‘海堤’ (hǎi dī) literally combines ‘海’ (hǎi), meaning ‘sea’ or ‘ocean’, and ‘堤’ (dī), meaning ‘embankment’ or ‘dike’. Together, it refers to a man-made barrier built along a coastline to protect inland areas from seawater intrusion, storm surges, and erosion. It is typically constructed from concrete, stone, or earth and serves both defensive and infrastructural purposes—often supporting roads, walkways, or coastal parks.

This term is commonly used in geographical, engineering, and disaster-prevention contexts across China and other Chinese-speaking regions. You’ll encounter it in news reports about typhoon preparedness, urban planning documents, or travel descriptions of seaside cities like Xiamen or Qingdao. Unlike natural landforms, a 海堤 is always artificial and intentionally engineered for resilience against marine forces.