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底线 (dǐ xiàn) — (figurative) bottom line, the limit of what one is willing to accept; (sports) baseline; (espionage) informer, plant

Definition

底线 is the figurative 'bottom line' — the non-negotiable limit a person sets for themselves. To mean a dividing line, prefer 界线; for a planted spy, use 间谍.

noun
(figurative) bottom line, the limit of what one is willing to accept(sports) baseline(espionage) informerplant
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 底线，。
    Měi gè rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ de dǐ xiàn, bù néng suí biàn tuǒ xié.
    Everyone has their own bottom line and cannot compromise easily.
  • 底线。
    Tā zài wǎng qiú dǐ xiàn fù jìn dǎ le yí gè piào liang de kòu shā.
    He hit a beautiful smash near the tennis baseline.
  • 底线。
    Jǐng fāng huái yí tā shì fàn zuì jí tuán ān chā de dǐ xiàn.
    The police suspect he is an informer planted by the criminal group.

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.

底dǐbottom
线xiànline

底 means bottom or lowest, and 线 is a line: the bottom line.

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
广广guǎngbuilding
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī底dǐ
Same sound today

底 pairs 广 (building) with 氐, pointing to the bottom or foundation of a building. Some read 氐 as a bowing figure or tree root, adding a sense of 'down'.

Open 底 →

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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