Learn a Chinese Character - 垄

1. Character Basics

Radical: 土 (tǔ, earth/soil radical)

Stroke Count: 8

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: lǒng (Third tone)

3. Meaning

Ridge in a field; raised path between fields; mound; ridge

4. Common Words

• 田垄 (tiánlǒng) - field ridge; furrow
• 垄沟 (lǒnggōu) - furrow between ridges
• 垄作 (lǒngzuò) - ridge cultivation
• 垄断 (lǒngduàn) - monopoly; to monopolize
• 垄亩 (lǒngmǔ) - farmland; cultivated land
• 断垄 (duànlǒng) - broken ridge; gap in crops
• 垄土 (lǒngtǔ) - ridge soil
• 垄上 (lǒngshàng) - on the ridge

5. Grammar & Usage

"垄" is primarily used as a noun to refer to ridges in fields, especially in agricultural contexts. It can also be used as a component in compound words with more abstract meanings, such as "垄断" (monopoly). In sentences, it often follows words related to agriculture or land, and can be used with measure words like "条" (tiáo, strip) or "道" (dào, path).

6. Cultural Background

In Chinese agricultural culture, the concept of "垄" (ridge) has been important for thousands of years. Traditional farming techniques often involved creating ridges and furrows to improve drainage, aeration, and crop growth. The character "垄" reflects China's long history of agricultural civilization and the importance of farming in Chinese culture. The derived meaning of "monopoly" (垄断) comes from the idea of controlling all the ridges, thus controlling all the land and resources.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 垄 consists of 龙 (lóng, dragon) on top and 土 (tǔ, earth/soil) below. You can imagine a dragon (龙) shape formed by the soil (土) in a field, which helps associate the character with its meaning of "ridge" or "mound" in agricultural contexts.