底

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 底 (dǐ) is composed of two parts: the radical 土 (tǔ), which means "earth" or "soil", and the phonetic component 底 (dǐ), which is a simplified form of the character 底 (dǐ), meaning "bottom" or "base". The character 底 originally meant "the bottom of the earth" or "the underworld", but over time its meaning has expanded to include other meanings such as "the bottom of a container", "the foundation of a building", or "the root of a matter".The character 底 can also be used as a verb, meaning "to reach the bottom of" or "to investigate thoroughly". For example, the phrase 探究到底 (tànjiū dào dǐ) means "to investigate something thoroughly".The character 底 is also used in many idioms and proverbs. For example, the idiom 一清到底 (yī qīng dào dǐ) means "to be completely clear or transparent", while the proverb 根深蒂固 (gēnshēn dìgù) means "to be deeply rooted and firmly established".In summary, the Chinese character 底 has a rich history and a variety of meanings. It is a versatile character that can be used in many different contexts.