局促 (jú cù) — cramped, narrow (of space); short, limited (of time); constrained, ill at ease (of manner or feeling)

Definition

Literary adjective used for three situations: a small/tight space, very limited time, or feeling ill at ease. In the 'ill at ease' sense it commonly pairs with 不安 (局促不安).

adjective
crampednarrow (of space)shortlimited (of time)constrainedill at ease (of manner or feeling)

Examples

  • ，局促。
    Zhè ge fáng jiān tài xiǎo le, zhù sān gè rén hěn jú cù.
    This room is too small; three people living here is very cramped.
  • 局促，。
    Shí jiān tài jú cù le, wǒ men zhǐ néng dài yí gè xiǎo shí.
    Time is too short; we can only stay for one hour.
  • ，。
    Dì yī cì jiàn miàn, tā xiǎn de hěn jú cù bù ān.
    Meeting for the first time, he seemed very ill at ease.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

局júlimited
促cùcramped

局促 joins 局, limited, with 促, cramped, to describe tight space or constrained ease.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
句
句jù局jú
Same sound today

The shape of 局 pairs 尸, a meaning part, with 句, a sound part.

Open 局 →

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
足
足zú促cù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

促 pairs 亻 (person, written 人 when complete) with 足, which helps show its sound.

Open 促 →

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