地道 dìdào tunnel
tunnel; causeway
How to remember 地道: 地 ground + 道 way = tunnel.
Characters
How it is used
- As dìdao (neutral tone) it means authentic / the real thing: 地道的北京话 (dìdao de Běijīnghuà) authentic Beijing dialect, 味道很地道 (wèidào hěn dìdao) the flavor is truly authentic.
- Reading trap: the same characters read dìdào mean a literal tunnel/underground passage - tone tells them apart.
- Praises genuineness of language, food, or craft; near 正宗 (zhèngzōng), which is more about orthodox/original source, while 地道 stresses 'done exactly right'.
Example sentences
- 她大方地道歉。 Tā dàfang de dàoqiàn.She had the decency to apologize.