历届 (lì jiè) — (adjective) all previous (sessions, terms, conf… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Used to describe every past instance of a recurring event or group — 'all previous governments', 'all previous exhibitions', 'all previous graduates'. 届 counts completed terms or sessions, so it always refers to ones that have already ended.

adjective

all previous (sessions, terms, conferences, etc.)

Examples

历届。
lì jiè Zhèng fǔ dōu hěn zhòng shì jiào yù shì yè.
All previous governments have placed great importance on education.
历届。
lì jiè Zhǎn lǎn huì dōu xī yǐn le hěn duō guān zhòng.
All previous exhibitions attracted many visitors.
历届，。
lì jiè Bì yè shēng zhōng, tā de chéng jì zuì hǎo.
Among all previous graduates, she has the best grades.

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.

历lìprevious

届jièsession

历 as previous and 届 as sessions combine to mean all earlier sessions.

Characters in this word

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 歷; 历 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 历 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (简历, 经历) it is 歷; in others (日历) it is 曆.

厤止歷

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

厤

厤lì歷lì

Same sound today

The form 歷 pairs 止 with the sound part 厤.

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 屆; 届 is its simplified writing.

尸凷屆

Meaning part形符xíngfú

尸尸shībody

Sound part声符shēngfú

凷

凷kuài屆jiè

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 屆, 尸 is the body part and 凷 is the sound part.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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