HSK · Level 119
45 words
Chinese word
堤
Pronunciation
Pinyindī
Meaning
- nounembankment
Example
堤边坐着几个钓鱼的人。dī biān zuò zhe jǐ gè diào yú de rén
Several anglers are sitting by the embankment.
More examples
春天，堤上开满了野花，附近的人常来散步。chūn tiān dī shàng kāi mǎn le yě huā fù jìn de rén cháng lái sàn bù
In spring, wildflowers cover the embankment, and local people often come to take walks.
Core concept
A raised barrier of earth or stone follows a shore or riverbank and holds back unwanted water.
Common phrases
堤防dī fáng
dike
堤上dī shàng
on the embankment
堤边dī biān
by the embankment
Similar words
堤坝dī bà: A raised earth or stone structure built to control water flow and prevent flooding.
河堤hé dī: A raised bank built along a river to protect nearby land from rising water and floods.
防波堤fáng bō dī: A wall of stone or concrete built in the sea to protect a harbor or shore by weakening waves.
Definition in Chinese
用土、石等在河岸或海岸筑成的构筑物，用以防止洪水或海潮侵入。yòng tǔ shí děng zài hé àn huò hǎi àn zhù chéng de gòu zhù wù yòng yǐ fáng zhǐ hóng shuǐ huò hǎi cháo qīn rù
Word origin
土 (tǔ, "earth") + 是 (shì, "be") form 堤 (dī, "embankment"): 土 supplies the meaning and 是 mainly supplies the sound.
Usage tips
- In conversational Chinese, this noun often appears in longer names for riverbank or coastal barriers, so recognizing it inside a compound helps identify the type of water-control structure.
Other meanings
- dikenoun
- river embankmentnoun
Related words
- 堤防dī fángleveenoun
- 堤岸dī ànriverbanknoun