Meaning and Usage
栏杆 (lángān) refers to a physical railing or fence made of bars or poles, commonly found on balconies, stairs, bridges, or parks. It is a noun describing a safety or decorative structure designed to prevent falls or mark boundaries.
Common Contexts
栏杆 is often used when talking about architectural features related to safety or decoration. For example, balconies have 栏杆 to prevent people from falling, and parks may have 栏杆 to guide visitors or protect plants.
Collocations and Patterns
- 阳台栏杆 (balcony railing): emphasizes location.
- 楼梯栏杆 (stair railing): safety feature on stairs.
- 栏杆上挂锁 (locks hung on railings): common in romantic or tourist spots.
Usage Notes
栏杆 is a concrete noun and does not have metaphorical or grammatical uses. It is always used to refer to a physical object. It is different from 栏 (lán) alone, which can mean a column or section in writing, and 杆 (gān), which means a pole or stick but not necessarily part of a railing.
Common Confusion
Do not confuse 栏杆 with 护栏 (hùlán), which also means guardrail but often refers to road or highway barriers. 栏杆 is more general and used in everyday architectural contexts.