Meaning of 地形
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- topography
- terrain
- landform
How to use 地形
地形 is a neutral noun used in geography, travel, hiking, and military contexts to describe how land rises, falls, and spreads out. It often appears with words like 复杂 (fùzá, complicated) or 平坦 (píngtǎn, flat). Example: 这里的地形很复杂。(Zhèlǐ de dìxíng hěn fùzá.) The terrain here is very complex.
地 (dì) means land or ground, and 形 (xíng) means shape or form. Put them together and you get the shape of the land, which is terrain or topography.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes say 地图 (dìtú) when they mean 地形. 地图 is the map itself, while 地形 is the actual shape of the land that a map might show. Also keep both tones falling then rising: dì is fourth tone and xíng is second tone.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
地 de · -ly · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
形 xíng · to appear · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Related words
Words that share a character with 地形.
| 地方 | dìfang | region; regional (away from the central administration) |
| 地上 | dìshang | on the ground; on the floor |
| 地点 | dìdiǎn | place; site |
| 地图 | dìtú | map |
| 地球 | dìqiú | the earth |
| 地铁 | dìtiě | underground railway; subway; subway train |
| 草地 | cǎodì | lawn; meadow |
| 外地 | wàidì | parts of the country other than where one is |
| 地铁站 | dìtiězhàn | subway station |
| 地区 | dìqū | region; area (informal or geographical term); prefecture (in China's administrative system |
| 形成 | xíngchéng | to form; to take shape |
| 当地 | dāngdì | local |
Questions about 地形
What does 地形 mean?
地形 (dìxíng) means "topography; terrain" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 地形?
地形 is made of 2 characters: 地 (6 strokes), 形 (7 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 地形 an HSK word?
Yes. 地形 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 地形 and 地势 (dìshì)?
地形 describes the overall forms of the land, such as mountains, plains, and basins. 地势 focuses on the height and slope of the land, for example 地势西高东低, meaning the land is high in the west and low in the east.
How do you say topographic map in Chinese?
A topographic map is 地形图 (dìxíngtú). You simply add 图 (tú, picture or map) to 地形.