建筑

• Pinyin: jiàn zhù
• Hanzi breakdown: 建 = 廴 (long stride) + 聿 (brush), meaning to establish; 筑 = 竹 (bamboo) + 巩 (firm), meaning to build

Meaning

Architecture; building; to construct. The art of building or a built structure.

Can be a noun (building, architecture) or verb (to construct). As a noun, refers to structures or the field of architecture. 建筑师 is architect. Common in urban development and art history contexts.

Examples

1. 上海外滩的老建筑展现了独特的欧式风格。 The old buildings on Shanghai's Bund display a unique European style.
2. 他从小就对建筑设计感兴趣，长大后成为了一名建筑师。 He's been interested in architectural design since childhood and became an architect when he grew up.
3. 这个城市保留了许多明清时期的传统建筑。 This city has preserved many traditional buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Usage Guide

Context: architecture, urban, history, art

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这座建筑很有特色。(This building is very distinctive.)
• 她学的是建筑专业。(She's studying architecture.)

Don't Say

• 建筑一个计划 (建筑 is for physical structures — for plans, use 制定 or 构建)

Origin & History

Compound of 建 (to establish) + 筑 (to build, construct), both related to construction.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal