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顶层 (dǐng céng) — top floor; top layer; top level (of an organization)

Definition

顶层 means the topmost layer — literal (top floor, top tier of a cake) or figurative (top level of an organization, like senior leadership). Unlike 表面, it emphasizes the highest point in a hierarchy, not just the outside.

noun
top floortop layertop level (of an organization)
Measure word · 层

Examples

  • 顶层。
    Tā zhù zài gōng yù de dǐng céng.
    He lives on the top floor of the apartment building.
  • 顶层。
    Gōng sī de dǐng céng jué dìng le xià ge jì dù de jì huà.
    The top management of the company decided on the next quarter's plan.
  • ，顶层。
    Zhè ge dàn gāo yǒu sān céng, dǐng céng shì qiǎo kè lì zuò de.
    This cake has three layers; the top layer is made of chocolate.

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.

顶dǐngtop
层cénglayer

顶 gives the top idea, and 层 gives the layer idea, together naming the uppermost level.

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 頂; 顶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng頂dǐng
Same sound today

The traditional form 頂 pairs 頁, meaning head, with 丁, which supplies the sound; the simplified 顶 is a later abbreviation.

Open 顶 →

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 層; 层 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
曾
曾céng層céng
Same sound today

The traditional form 層 uses 尸 for the meaning and 曾 for the sound; the simplified 层 is a later abbreviation.

Open 层 →
Appears in
Buildings & Structures

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