境地 (jìng dì) — circumstances, situation | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

境地 is 'situation/circumstances,' usually a difficult or critical one (困境, 危险的境地). More literary and heavier than the everyday 情况.

noun

circumstancessituation

Examples

境地。
Tā xiàn zài de jìng dì fēi cháng kùn nan.
His current situation is very difficult.
境地，。
Zài zhè zhǒng jìng dì xià, wǒ men yīng gāi bǎo chí lěng jìng.
Under these circumstances, we should stay calm.
境地。
Hěn duō rén miàn duì wēi jī jìng dì shí huì gǎn dào wú zhù.
Many people feel helpless when facing a crisis situation.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

境地 joins 境 'realm' and 地 'place', giving the situation one is in.

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.

土竟境

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

竟

竟jìng境jìng

Same sound today

境 pairs 土 (earth) with 竟, which gives the sound; the 土 part carries the meaning.

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

土也地

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

也

也yě地dì

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

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Abstract Concepts

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