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目的地 (mù dì dì) — destination

Definition

目的地 is a physical place you're traveling to ('destination'). Unlike 目的 ('purpose' or 'goal' — an aim, not a location), it always refers to somewhere concrete, like the endpoint of a trip.

noun
destination
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 目的地。
    Fēi jī hái yǒu liǎng gè xiǎo shí dào dá mù dì dì.
    The plane will arrive at the destination in two hours.
  • 目的地。
    Zhè cì lǚ xíng de mù dì dì shì běi jīng.
    The destination of this trip is Beijing.
  • ，目的地。
    Kuài dì yǐ jīng lí kāi cāng kù, zhèng zài qián wǎng mù dì dì de lù shang.
    The package has left the warehouse and is on its way to the destination.

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.

目的target
目mùeye的detarget
偏正Modifier + head
地dìplace

“目的” is the aim or target, and “地” is a place, together meaning the place aimed at.

Characters in this word

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

目 began as a drawing of a human eye, turned sideways.

Open 目 →

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
白白báiwhite
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo的de
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

的 pairs 白, related to white or brightness, with 勺, which gives a clue to the sound. Its older form 旳 meant bright.

Open 的 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4Travel & Tourism

Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.