Definition
墙脚 literally means 'the foot of a wall' — the base or foundation where the wall meets the ground. Figuratively, it can refer to the foundation of an institution or system, and appears in the common idiom 挖墙脚 (wā qiáng jiǎo, 'to undermine / to poach talent'). Be careful not to confuse it with 墙角 (qiáng jiǎo, 'corner of a wall'), which is a different word.
n.
foot of a wallbase of a wallfoundation (of an institution or system)
Examples
- 墙脚，。Zhè dòng lóu de qiáng jiǎ hěn láogù, búyòng dānxīn.The foundation of this building is very solid, no need to worry.
- 墙脚，。Tāmen xiǎng wā wǒmen gōngsī de qiáng jiǎ, wā zǒu wǒmen de héxīn yuángōng.They want to undermine our company by poaching our core employees.
- 墙脚，。Bié zài qiáng jiǎ fùjìn zhòng shù, huì yǐngxiǎng dìjī.Don't plant trees near the base of the wall; it will affect the foundation.
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