TongTong
Sign in

纵深 (zòng shēn) — depth (from front to rear, esp. in military or geographical sense); (fig.) depth, thoroughness (of theory, history, development, etc.)

Definition

纵深 highlights extension INTO something — front-to-back or forward-into territory — while 深度 measures how deep something is from the surface down (physical or intellectual). It also covers time span of sustained progress.

noun
depth (from front to rear, esp. in military or geographical sense)(fig.) depththoroughness (of theory, history, development, etc.)

Examples

  • 纵深。
    Bù duì zài shān qū jiàn lì le zhàn lüè zòng shēn.
    The troops established strategic depth in the mountainous area.
  • 纵深。
    Zhè xiàng gǎi gé xū yào shí jiān zòng shēn lái zhú bù tuī jìn.
    This reform needs a time span to be gradually advanced.
  • 纵深，。
    Tā de yán jiū quē fá lǐ lùn zòng shēn, jié lùn bú gòu yǒu lì.
    His research lacks theoretical depth, so the conclusions are not convincing enough.

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.

纵zònglengthwise
深shēndepth

纵 indicates lengthwise direction and 深 means depth; together they give depth from front to rear.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 縱; 纵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
從
從cóng縱zòng
Same sound today

The traditional form 縱 pairs the 糸 part with 從 as a sound part; the simplified 纵 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 纵 →

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

深 is built from 氵, the side form of 水 “water”, and 𥥍, which supplies the sound.

Open 深 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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