局限性 (jú xiàn xìng) — limitation, shortcoming (general sense); (medicine) circumscribed, regional

Definition

A noun meaning 'limitation' or 'shortcoming' — the inherent constraints or drawbacks of something. Note the rare medical sense 'circumscribed / localized' (as in the example 局限性胸膜炎).

noun
limitationshortcoming (general sense)(medicine) circumscribedregional

Examples

  • 局限性。
    Zhè ge fāng àn de jú xiàn xìng zài yú chéng běn tài gāo.
    The limitation of this plan is that the cost is too high.
  • 局限性，。
    Yī shēng zhěn duàn wèi jú xiàn xìng xiōng mó yán, jiàn yì zhù yuàn zhì liáo.
    The doctor diagnosed circumscribed pleurisy and recommended hospitalization.
  • 局限性，。
    Měi gè rén dōu yǒu jú xiàn xìng, dàn wǒ men yào nǔ lì tū pò.
    Everyone has limitations, but we must strive to break through them.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

局限limitation
局júlimit限xiànlimit
联合Side by side
性xìngquality

局限 gives the idea of limitation, while 性 marks it as a quality or state.

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
⻖Written in full as阜fùmound
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn限xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

限 pairs ⻖ (mound, written 阜) with 艮 as a sound part; the mound side gives the sense of a boundary or limit.

Open 限 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →

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