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里程碑 (lǐ chéng bēi) — milestone

Definition

里程碑 is a 'milestone' — a marker of important progress or a turning point in events, projects, or life. Unlike 纪念碑 (a physical monument built to remember people or events), 里程碑 is usually abstract.

noun
milestone
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 里程碑。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù dá dào le yí gè xīn de lǐ chéng bēi.
    This project reached a new milestone.
  • 里程碑。
    Jié hūn shì rén shēng zhōng de yí gè zhòng yào lǐ chéng bēi.
    Marriage is an important milestone in life.
  • 里程碑。
    Wǒ men zài gāo sù gōng lù páng kàn dào le yí gè lǐ chéng bēi.
    We saw a milestone beside the highway.

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.

里程mileage
里lǐdistance程chéngjourney
联合Coordinate
碑bēistone

里程 gives the distance traveled and 碑 is a stone marker, so the word names a milestone.

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 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →

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
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
呈
呈chéng程chéng
Same sound today

程 is made from 禾 (grain) and 呈 (pronounced chéng); the evidence gives measurements.

Open 程 →

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
卑
卑bēi碑bēi
Same sound today

碑 shows 石 (stone) beside 卑, with 卑 giving the sound.

Open 碑 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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