地球
the Earth
HSK level
- Pinyin
- dìqiú
- Part of speech
- noun
- Level
- HSK 4
- Strokes
- 17
- Register
- neutral
- Measure word
- 个
Stroke order for 地球
地球 is written with 17 strokes (地: 6, 球: 11). The animation replays automatically.
What does 地球 mean?
地球 (dìqiú) is the noun for 'the Earth' — our planet, the globe we live on.
It combines 地 ('ground / earth') and 球 ('ball / sphere'), so it literally reads 'earth-ball,' a transparent compound that maps neatly onto the idea of a planet. It's used in geography, science, and environmental contexts: 保护地球 ('protect the Earth'), 地球上 ('on Earth'). English speakers should note the split that trips learners up: 地球 is the planet, while 地 alone means 'ground / land / floor' and 土 means 'soil / dirt.'
You don't call the ground 地球. It's neutral in register and equally at home in a child's textbook or a scientific report. Related planet-and-space vocabulary follows the same 球 pattern: 月球 (yuèqiú, the Moon) and 星球 (xīngqiú, a celestial body/planet).
Character by character
Memory hook: 地 (earth) + 球 (ball) → the earth-ball = our planet.
Example sentences
地球是我们唯一的家。
Dìqiú shì wǒmen wéiyī de jiā.
The Earth is our only home.
neutral
我们应该保护地球。
Wǒmen yīnggāi bǎohù dìqiú.
We should protect the Earth.
neutral
地球围绕太阳转。
Dìqiú wéirào tàiyáng zhuàn.
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
written
老师用地球仪给我们讲课。
Lǎoshī yòng dìqiúyí gěi wǒmen jiǎngkè.
The teacher used a globe to teach us.
spoken
Common phrases with 地球
Synonyms
Don't confuse 地球 with
FAQ
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