铺路

• Pinyin: pū lù
• Hanzi breakdown: 铺 = 钅 + 甫 (metal + beginning — to lay flat/spread); 路 = 足 + 各 (foot + each — the path each foot takes)

Meaning

To pave a road; to lay the groundwork. Literally: to lay paving for a road. Figuratively: to create the conditions, remove obstacles, or make preparations for something to succeed.

The figurative use is far more common in modern written Chinese. 为…铺路 = to pave the way for something. Common in politics (为改革铺路), education (为未来铺路), and business (为上市铺路). Implies deliberate preparation and enabling.

Examples

1. 父母倾尽所有，只为给孩子铺路，却往往忽视了让孩子学会独立面对困难才是更深远的人生馈赠。 Parents may give everything to pave the way for their children, but they often overlook that learning to face hardship independently is an even more lasting gift.
2. 这项基础设施投资计划的核心目标，是为未来十年区域经济一体化的深入推进全面铺路。 The core goal of this infrastructure investment plan is to lay the groundwork for deeper regional economic integration over the next decade.
3. 早期的科学研究成果为后来者的技术突破铺路，这种代际知识积累是人类文明持续进步的根本动力。 Early scientific research paved the way for later breakthroughs; this cross-generational accumulation of knowledge is a fundamental driver of humanity’s continuing progress.

Usage Guide

Context: planning, policy, education, business, metaphor

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 此次立法修订的深远意义不仅在于解决了当前的监管漏洞，更在于为未来数字经济领域的持续健康发展奠定了基础性的制度铺路。(The far-reaching significance of this legislative revision lies not only in addressing current regulatory gaps but also in laying the foundational institutional groundwork for the continued healthy development of the digital economy in the future.)
• 企业在进入新兴市场之前，应当充分利用本地合作伙伴关系和前期品牌调研为市场准入铺路，避免因文化误判而造成不必要的资源损耗。(Before entering an emerging market, enterprises should fully leverage local partnerships and preliminary brand research to pave the way for market entry, avoiding unnecessary resource waste caused by cultural misjudgements.)

Don't Say

• 铺路 in figurative use requires 为…铺路 structure — do not use 铺路 alone to mean 'prepare' in formal writing; 铺垫 is similar but specifically means setting up background/context (narrative or rhetorical), while 铺路 emphasises enabling future action

Origin & History

铺 (to spread, to lay — 钅 metal radical + 甫 beginning → to lay flat/spread) + 路 (road — 足 foot + 各 each/separate → each foot's path)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal