動土

动土
dòngtǔ
  1. to break ground (prior to building sth)
  2. to start building

CEDICT

to break ground; to start building

Wiktionary

挖地。指開始建築。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 動 dòng
  1. (of sth) to move
  2. to set in movement
  3. to displace
  4. to touch
  5. to make use of
  6. to stir (emotions)
  7. to alter
  8. abbr. for 動詞 dòngcí, verb
2 土 tǔ
  1. earth
  2. dust
  3. clay
  4. local
  5. indigenous
  6. crude opium
  7. unsophisticated
  8. one of the eight categories of ancient musical instruments 八音 bāyīn

Containing this entry

太歲頭上動土 tàisuìtóushàngdòngtǔ

Related entries

破土 pòtǔ
  1. to break ground
  2. to start digging
  3. to plough
  4. to break through the ground (of seedling)
  5. fig. the start of a building project
蟬破土而出後，會蛻皮，等待身體乾燥變硬，然後飛到樹頂覓食和尋找配偶，牠們通過發出響亮的蟬鳴來尋找配偶。

Once out of the ground, the cicadas molt and wait for their bodies to dry and harden, then they fly to the tops of trees where they feed and look for a mate, which they do by making a loud buzz.

Source: Tatoeba

始建 shǐjiàn to start building
哈佛始建于1636年。

Harvard was founded in 1636.

Source: Tatoeba