壩 (bà) - Dam — an embankment or barrier constructed to & also refers to a riverbank or a sandbar.

壩Tone 4

bà ｜ 24 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

壩 · bà

Dam — an embankment or barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir;

also refers to a riverbank or a sandbar.

Dam — an embankment or barrier constructed toalso refers to a riverbank or a sandbar.

Usage highlights

DamEmbankmentSandbarReservoir damCheck damEarth dam

Synonyms

  • 堤— dike; embankment
  • 堰— weir; low dam

Antonyms

  • 渠— canal; channel (for conveying water, as opposed to blocking it)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The Three Gorges Dam (三峡大坝) is a major hydroelectric project.
  • They built a dam (水坝) to control flooding.
  • The river overflowed the embankment (河坝).
  • A sandbar (沙坝) formed at the river's mouth.

Collocations

  • Dam(大坝)
  • Embankment(堤坝)
  • Sandbar(沙坝)
  • Reservoir dam(水库坝)
  • Check dam(拦河坝)
  • Earth dam(土坝)

Idioms

  • To build a dam to catch fish(筑坝捕鱼)
  • As solid as a rock dam(坚如磐坝)
  • A thousand-mile dike, destroyed by an ant hole(千里之堤，溃于蚁穴 - related concept)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically, dams and embankments were crucial for flood control and irrigation in agricultural societies like China.
  • The character reflects ancient hydraulic engineering knowledge, vital for managing major river systems like the Yellow and Yangtze.
  • Modern mega-dams like the Three Gorges Dam symbolize technological advancement and national power.

FAQ