底层
dǐcéng · HSK 7
ground floor
🏢⬇️ 底 (bottom) + 层 (layer/floor) = the bottom layer, ground floor
底 means bottom or base, 层 means layer or story of a building. Together they literally say bottom floor — the ground level of a building, or figuratively the lowest stratum of anything.
底 — 广 (shelter radical) + 氐 (phonetic 'dǐ')
底 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The 广 radical depicts a roofed structure or shelter, suggesting the bottom or base of a building. The component 氐 supplies the sound 'dǐ' and originally meant 'low' or 'base,' reinforcing the meaning. Together they convey 'bottom,' 'foundation,' or 'underneath.'
层 — corpse 尸 + cloud 云 (simplified from 曾)
层 is the simplified form of 層. The original character combines 尸 (a roof/dwelling) with 曾 (céng), which provides the sound and originally depicted stacked layers of a steamer. Together they suggested a multi-storied building, extending to mean 'layer,' 'tier,' or 'story.'