死路 (sǐ lù) — blind alley, dead end (literal); road to ruin o…

Definition

Literally a road with no exit, used figuratively for a path that leads only to failure or destruction — 'a dead end' in both senses.

noun

blind alleydead end (literal)road to ruin or destruction (figurative)

Measure word · 条

死路，。
Qián miàn shì yì tiáo sǐ lù, wǒ men dé huí tóu.
Ahead is a dead end; we have to turn back.
，死路。
Zài zhè yàng xià qù, gōng sī huì zǒu shàng sǐ lù.
If this continues, the company will head toward ruin.
死路，。
Xī yān shì zǒu sǐ lù, duì jiàn kāng wēi hài hěn dà.
Smoking is a road to destruction; it's very harmful to health.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

尸

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

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

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Appears in