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分界线 (fēn jiè xiàn) — line of demarcation; boundary

Definition

noun
line of demarcationboundary
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 分界线。
    Zhè tiáo hé shì liǎng guó zhī jiān de zì rán fēn jiè xiàn.
    This river is a natural boundary between the two countries.
  • ，分界线。
    Zài tán pàn zhōng, shuāng fāng huà dìng le míng què de fēn jiè xiàn.
    During the negotiations, both sides drew a clear line of demarcation.
  • 分界线。
    Wǒ men bù néng kuà yuè dào dé de fēn jiè xiàn.
    We cannot cross the boundary of morality.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

分界divide the boundary
分fēndivide界jièboundary
动宾Verb + object
线xiànline

分界 means divide the boundary, and 线 is a line.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
介
介jiè界jiè
Same sound today

界 is built from 田 (field) and 介. 田 carries the meaning, while 介 gives the sound.

Open 界 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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