亭台楼阁

亭臺樓閣

tíngtáilóugé

idiom

Meanings

1 pavilions, terraces, towers, and kiosks
2 ornate Chinese garden architecture
3 elegant traditional buildings

Characters

terrace; platform

multi-story building

kiosk; pavilion

Examples

苏州园林里到处是精致的亭台楼阁。

Sūzhōu yuánlín lǐ dàochù shì jīngzhì de tíngtáilóugé.

Suzhou's classical gardens are filled with exquisite pavilions and terraces.

古画中描绘了山水之间的亭台楼阁。

Gǔhuà zhōng miáohuì le shānshuǐ zhī jiān de tíngtáilóugé.

The old painting depicts pavilions and towers nestled among mountains and rivers.

公园新建的亭台楼阁，颇有古风。

Gōngyuán xīn jiàn de tíngtáilóugé, pō yǒu gǔfēng.

The newly built pavilions and towers in the park have a strong classical flavor.

Tips

culture

All four characters name distinct types of traditional Chinese garden buildings: 亭 (open pavilion), 台 (raised terrace), 楼 (multi-story building), 阁 (ornate kiosk). Together they evoke a classical Chinese garden.

Stroke Order

亭 tíng

台 tái

楼 lóu

阁 gé