焦土

jiāotǔ

noun #37,178

Meanings

1 scorched earth
2 devastated land

Characters

burnt / scorched

Examples

HSK 4

战争把这座城市变成了一片焦土。

Zhànzhēng bǎ zhè zuò chéngshì biànchéng le yī piàn jiāotǔ.

The war reduced the city to scorched earth.

HSK 7-9

敌军实行了焦土政策。

Díjūn shíxíng le jiāotǔ zhèngcè.

The enemy carried out a scorched-earth policy.

Tips

history

The fixed phrase 焦土政策 ("scorched-earth policy") refers to a retreating army destroying everything of value so the advancing enemy gains nothing - famously used in WWII narratives about both Russia and China.

Stroke Order

焦 jiāo

土 tǔ