地图
dìtú · HSK 1
map
🗺️ 地图 = earth/ground (地) + chart/diagram (图)
地 means earth or ground, 图 means chart, drawing, or diagram. Together they form earth-chart, a literal compound for a map. Same 图 appears in 图书 (books) and 图画 (picture).
地 — earth 土 + 也 (phonetic)
地 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left component 土 means 'earth' or 'soil' and gives the meaning, while 也 on the right hints at the pronunciation. Originally referring to the ground or land, it broadened to mean 'place,' 'region,' and 'territory.'
图 — enclosure 囗 + 冬 (simplified from 啚)
Originally written 圖, showing an enclosure 囗 around 啚, a depiction of a granary or rural settlement on a map. The whole character meant a map or chart of demarcated territory. Meaning later broadened to picture, diagram, or to plan/scheme.
dì tú · HSK 3
map
🗺️ 地图 = earth/land + chart/diagram
地 means earth or land; 图 means chart, diagram, or picture. Together they form a chart of the land — a map. The 图 component also shows up in 图片 (picture) and 图书 (books).
地 — earth 土 + 也 (phonetic)
地 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left component 土 means 'earth' or 'soil' and gives the meaning, while 也 on the right hints at the pronunciation. Originally referring to the ground or land, it broadened to mean 'place,' 'region,' and 'territory.'
图 — enclosure 囗 + 冬 (simplified from 啚)
Originally written 圖, showing an enclosure 囗 around 啚, a depiction of a granary or rural settlement on a map. The whole character meant a map or chart of demarcated territory. Meaning later broadened to picture, diagram, or to plan/scheme.