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立足之地 (lì zú zhī de) — a place to stand; (figurative) a foothold, a secure position

Definition

Literally 'a place to set foot', this means a physical or figurative foothold — a secure position one can stand on. Often used in negative contexts (没有立足之地 = no room to stand, no place in a group or field).

noun
a place to stand(figurative) a footholda secure position

Examples

  • ，立足之地。
    Zài zhè ge guó jiā, wài lái yí mín hěn nán zhǎo dào lì zú zhī de.
    In this country, immigrants find it hard to gain a foothold.
  • 立足之地。
    Tā zài zhè jiā gōng sī yǐ jīng yǒu le lì zú zhī de.
    He already has a foothold in this company.
  • ，立足之地。
    Jiào shì lǐ tài jǐ le, lián lì zú zhī de dōu méi yǒu.
    The classroom is so crowded there's no room to stand.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

立 pictures a person standing on the ground.

Open 立 →

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

足 was originally drawn as a leg.

Open 足 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

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
Abstract ConceptsIdioms & Set Phrases

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