国际级 (guó jì jí) — international-level (used as an attributive)

Definition

Used as an attributive (before a noun) to mark something as being at the level of international competition or standards — e.g. 国际级运动员. Almost always followed by a noun.

adjective
international-level (used as an attributive)

Examples

  • 国际级。
    Zhè shì yì chǎng guó jì jí bǐ sài.
    This is an international-level competition.
  • 国际级。
    Tā shì yí wèi guó jì jí yùn dòng yuán.
    He is an international-level athlete.
  • 国际级。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù dá dào le guó jì jí biāo zhǔn.
    This project meets international-level standards.

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.

国际international
国guócountry际jìbetween
偏正Modifier + head
级jílevel

国际 points to between countries and 级 to level, together naming an international level.

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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 際; 际 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
祭
祭jì際⁰jì
Same sound today

The traditional form 際 pairs 阝 with 祭: 阝 gives the meaning and 祭 gives the sound. The simplified 际 is a later shorthand.

Open 际 →

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 級; 级 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí級jí
Same sound today

The traditional form 級 has 糹 (thread) and 及 as a sound part; its original sense was a sequence related to silk. The simplified 级 is a later shorthand.

Open 级 →

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