长城

• 拼音: cháng chéng
• 汉字拆解: 长 = simplified from 長, depicting long hair, meaning long; 城 = 土 (earth) + 成 (to complete), meaning city wall

含义

The Great Wall; literally 'long wall.' The famous ancient defensive structure stretching across northern China.

Most commonly refers to the Great Wall of China, one of the world's most famous landmarks. Also used metaphorically to mean an unbreakable barrier or strong defence, as in 钢铁长城 (the iron Great Wall, referring to national defence). The saying 不到长城非好汉 means 'one who has not reached the Great Wall is not a true hero.'

例句

1. 去北京旅游一定要去看看长城。
2. 长城是中国最有名的历史建筑之一。
3. 我们上个周末和朋友一起爬了长城。

用法指南

语境: travel, culture, history

语气: proud

正确说法

• 不到长城非好汉。(You are not a true hero unless you have been to the Great Wall.)
• 长城有两千多年的历史了。(The Great Wall has over two thousand years of history.)

错误说法

• 我在长城上面住 (Don't say you live on the Great Wall — it's a tourist site, not a residential area; say 我住在长城附近)

起源与历史

Compound of 长 (long) and 城 (wall/city), literally 'long wall.' Construction began in the 7th century BC, with the most well-known sections built during the Ming Dynasty.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal