Chinese word

长城

Pronunciation

Pinyincháng chéng

Meaning

  • nounGreat Wall

Example

我下个月要去长城旅行。wǒ xià gè yuè yào qù cháng chéng lǚ xíng

I am going to travel to the Great Wall next month.

Illustration for 长城 (Great Wall)

More examples

爬长城时要注意安全。pá cháng chéng shí yào zhù yì ān quán

Be careful when climbing the Great Wall.

Core concept

A defensive wall system whose great length is its defining feature.

Common phrases

  • 参观长城cān guān cháng chéng

    visit the Great Wall

  • 爬长城pá cháng chéng

    climb the Great Wall

  • 万里长城wàn lǐ cháng chéng

    the Great Wall

Similar words

墙qiáng: A vertical structure built around a home, piece of land, or building for protection.
城墙chéng qiáng: A thick defensive wall built around a city or town.

Definition in Chinese

泛指延绵的城防工程，也专指中国著名的万里长城。fàn zhǐ yán mián de chéng fáng gōng chéng yě zhuān zhǐ zhōng guó zhù míng de wàn lǐ cháng chéng

Word origin

The compound 长 (cháng, "long") + 城 (chéng, "city wall") describes a wall or group of fortifications extending across a wide area and also names China's best-known example.

Usage tips

  • English treats the famous landmark as a fixed proper name, while Chinese can use the same word for a long defensive wall in a general sense, so context determines the reference.

Word lists with this word