海底

• Pinyin: hǎi dǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 海 = 氵 (water) + 每 (every), meaning sea; 底 = 广 (shelter) + 氐 (base), meaning bottom

Meaning

Seabed; ocean floor; bottom of the sea. The ground beneath the ocean.

Used in scientific, adventure, and creative contexts. Common collocations: 海底世界 (undersea world), 海底隧道 (undersea tunnel), 海底捞 (famous hotpot chain, literally 'fishing from the sea bottom'). Jules Verne's '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' is called 海底两万里.

Examples

1. 科学家在海底发现了许多以前从未见过的奇特生物。 Scientists discovered many strange creatures on the seabed that had never been seen before.
2. 海底隧道的建设难度极高，需要克服巨大的水压和地质挑战。 Building an undersea tunnel is extremely difficult, requiring overcoming enormous water pressure and geological challenges.
3. 孩子们最喜欢去海洋馆看海底世界，五颜六色的鱼让他们兴奋不已。 Children love going to the aquarium to see the underwater world — the colorful fish make them so excited.

Usage Guide

Context: oceanography, adventure, construction

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 海底的压力非常大。(The pressure at the bottom of the sea is enormous.)
• 他梦想去探索海底世界。(He dreams of exploring the underwater world.)

Don't Say

• 把浅水区也叫海底 (Don't call shallow waters 海底 — it implies deep ocean floor)

Origin & History

Compound of 海 (sea, ocean) + 底 (bottom). A straightforward term for the bottom of the sea.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal