noun HSK 5
wall · rampart · cliff face
Meaning
壁 refers to a wall, typically an interior wall of a building or a vertical surface like a cliff face. It's more formal than 墙 (qiáng) and often appears in literary or compound words. The character combines 辟 (to open) and 土 (earth), originally depicting an earthen wall or rampart.
Usage
While 墙 is the everyday word for 'wall,' 壁 appears frequently in compounds and set phrases. It's commonly used for specific types of walls (like cave walls, cliff faces, or decorated walls) and in formal or literary contexts. You'll often see it in words like 壁画 (mural) or 壁纸 (wallpaper).
Examples
- 01洞穴的壁上画着古代的壁画。.Ancient murals are painted on the cave walls.
- 02他家徒四壁，什么都没有。, .His home has only bare walls; he has nothing.
Measure words
- 堵一堵壁
- 面一面壁
Common collocations
- 壁纸wallpaper
- 壁画mural
- 铜墙铁壁impregnable fortress (idiom)
- 四壁four walls (of a room)
Origin
The character 壁 originally depicted an earthen wall or fortification, combining elements suggesting 'to open' and 'earth,' representing the construction of protective barriers.