立足点 (lì zú diǎn) — foothold; footing (literal or figurative); stan…

Definition

Literally 'foothold' (立足 + 点), but usually used figuratively as a 'standpoint' or 'basic principle' someone argues from.

noun

footholdfooting (literal or figurative)standpointpoint of viewbasic principle

立足点。
Dēng shān duì yuán zài qiào bì shàng xún zhǎo ān quán de lì zú diǎn.
The climbers looked for a safe foothold on the cliff.
立足点，。
Shuāng fāng zài tán pàn zhōng jiān chí gè zì de lì zú diǎn, hěn nán dá chéng gòng shí.
Both sides stuck to their own standpoints during the negotiations, making it hard to reach a consensus.
立足点，。
Zhè ge lǐ lùn yǐ shí jiàn wèi lì zú diǎn, qiáng diào jīng yàn de zhòng yào xìng.
This theory takes practice as its basic principle and emphasizes the importance of experience.

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.

立足foothold

动宾Verb + object

立足 means standing on one's feet, and 点 marks a point, yielding foothold or standpoint.

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.

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

足 was originally drawn as a leg.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

黑占點

Meaning part形符xíngfú

黑黑hēiblack

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn點diǎn(r)

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

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

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