TongTong
Sign in

渡口 (dù kǒu) — ferry crossing; ferry dock

Definition

A 渡口 is a place where people cross a river by boat — the dock or landing on either shore. Use it as a setting or location, not for the boat or crossing action itself.

noun
ferry crossingferry dock
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 渡口。
    Tā men chéng zuò xiǎo chuán dào dá le hé duì àn de dù kǒu.
    They took a small boat and arrived at the ferry crossing on the opposite bank.
  • 渡口。
    Zhè ge gǔ lǎo de dù kǒu céng shì shāng lǚ wǎng lái de zhòng yào shū niǔ.
    This ancient ferry crossing was once an important hub for merchants and travelers.
  • 渡口，。
    Huáng hūn shí fēn de dù kǒu lǒng zhào zài jīn sè de yú huī zhōng, gé wài níng jìng.
    The ferry dock at dusk was bathed in golden afterglow, exceptionally tranquil.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

渡dùcrossing
口kǒumouth

渡 (crossing) and 口 (mouth) combine to mean a place where one crosses.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
度
度dù渡dù
Same sound today

渡 has 氵, water, beside 度, which gives the sound.

Open 渡 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →
Appears in
Boats & Water Travel

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.