Definitions
(verb)
to build; to construct
(noun)
five-string lute
Etymology
A strong 巩 bamboo ⺮ building; ⺮ also provides the pronunciation
About
The character "筑" originally represented an ancient musical instrument made from bamboo, which is directly indicated by the "竹" (bamboo) component in its structure, while the lower component "巩" historically contributed to its phonetic value. For the action of building, the traditional character "築" was used, constructed with "竹" as a semantic element related to materials, "木" (wood) to imply construction, and "筑" serving as a phonetic marker. Over time, through phonetic association and semantic borrowing, "筑" began to be used for the concept of construction, leading to its adoption as the standard form for that meaning in simplified systems, while retaining its original instrumental sense. The structure of "筑" has consistently combined "竹" and "巩", even as its semantic range expanded from a specific instrument to include general building activities.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
小鸟在筑巢。
工人筑路很辛苦。
他们正在筑一道堤坝。
这座城市建筑很古老。
为了防洪，我们筑起了高墙。
工程师设计并筑成了这座桥。
在山区筑铁路需要克服很多困难。
政府计划在沿海地区筑一座新的港口。