遮挡 is a compound verb meaning 'to cover' or 'to obscure'—typically by placing something in front of an object, person, or view so that it becomes partially or fully hidden from sight. The first character 遮 (zhē) means 'to shield' or 'to conceal', while the second 挡 (dǎng) means 'to block' or 'to impede'; together, they emphasize intentional physical obstruction. It’s commonly used with concrete nouns like light, view, wind, rain, or people—e.g., a curtain遮挡 sunlight, or trees遮挡 the building.

This word carries a neutral to slightly formal register and is frequently found in descriptive writing, weather reports, architecture discussions, and everyday explanations about visibility or protection. It implies an active barrier—not accidental hiding—and often suggests partial rather than total coverage. Unlike simpler verbs like 盖 (gài, 'to cover') or 挡 (dǎng) alone, 遮挡 stresses both concealment and obstruction as a combined effect.