命脉

命脈

mìngmài

noun #33,441

Measure Word

一条命脉 tiáo

Meanings

1 lifeline
2 vital artery; the lifeblood (of an industry, region, etc.)

Characters

blood vessel; artery

Examples

水利是农业的命脉。

Shuǐlì shì nóngyè de mìngmài.

Water conservation is the lifeline of agriculture.

这条公路是山区的经济命脉。

Zhè tiáo gōnglù shì shānqū de jīngjì mìngmài.

This highway is the economic lifeline of the mountain region.

出口贸易是这个小国的命脉。

Chūkǒu màoyì shì zhège xiǎoguó de mìngmài.

Export trade is the lifeblood of this small country.

Tips

memory

命 (life) + 脉 (blood vessel/artery) = the artery of life. Used metaphorically: agriculture's 命脉 is water, a city's 命脉 is its rail line, a company's 命脉 is its supply chain. Cut the 命脉 and the system dies.

Stroke Order

命 mìng

脉 mài