堵

dǔ

土 + 者

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

dǔ (verb) to block; to obstruct

dǔ (noun) wall

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 者 represents the sound.

Semantic: 土 Phonetic: 者

About

The character 堵 is a phono-semantic compound. The left component, the earth radical 土, provides the semantic context relating to walls or earthen structures, while the right component, 者 (zhě), serves as the phonetic indicator. Originally used as a noun for a unit of wall measurement or a physical barrier, its meaning expanded to become a verb meaning to block or obstruct. This shift allowed 堵 to describe both literal blockages, like traffic or a plugged hole, and figurative ones, such as a feeling of emotional stiflement.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这条路经常堵车。

Zhè tiáo lù jīngcháng dǔchē.

This road often has traffic jams.

下水道堵住了。

Xiàshuǐdào dǔzhù le.

The drain is clogged.

因为事故，道路堵塞了。

Yīnwèi shìgù, dàolù dǔsè le.

Because of an accident, the road is blocked.

他试图堵住漏洞。

Tā shìtú dǔzhù lòudòng.

He tried to plug the leak.

如果管道堵塞，水就会流不出来。

Rúguǒ guǎndào dǔsè, shuǐ jiù huì liú bù chūlái.

If the pipe is clogged, water won't flow out.

交通拥堵问题需要解决。

Jiāotōng yōngdǔ wèntí xūyào jiějué.

The traffic congestion problem needs to be solved.

早上高峰期，地铁站里堵满了人。

Zǎoshang gāofēngqī, dìtiě zhàn lǐ dǔ mǎn le rén.

During the morning rush hour, the subway station is packed with people.

经济制裁旨在堵住该国的资金流动。

Jīngjì zhìcái zhǐ zài dǔzhù gāi guó de zījīn liúdòng.

Economic sanctions aim to block the country's capital flow.

Related Characters

Component: 土

Component: 者

堵