tin1 cim3天塹天堑
Jyutpingtin1 cim3
Yaletīn chim
Definition
Natural barrier or moat, especially a wide river that serves as a military defense.
writtennatureplaces
How it's used
Literary in nature, this term is rarely used in casual daily conversation and is mostly reserved for formal writing, historical accounts, or news reports describing geographical obstacles. It carries a sense of grandeur and historical weight, often implying that the barrier is difficult to overcome or cross. When used in speech, it sounds quite dramatic or academic.
Examples
The Yangtze River acts as a natural barrier, hindering transport between the two banks.
Related words
Common phrases
the natural barrier of the Yangtze River
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common word for any river or ditch, but it specifically refers to a formidable, wide, or deep natural barrier that serves as a defensive line. Using it to describe a small stream or a simple canal would sound unnatural and overly poetic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
