平原

píng yuán

plain; flatlands

HSK Level 5

Example Sentences

长江平原是中国最大的平原。

Chángjiāng píngyuán shì zhōngguó zuì dà de píngyuán.

The Yangtze Plain is the largest plain in China.

黄河平原是中国第二大平原。

Huánghé píngyuán shì zhōngguó dì èr dà de píngyuán.

The Yellow River Plain is the second largest plain in China.

松辽平原是中国第三大平原。

Sōngliáo píngyuán shì zhōngguó dì sān dà de píngyuán.

The Songliao Plain is the third largest plain in China.

Synonyms

平地 (píngdì)

flat land

原野 (yuányě)

open country

Antonyms

山地 (shāndì)

mountainous area

丘陵 (qiūlíng)

hills

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 平原 (píngyuán) for "plain" is composed of two characters: 平 (píng) and 原 (yuán). The character 平 originally meant "level" or "even", and was often used to describe the surface of the earth. Over time, it came to be used more broadly to refer to any flat or level area, such as a plain. The character 原 originally meant "field" or "open land", and was often used to refer to uncultivated land. Over time, it came to be used more broadly to refer to any large, flat area of land, such as a plain.The combination of these two characters creates the word 平原, which specifically refers to a large, flat area of land that is suitable for cultivation. This word is often used to describe the vast plains of China, which are some of the most fertile and productive agricultural regions in the world.

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