奠基

diànjī

verb #31,672

Meanings

1 to lay a foundation
2 to inaugurate (a building)
3 (figurative) to establish the groundwork

Characters

to establish / make offerings

foundation / base

Examples

市长亲自为新医院奠基。

Shìzhǎng qīnzì wèi xīn yīyuàn diànjī.

The mayor personally laid the foundation stone for the new hospital.

鲁迅为中国现代文学奠基。

Lǔ Xùn wèi Zhōngguó xiàndài wénxué diànjī.

Lu Xun laid the foundation of modern Chinese literature.

Tips

usage

Two senses, equally common: (1) literal — the ceremony of laying the cornerstone of a new building (奠基仪式 'foundation-laying ceremony'); (2) figurative — being the founding figure of a discipline, movement, or institution (奠基人 'founding father', 奠基之作 'foundational work').

Stroke Order

奠 diàn

基 jī