重地 (zhòng dì) — restricted area, important site (usually closed to the public)

Definition

A compound meaning a place that is off-limits to the public — used on signs (施工重地, 军事重地) to warn people away. The first character is read zhòng (important/forbidden), not chóng (repeat).

noun
restricted areaimportant site (usually closed to the public)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 重地，。
    Qián fāng shì jūn shì zhòng dì, xián rén miǎn jìn.
    Ahead is a military restricted area — no unauthorized entry.
  • 重地，。
    Shī gōng zhòng dì, qǐng wù kào jìn.
    Construction site — do not approach.
  • 重地，。
    Cāng kù shì gōng sī zhòng dì, wài rén bù dé rù nèi.
    The warehouse is a company restricted area; outsiders are not allowed inside.

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.

重zhòngimportant
地dìplace

The sense of important joins with place to mean a site of significance.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →

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 →

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