坝

垻/壩
bà
土 + 贝
HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

bà (noun) dam; dike; embankment

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 贝 represents the sound. Simplified form of 壩.

Semantic: 土 Phonetic: 贝

About

The simplified character 坝 is a phonosemantic compound: 土 (earth) suggests the meaning, while 贝 provides the sound. It is a simplification of 壩, which used 霸 (meaning 'hegemon') as the phonetic. The character primarily means a dam, embankment, or dike built to control water. It also refers to flat land in mountains, often formed by sediment near such structures.

Example Sentences Hide

这个大坝很坚固。

Zhège dà bà hěn jiāngù.

This dam is very sturdy.

河坝上可以散步。

Hé bà shàng kěyǐ sànbù.

You can take a walk on the river embankment.

他们在修建一座新水坝。

Tāmen zài xiūjiàn yī zuò xīn shuǐbà.

They are building a new water dam.

这座拦河坝能防洪发电。

Zhè zuò lánhébà néng fánghóng fādiàn.

This barrage can prevent floods and generate electricity.

古老的堤坝保护着下游的村庄。

Gǔlǎo de dībà bǎohù zhe xiàyóu de cūnzhuāng.

The ancient embankment protects the villages downstream.

三峡大坝是一项宏伟的工程。

Sānxiá dà bà shì yī xiàng hóngwěi de gōngchéng.

The Three Gorges Dam is a magnificent engineering project.

泥石流在坝体上冲开了一个缺口。

Níshíliú zài bà tǐ shàng chōng kāi le yī gè quēkǒu.

The debris flow breached an opening in the dam body.

工程师们正在评估大坝的抗震稳定性。

Gōngchéngshīmen zhèngzài pínggū dà bà de kàngzhèn wěndìngxìng.

The engineers are assessing the dam's seismic stability.

Related Characters

Component: 土

在 地 去 主 走 场 至 社 基 王 城 增 型 境

Component: 贝

员 资 则 质 费 责 财 负 货 败 贵 赛 购 贸

Example Words

大坝 沙坪坝 堤坝 平坝 水坝 沙坝 溃坝 葛洲坝 阿坝 阿坝州 院坝 留坝