() - A brick or tile, especially referring to ancient

Tone 4

pì | 17 strokes | radical:

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A brick or tile, especially referring to ancient or glazed bricks used in construction.

A brick or tile, especially referring to ancient

Usage highlights

Ancient brickGlazed brickBrick wallSquare brickBrick pathBrick kiln

Synonyms

  • brick (more common modern term)
  • tile, roofing tile

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient city wall was built with large bricks (甓).
  • They discovered glazed bricks (琉璃甓) from the Ming dynasty.
  • The floor was paved with square bricks (方甓).

Collocations

  • Ancient brick(古甓)
  • Glazed brick(琉璃甓)
  • Brick wall(甓墙)
  • Square brick(方甓)
  • Brick path(甓道)
  • Brick kiln(甓窑)

Idioms

  • Run a mill with a brick(运甓)
  • Brick and tile workers(甓瓦之工)
  • Carrying bricks to strengthen will(运甓励志)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, '甓' specifically referred to high-quality bricks used in important constructions like city walls and palaces.
  • The term appears in historical texts describing architectural techniques and materials.
  • The idiom '运甓' (carrying bricks) comes from a story about Tao Kan who carried bricks daily to maintain his physical strength and discipline.

FAQ