Sources & editorial notes
Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.
Source record: cd-b467f759269667f3. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.
Original source entry:
平地起家 平地起家 [ping2 di4 qi3 jia1] /to start from scratch (idiom)/Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.
Reference information
The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.
Character information
View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.
flat / level / smooth / to make even / to level / equal / on the same level / (bound form) fair / impartial / to tie / to draw / (bound form) average / ordinary / (bound form) calm / peaceful / (bound form) to quell / to suppress / to put down / (abbr. for 平聲|平声[]) / (coll.) square meter (abbr. for 平方米[])
-ly / structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct
earth / ground / field / place / land / CL:片[]
to rise / to raise / to get up / to set out / to start / to appear / to launch / to initiate (action) / to draft / to establish / to get (from a depot or counter) / verb suffix, to start / starting from (a time, place, price etc) / classifier for occurrences or unpredictable events: case, instance / classifier for groups: batch, group
used in 傢伙|家伙[] and 傢俱|家俱[] / home / family / (polite) my (sister, uncle etc) / classifier for families or businesses / refers to the philosophical schools of pre-Han China / noun suffix for a specialist in some activity, such as a musician or revolutionary, corresponding to English -ist, -er, -ary or -ian / CL:個|个[]
Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.