城墙

• Pinyin: chéng qiáng
• Hanzi breakdown: 城 = 土 (earth) + 成 (accomplish) = city wall; 墙 = 土 (earth) + 嗇 (phonetic) = wall

Meaning

City wall; fortification wall. The defensive walls built around ancient Chinese cities.

Refers specifically to the walls built around cities for defense in ancient times. Famous examples include the walls of Xi'an and Nanjing. Also used metaphorically for barriers or defenses.

Examples

1. 西安的古城墙保存得非常完整。 Xi'an's ancient city wall is very well preserved.
2. 游客们沿着城墙骑自行车，欣赏古城风光。 Tourists ride bicycles along the city wall, enjoying the scenery of the ancient city.
3. 这座城墙有六百多年的历史了。 This city wall has over six hundred years of history.

Usage Guide

Context: history, tourism, architecture

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 南京的城墙是中国现存最长的古城墙。(Nanjing's city wall is the longest extant ancient city wall in China.)
• 登上城墙可以俯瞰整个古城。(Climbing the city wall offers a bird's-eye view of the entire ancient city.)

Don't Say

• 我家的城墙 (城墙 specifically refers to city fortifications, not residential walls — use 围墙 for home walls)

Origin & History

Compound of 城 (city/wall) and 墙 (wall). 城 itself originally meant 'city wall' before extending to mean 'city.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal