平坦

• Pinyin: píng tǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 平 = pictograph of a balance scale, level; 坦 = 土 (earth) + 旦 (dawn), flat earth

Meaning

Flat; level; smooth. Without hills, bumps, or obstacles.

Used for physical surfaces (道路平坦 flat road) and metaphorically for life paths (人生道路平坦 smooth life path). Opposite of 崎岖 (rough/bumpy). Related: 平坦如砥 (flat as a whetstone).

Examples

1. 这条高速公路又宽又平坦。 This highway is wide and flat.
2. 人生的道路不可能总是平坦的。 The road of life cannot always be smooth.
3. 经过整修，操场变得平坦多了。 After renovations, the playground became much more level.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, roads, metaphor

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这里地势平坦，适合种庄稼。(The terrain here is flat, suitable for growing crops.)
• 祝你前途平坦。(Wishing you a smooth path ahead.)

Don't Say

• 他的性格很平坦。(For personality, use 平和 — 平坦 is for physical surfaces or life paths)

Origin & History

平 (píng, flat/level) + 坦 (tǎn, flat/calm). Both characters emphasize flatness.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal