation or organization — a 'pillar' or 'mainstay.' Compared to 支柱 (zhīzhù, a more general 'pillar' that can be literal or figurative) and 脊梁 (jǐliáng, 'backbone' emphasizing moral strength), 栋梁 specifically evokes the indispensable load-bearing core of the whole structure.
noun
(figurative) pillarmainstay (of a nation, organization, etc.)(literal) ridgepole and beams (of a house)
Examples
- 栋梁，。Tā shì wǒmen gōngsī de dòng liáng, méiyǒu tā gōngsī jiù yùnzhuǎn bù liǎo.He is the pillar of our company; without him the company can't operate.
- 栋梁。Zhèxiē niánqīng kēxuéjiā shì guójiā de wèilái dòng liáng.These young scientists are the future pillars of the nation.
- 栋梁。Gǔdài jiànzhù de dòng liáng duō yòng hǎo mùcái zhì chéng.The ridgepoles and beams of ancient buildings were often made of fine wood.
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