Meaning
度 is a highly versatile character with multiple meanings. As a noun, it means 'degree' or 'measure' (temperature degrees, angles, extent). As a verb, it means 'to pass' or 'to spend' time, especially holidays or periods. It also functions as a measure word for occasions, times, or measurements of temperature and angles.
Usage
When talking about spending time, 度 is commonly used with holidays and vacations (度假 dùjià). For temperature and angles, it follows numbers (30度 sānshí dù = 30 degrees). In formal contexts, it can mean 'limit' or 'propriety' (有度 yǒu dù = with moderation). Native speakers frequently use 度 in compound words related to measurement and time.
Examples
- 01今天的温度是二十五度。.Today's temperature is 25 degrees.
- 02我们在海边度过了一个愉快的假期。.We spent a pleasant vacation by the seaside.
Measure words
- 度三十度
Common collocations
- 度假to spend a vacation
- 度过to pass (time); to get through
- 适度moderate; appropriate
- 角度angle; perspective
Origin
The character combines 广 (roof/building radical) with 又 (hand) and 廿 (twenty), originally suggesting measurement within a space. It has evolved to represent both physical measurement and the passage of time.