岩石

• Pinyin: yán shí
• Hanzi breakdown: 岩 = 山 (mountain radical) + 石 (stone — a stone that forms or is part of a mountain or cliff face); 石 = 厂 (cliff/overhang radical) + 口 (shape representing a stone at the base of a cliff)

Meaning

Rock; stone. The solid mineral matter forming the earth's crust, or large masses of such material. More formal and scientific than the colloquial 石头.

Used in geological, environmental, and literary contexts. 岩石圈 = lithosphere. The three main classifications: 火成岩 (igneous rock), 沉积岩 (sedimentary rock), 变质岩 (metamorphic rock). Metaphorically, 坚如磐石 (solid as bedrock) expresses steadfastness. 岩石 is more formal and large-scale than 石头 (common/small stone).

Examples

1. 地质学家通过对该地层中岩石样本的年代测定，推断出这片高原在约两亿年前曾是一片广阔的浅海地带。 By dating rock samples from that stratum, geologists inferred that this plateau used to be a vast shallow sea about 200 million years ago.
2. 登山队在攀登过程中遭遇了连续的降雨天气，湿滑的岩石表面大大增加了攀爬难度和发生意外的风险。 During the climb, the mountaineering team ran into days of heavy rain; the slick rock surfaces greatly increased the difficulty and the risk of accidents.
3. 侵蚀作用经过漫长的地质年代，将原本坚硬的岩石慢慢雕刻成今日这般壮观的峡谷地貌景观。 Over immense geological time, erosion slowly carved what was once solid rock into the spectacular canyon landscape we see today.

Usage Guide

Context: geology, geography, engineering, nature

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 工程团队在施工前必须对地基处的岩石承载力进行精确测算，以确保建筑结构在地质条件复杂的区域能够长期安全稳定。(Before construction begins, the engineering team must precisely calculate the load-bearing capacity of the bedrock at the foundation site to ensure the structure remains safe and stable long-term in an area of complex geological conditions.)
• 这块有着数十亿年历史的古老岩石样本为研究早期地球的地质演化提供了极为珍贵的第一手科学证据。(This ancient rock sample, billions of years old, provides exceptionally valuable first-hand scientific evidence for researching the geological evolution of the early Earth.)

Don't Say

• 他的意志坚如岩石头 — the established idiom is 坚如磐石 (solid as bedrock) or simply 坚如岩石; 岩石头 conflates 岩石 and 石头 unnecessarily; choose one and use it correctly

Origin & History

岩 (cliff/rock face — 山 mountain + 石 stone) + 石 (stone — pictographic, showing a cliff with a stone at its base)

Cultural Context

Era: Classical/Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal