岛

• Pinyin: dǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 岛 = 鸟 (bird) + 山 (mountain), depicting a mountain rising from water

Meaning

Island. A piece of land surrounded by water.

Refers to any landmass completely surrounded by water. China has many famous islands including Taiwan (台湾岛), Hainan (海南岛), and the South China Sea islands. Also used in compound words like 半岛 (peninsula) and 群岛 (archipelago).

Examples

1. 我们计划今年夏天去那个热带小岛度假。 We're planning to vacation on that tropical island this summer.
2. 这个岛屿上有很多珍稀动植物。 There are many rare animals and plants on this island.
3. 他在一座偏远的小岛上独自生活了十年。 He lived alone on a remote island for ten years.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, travel

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这座岛风景优美。(This island has beautiful scenery.)
• 他们住在一个小岛上。(They live on a small island.)

Don't Say

• 岛和半岛不同，半岛只有一面与陆地相连 (岛 and 半岛 are different — a peninsula is connected to the mainland on one side)

Origin & History

A pictophonetic character with 山 (mountain) as the semantic component and 鸟 (bird) as the phonetic, depicting a mountain in the sea where birds gather.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal