桥头堡

Traditional form:

橋頭堡

Pinyin (reading):

qiáotóubǎo

Definitions:

• bridgehead (military)
• stronghold serving as a base for advancing further into enemy territory
• bridge tower (ornamental structure at either end of a bridge)
• (fig.) gateway (place that provides access to other places beyond it)
• bridgehead (key location serving as a base for further expansion)

Characters:

• 桥 - bridge; beam, crosspiece
• 头 - head; chief, boss; first, top
• 堡 - fort, fortress; town, village

Traditional characters:

• 橋 - bridge; beam, crosspiece
• 頭 - head; chief, boss; first, top
• 堡 - fort, fortress; town, village