地图
dì tú
/tɪ˥˩.tʰu˧˥/
Definition
A map; a flat picture that shows where places, roads, or countries are.
Example
你手机上有地图吗？
Show translation
Do you have a map on your phone?
Etymology
A compound of 地 (dì, "earth / ground / place") + 图 (tú, "picture / drawing / diagram"). Together: a "picture of the earth" — a perfectly transparent description of what a map is. 图 alone appears in many compound words related to visuals: 图书馆 (library), 图片 (image).
Cultural note
In China, maps are a culturally sensitive topic: official Chinese maps must depict national territorial claims (including the Nine-Dash Line and Taiwan as part of China) or they risk being banned. Foreign apps like Google Maps are blocked on the mainland; most people use 高德地图 (Gaode Maps) or 百度地图 (Baidu Maps) instead.