Chinese word

沙漠

Pronunciation

Pinyinshā mò

Meaning

  • noundesert

Example

我们去了沙漠，看到很多沙丘。wǒ men qù le shā mò kàn dào hěn duō shā qiū

We went to the desert and saw many sand dunes.

Illustration for 沙漠 (desert)

More examples

为防治沙漠化，当地政府大力开展植树造林。wèi fáng zhì shā mò huà dāng dì zhèng fǔ dà lì kāi zhǎn zhí shù zào lín

To prevent and control desertification, the local government actively planted trees.

Core concept

A vast, dry landscape where loose sand shapes the ground and stable plant life is scarce.

Common phrases

  • 沙漠化shā mò huà

    desertification

  • 绿化沙漠lǜ huà shā mò

    greening the desert

  • 沙漠地区shā mò dì qū

    desert region

Similar words

戈壁gē bì: A large, dry, stony region with rocks and gravel and sparse plant life.
荒漠huāng mò: A broad, severely dry wasteland that supports almost no plant life.
绿洲lǜ zhōu: A green, plant-filled place with water in an otherwise dry region.

Definition in Chinese

指主要由松散沙粒组成、常见沙丘且年降水量极低、难以维持稳定植被的辽阔干旱区。zhǐ zhǔ yào yóu sōng sǎn shā lì zǔ chéng cháng jiàn shā qiū qiě nián jiàng shuǐ liàng jí dī nán yǐ wéi chí wěn dìng zhí bèi de liáo kuò gān hàn qū

Word origin

沙漠 (shāmò, "desert") combines 沙 (shā, "sand") with 漠 (mò, "vast and empty"), forming a clear picture of a broad, barren sandy region.

Usage tips

  • Unlike the English word desert, this Chinese noun has the geographical sense in ordinary use and does not serve as the verb meaning to abandon someone.

Opposites

  • 绿洲lǜ zhōuoasisnoun

Related words

  • 沙漠化shā mò huàdesertificationnoun
  • 沙漠植物shā mò zhí wùdesert plantnoun

Word lists with this word